Does cardio really suck for fat loss?

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allana1111
allana1111 Posts: 390 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I hate doing cardio.. repeat.. HATE IT. boring!! and I'm hearing that it's not contributing much to my weight loss anyway... true?
cus I do cardio most days and if its not even contributing then maybe I shouldn't be
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Replies

  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    Your calorie deficit is why contributes to weight loss not specific exercises. Exercise is for fitness. Diet is for weight loss
  • singlefemalelawyer
    singlefemalelawyer Posts: 382 Member
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    I think it depends on what your goals are. I do very little cardio but I lift a lot of weights. That's what I enjoy - and I'm loving the results I see and feel. Diet is the most important factor for weight loss. Cardio has obvious health benefits, and I do enjoy doing a bit of elliptical throughout the week, but it's not necessary for fat loss.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,017 Member
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    Of course it does, all exercise does. If you dislike it or don't find after giving it a good chance that that changes, then either reduce or of find a sport that you would like....it makes it easier than running, especially in one spot or similar exercises. Weight training is pretty vital for body composition, maybe include that if fat % and a lean look is desirable.
  • Velum_cado
    Velum_cado Posts: 1,608 Member
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    If the burning of calories creates a calorie deficit, then it contributes to fat loss. But you don't have to do cardio to lose fat. That's all about calories, and you can create a deficit with your diet alone.
  • ShellyBell999
    ShellyBell999 Posts: 1,482 Member
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    I've never been a fan of cardio at all, :noway:

    So I lift instead. :heart:

    Lost weight, inches; gained strength, n a rocken' bod. :bigsmile:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1219128-why-women-lift

    ETA: thread link
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
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    I stay on the extremes if I am going to do cardio it will either be walking or HIIT. I don't venture into the in-between area due to some broscience factors that I won't get into.
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
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    Your calorie deficit is why contributes to weight loss not specific exercises. Exercise is for fitness. Diet is for weight loss

    :noway:
  • ofccat
    ofccat Posts: 284 Member
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    You need a combination of cardio and strength training as well as proper nutrition. Find a form of cardio you do like- biking? Walking? Zumba? Kickboxing? Something.
  • FitnessLover001
    FitnessLover001 Posts: 188 Member
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    I love cardio but I agree, it can get SO boring!! What i have found, is instead of doing 30 or 45min of cardio on one machine, mix it up! Sometimes I do 15min on one machine, 15min on another, and 15min on another to get my cardio in. Take note, since it's only 15min on the machine instead of 45, go as hard as you can in those 15 min. That way it won't be so boring, since you know you'll be switching it up in 15min!
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
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    Hiit, resistance training and once a week sprints will make your exercise 1) shorter 2) more interesting.

    Nerd fitness philosophy on the gym is - get in, get it done, get out!

    Experiment with new things and find something that floats your boat.

    Good luck!
  • Bernadette60614
    Bernadette60614 Posts: 707 Member
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    I've never done cardio for weight loss, I do it to improve my cardiovascular capacity and overall stamina.

    With a better cardio capacity and greater stamina, I'm the one who takes the stairs, doesn't mind walking a mile to get the grocery item I forgot, thinks nothing of going out to the park and playing basketball with our son at the end of the work day.

    All that movement I do because I'm cardio fit, contributes to my ability to lose weight and keep it off.

    IMHO, fitness is for your life, not just your body.
  • Go_Mizzou99
    Go_Mizzou99 Posts: 2,628 Member
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    1 or 2 hours on a treadmill...shoot me now! I hated cardio until I discovered cycling.

    >>>Keep searching.<<<

    Ultimately I did a mix of cardio and weights (I find weights to be mind-numbingly boring too, but being fat is worse so I do it). The weight lifting purists won't like this, nor will the cardio purists...but they will probably all agree that it was better to do what I do than nothing at all.
  • jsjaclark
    jsjaclark Posts: 303
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    You don't mention what type of cardio you are doing but you don't only have to do eliptical or treadmill to get cardio. Walking, running, swimming, HIIT can also work. As others have mentioned, also do some weight training and mix it up.

    PS I don't like the eliptical or treadmill as I think they are boring too. I would rather run outside or swim.
  • CampbellTony
    CampbellTony Posts: 38 Member
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    Your calorie deficit is why contributes to weight loss not specific exercises. Exercise is for fitness. Diet is for weight loss

    Just not true. Any exercise burns calories and therefore leads to weight loss. It also leads to increased fitness. Anything which contributes to a defecit helps.
  • allana1111
    allana1111 Posts: 390 Member
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    I love cardio but I agree, it can get SO boring!! What i have found, is instead of doing 30 or 45min of cardio on one machine, mix it up! Sometimes I do 15min on one machine, 15min on another, and 15min on another to get my cardio in. Take note, since it's only 15min on the machine instead of 45, go as hard as you can in those 15 min. That way it won't be so boring, since you know you'll be switching it up in 15min!

    great idea :)
  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
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    <<<< Body By Cardio
  • rworton
    rworton Posts: 28
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    Cardio gives you heart and lung exercise.... no breathing = no living
  • Cyan99
    Cyan99 Posts: 84 Member
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    <<<< Body By Cardio

    :heart: :heart: :heart: :heart: :love: :flowerforyou:
  • itsfatum
    itsfatum Posts: 113 Member
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    You didn't said what type of exercise you like, but I'll guess you prefer lifting, since cardio is basically any kind of activity that gets you over 60% of your maximum heart rate.

    Considering that assumption, I would recommend you doing High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) with weights. You will do cardio, but you won't have to do the same thing over and over and over. In fact, I can't even do my workout plan without looking at the exercise list every 30secs (I use the tabata method) because I can't never remember what was next :P

    Give HIIT a serious try. You won't regret, it. I promise.
  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    I hate doing cardio.. repeat.. HATE IT.

    Define cardio in the sense you're using it? If you mean hamster wheels in an air conditioned room then I'd agree, very dull.

    Personally i prefer to get outside and run or cycle.

    Key to fat loss cf weight loss is tretention of lean mass, so that your weight loss is predominantly from fat. Weight bearing CV helps do that, as does resistance training. Optimally you need a mix of both. Plus CV gives you more calories to play with, so widerfood choices. I burned an extra 1500 calories running this morning, not something many people will do with resistance training.

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