Cardio True or False?

ZiezieO
ZiezieO Posts: 228 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
My goal is to start weight training so that I can figure compete.
I met with a trainer, she said that after 15 mins, the body stops burning fat and starts to eat muscles.

Is this true? I have about 36.7lbs body fat / 15+ fatty lbs to loose (she measured and told me).

Should I lower my cardio to 15 mins and the rest strength or should I wait till I burn through my fat a little more before I drop?

Replies

  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Your trainer is full of it.........get yourself another trainer, she's an idiot.
  • Deestrong68
    Deestrong68 Posts: 119 Member
    I think your trainer is mistaken.

    Here is a Link that should give you your answer

    http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/fats/body-fat-myths-vs-facts.html#b
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Your trainer should be fired.
  • Greywalk
    Greywalk Posts: 193 Member
    ROFL...get another trainer...her knowledge is outdated. And most trainers will develop a program unique to you if they are good. Additionally the body will burn the stored glucose first. Not the fat. See multiple articles on burn...start here:

    http://www.umich.edu/~medfit/resistancetraining/timingiseverything101705.html

    Alot of medical terminology but very accurate..and fact checked by doctors.
  • Escape_Artist
    Escape_Artist Posts: 1,155 Member
    The amount of trainers that say stuff that make no sense... It's like a plague!

    Urg! get another trainer!
  • Shampres
    Shampres Posts: 64 Member
    I disagree with your trainer. It takes about fifteen minutes to start burning fat, I think, because before that you're burning off the immediate energy sources your body stores. After fifteen or twenty minutes, then you begin to burn the fat stores. After around an hour, you're burning different energy sources. The most efficient way to burn stored fat is to do HIIT. If that's too strenuous or you just want to veg out on a cardio machine for a while, do moderate intensity for an hour or less. I run a lot, but on days that I use a cardio machine, I watch an episode of Scandal or Revenge on my phone (I use the Hulu app) and go by that. After one episode, I'm done.
  • just_Jennie1
    just_Jennie1 Posts: 1,233
    The amount of trainers that say stuff that make no sense... It's like a plague!

    Yes because you too can become a "trainer" by taking a weekend class and getting a certificate that says you're one.

    I know a "trainer" who says ridiculous stuff like that. She had people doing weighted side bends with a weight in both hand. My husband was the one who told her she was doing them wrong and she didn't know why!
  • wanna_b_there
    wanna_b_there Posts: 295 Member
    Is this a beachbody coach????




    just kidding :tongue:
  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
    Please don't take offense at this: but your trainer's advice is so ludicrous that I burst out laughing...
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    There is some truth that cardio can become catabolic, but if you are fueling your body, doing strength training, getting adequate protein, with a deficit that is not too large, I doubt it will happen. That said you should try HIIT instead, and maybe one day of low intensity long duration.

    I would argue that you don't need any cardio or very little until you are cutting for the comp, as all you will need is protein, strength training, a small deficit to lose fat without losing much muscle. the caloric deficit can come from 100% diet or a combo of diet and cardio, just don't let the deficit get too large.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    My goal is to start weight training so that I can figure compete.
    I met with a trainer, she said that after 15 mins, the body stops burning fat and starts to eat muscles.

    If she meant 15 minutes in addition to your strength training, then she may have a point, because catabolism (muscle breakdown) does increase after about an hour of hard exercise without refueling.

    If she meant just 15 minutes, with no other exercise, then no.
  • ElizaRoche
    ElizaRoche Posts: 2,005 Member
    absolute bs
  • Mr_Bad_Example
    Mr_Bad_Example Posts: 2,403 Member
    Your trainer is full of it.........get yourself another trainer, she's an idiot.

    ^^^ This times a billion.
  • Latronibus
    Latronibus Posts: 7
    ROFL...get another trainer...her knowledge is outdated. And most trainers will develop a program unique to you if they are good. Additionally the body will burn the stored glucose first. Not the fat. See multiple articles on burn...start here:

    http://www.umich.edu/~medfit/resistancetraining/timingiseverything101705.html

    Alot of medical terminology but very accurate..and fact checked by doctors.
    Mild correction: the body burns cellular storage, then blood glucose, then glycogen, then usually fat, then usually muscle, then organs. Muscle can sometimes precede fat, for various reasons; activity is the most straightforward way to prevent this.

    As an aside, type 1 diabetics skip the glycogen step, because they can't make glucagon, and can't supplement it safely like they do with insulin.

    At any rate, you are far closer to correct than the OP's trainer, who is an absolute idiot.
  • BarbellApprentice
    BarbellApprentice Posts: 486 Member
    I cut cardio off at 14 minutes and 30 seconds just to be safe.. Don't want to start losing all my gains, brah!
    Joking. The 15 minute rule is absurd. While different types of cardio and even timing can be used strategically, this is such majoring in the minors.
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    Your trainer is wrong.

    I don't think she's accepting friend requests righ tnow, but USMCMP is a competitive body builder, and she could probably answer any questions specifically related to that. Go ahead and message her. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/user/usmcmp/status
  • thekyleo
    thekyleo Posts: 632 Member
    fire the trainer
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    I met with a trainer, she said that after 15 mins, the body stops burning fat and starts to eat muscles.

    Get a new trainer. That one is clearly an idiot.
  • Amanda_Gx6
    Amanda_Gx6 Posts: 320 Member
    My goal is to start weight training so that I can figure compete.
    I met with a trainer, she said that after 15 mins, the body stops burning fat and starts to eat muscles.

    I hope you didn't actually pay this woman. None the less I suggest you find another trainer. Good luck!
  • SwedishMel
    SwedishMel Posts: 95 Member
    Think about it logically for a minute. Think of all those triathlons, tough mudders, races, etc.... those are all a LOT longer than 15 minutes. Those people are built for stamina and have great muscle strength. Would they be doing events that would ruin all their success? No, I think not.

    Everyone above me has the same thoughts as me. A new, more experienced trainer is in order.
  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
    A trainer at my gym (where I'm also a trainer) said cardio strips muscle.

    That's it. Cardio strips muscle. I do very little cardio, because cardio strips muscle.

    I can't believe it.
    I can't think of an example of another trade where your competitors might spout this amount of nonsense and still find work?
  • lisalsd1
    lisalsd1 Posts: 1,519 Member
    I'm certainly no expert, BUT this doesn't make sense. If it were true, you could only do 15 minutes of cardio a day...

    I did read an earlier post that said "if she meant strength-training plus 15 minutes," this makes more sense.
  • uconnwinsnc
    uconnwinsnc Posts: 1,054 Member
    Your body's use of fuel isn't based on the man-made "minute."
  • Mewcenary
    Mewcenary Posts: 66 Member
    Don't just fire the trainer. Disown them.
  • somethinginherair
    somethinginherair Posts: 14 Member
    Your trainer is full of it.........get yourself another trainer, she's an idiot.

    Agreed with everyone.
  • ZiezieO
    ZiezieO Posts: 228 Member
    I'm glad I'm not crazy!

    I thought something was weird--Like I have been living under a rock no to know that basic fact.

    No, I didn't pay for the session, the gym I went to offers one free consultation, which was good in that it helped me learn a few machines that I wouldn't have known what to do with. But that factoid seemed a little nonsensical.

    Thanks for being the best Myth Busters out there!!!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,979 Member
    My goal is to start weight training so that I can figure compete.
    I met with a trainer, she said that after 15 mins, the body stops burning fat and starts to eat muscles.

    Is this true? I have about 36.7lbs body fat / 15+ fatty lbs to loose (she measured and told me).

    Should I lower my cardio to 15 mins and the rest strength or should I wait till I burn through my fat a little more before I drop?
    Trainer is misinformed. The first source of any physical activity to be burned is GLYCOGEN. Next would be fat, then lean tissue, but the body would have to be in a pretty extreme energy deficit for this to happen.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

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