Several people on this site have been saying that doing lots of cardio is bad.
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Not everyone has the same goals. Not every exercise has the same outcomes.
Cardio is good for burning fat. It is good for heart health. It is bad for optimal body composition because pure cardio doesn't build or protect muscle tissue. Doing lots of cardio without taking measures (i.e., doing resistance work) to maintain lean muscle mass will cause you to burn away not just your fat, but also your healthy lean mass. This will tend to lower your ability to burn calories in general, because muscle tissue burns a lot of calories just at rest. It can also cause you to look saggy and flabby, even if you are lightweight: some people call this body type "skinny fat."
Incorrect - physical effort like cardio does have a LBM preserving role. Insufficiently fueling for someone that does signifcant amounts of cardio may result in LBM loss. But cardio fueled at full maintenance does not result in LBM loss.
Also muscle doesn't burn a lot at rest, it burns cals in movement. The base calorie utilization is 7-21 cal per lb per day. It's the activity multiplier that counts.Simply put, people who are trying hard to maintain or build muscle mass will do best focusing on resistance work and minimizing cardio. People who lots and lots and lots of fat to burn and don't mind losing muscle mass I guess can do cardio to their heart's delight.
Most people fall in the middle of these: we want to at least maintain our healthy muscle mass to feel strong and sexy, but we want to minimize fatty tissue on our bodies, also for teh sexy. So we do a balanced mix of cardio and resistance.
For people with a very high body fat percentage, lots of cardio is okay because they're less at risk of burning a lot of muscle tissue for various reasons (like, they have less of it to burn). If your calorie deficit (including exercise calories) is small, cardio is also kinda okay, but you'd be better off including some resistance work in there to help maintain healthy muscle mass. If you are doing a balanced amount of cardio + resistance exercise and eating at a small to moderate calorie deficit (including exercise calories), you're pretty golden.
Again incorrect. Someone who is overweight usually has signifcant amounts of LBM. We lose LBM during weight loss. Don't confuse %lbm with total LBM.0 -
well too much of anything will be counter productive. the statement 'too much lifting is bad' would certainly also be true.0
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SergeantSausage wrote: »Cardio isn't bad... and I cant believe there is such a thing as "too much cardio".
Question: In my running training (and I'm a total newbie) I am advised to take a rest day between run days to allow my muscles to recover. So doesn't that imply that there is such a thing as "too much cardio [at once]"? My physiotherapist has just advised me to dial it back a little and add some stretches to work out an imbalance (stiff hips, wobbly knees).
that is true for newbies - it really does depend on the circumstance, anything can be bad if done in excess. Esp if you are not fueling properly for massive cardio amounts.
I'd also advise new lifters to keep a rest day in between lifting if doing a compound routine.
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She said she was sorry you guys. Call off the dogs. lol
/whiteknight0 -
ILiftHeavyAcrylics wrote: »She said she was sorry you guys. Call off the dogs. lol
/whiteknight
Who are you WKing - people are just answering questions now?0 -
Anyone who says doing cardio (lots, or otherwise) is an idiot. I'm no nutritionist, but as far as I can tell, 98% of the people who post on here aren't either, so their opinions on such matters are fairly well worthless.0
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farfromthetree wrote: »MB_Positif wrote: »Honestly I think people become obsessive with cardio that is "going nowhere." Before I get attacked, I think that if your goal is to run marathons or do triathlons, then by all means do all the cardio you need to train for that. When someone is doing 3 hours a day on the elliptical for the sake of burning calories, I don't get it.
For the record I don't really do any cardio other than playing sports and goofing around with my son. I lift for the sake of getting stronger (let me tell you, I felt like a rock star when I was able to easily pick up and install our window unit air conditioners last year with no struggle at all even after my husband said, "that one is heavy." I lift because I love it. I lift because I like muscles. I have a lot of friends who lift that do not look like me. There are many reasons to lift besides getting huge.
well said!
Thank you! Your leggings...are AMAZING!
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Take it from someone who is a huge cardio fan (runner), you want to lift too. Running has helped me lose a lot of weight fast, but I also lost a lot of muscle. Even though I'm at my target weight, I now find myself having to build muscle. Preserving muscle by strength training along along my weight loss journey would have been easier than trying to build muscle back after the fact.
Also, you are more prone to injury if you don't strength train. Again, I speak from experience on this. I've been dealing with a hip injury from my running because my muscles were too weak. Even with physio, I am finding the best way to rectify the injury is weight training, specifically squats and deadlifts.
Wish I'd known all this sooner.0 -
evilunclematt wrote: »Anyone who says doing cardio (lots, or otherwise) is an idiot. I'm no nutritionist, but as far as I can tell, 98% of the people who post on here aren't either, so their opinions on such matters are fairly well worthless.
lol lol lol0 -
Iron_Feline wrote: »ILiftHeavyAcrylics wrote: »She said she was sorry you guys. Call off the dogs. lol
/whiteknight
Who are you WKing - people are just answering questions now?
Everyone I guess, since I didn't quote.
Idk, I just saw a long trail down the page of snarlingcoyote apologizing over and over. But I may have been behind by the time I posted.0 -
SergeantSausage wrote: »LOL - "cardio ==> bad"
I'm logging 51 miles this week. As we get closer to Spring Marathon Season that will rise to 70-80 miles a week when the two long runs a week go big-miles. Many folks would call that "excess".
Look at my profile pic.
Does that look like "cardio is bad"? Do i look "skinny fat"? Am I missing muscles that the cardio somehow ate? Does it look like I need to lift (I don't lift) to look "toned"? Does it look like age is eating my lean muscle mass (I'm 45).
Nope to all of the above. Just an old, formerly fat, now skinny, well toned, small built but well muscled distance runner.
Do all the cardio you like and don't listen to the Neurotic Dieter WooWoo.
Cardio isn't bad... and I cant believe there is such a thing as "too much cardio".
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snarlingcoyote wrote: »crystalflame wrote: »snarlingcoyote wrote: »Well, why do you do it?snarlingcoyote wrote: »So long as you do enough to preserve your lean muscle mass as you age, you're fine. The only other reason to lift weights is to look like you're buff.
Personally, I'm happy with the look of my legs when I run and don't really care about having big guns. . .
If you're happy with the look of your body and like the exercise you're getting, I think you're fine!
What? Sorry but you're wrong there.
So besides muscle retention every person that lifts weights is in it to look buff?
Well, why do you do it?
To make moving through my day-to-day life easier. To try to prevent osteoperosis. To increase strength for other exercises like running. To look GOOD, but not necessarily buff. To de-stress after a hard day at work. Just to name a few.
On the first three reasons - that's maintaining lean muscle mass, which is crucial as we get older. No arguments on me there! I apologize if you don't like the word "buff", but you've said, you do it to look good, so that's just semantics. As for de-stressing, ahhh! Go you! If you've got something that makes you feel good, go for it. That's why I run!
I disagree with the first three being just maintaining lean muscle mass. The goal is strength gains, and size gains in some instances. My weak spot as a runner is my glutes, so to improve on that I need to develop them. That's more than maintaining.
Not trying to pick on you, but clarifying because there's so many people on here who have no idea how beneficial lifting can be or how it can help them accomplish their goals. My FL has a few people who have no problem running or going to Zumba but wouldn't dare pick up a weight. I'm trying to change their minds...0 -
evilunclematt wrote: »Anyone who says doing cardio (lots, or otherwise) is an idiot. I'm no nutritionist, but as far as I can tell, 98% of the people who post on here aren't either, so their opinions on such matters are fairly well worthless.
Thanks for the laugh.
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Iron_Feline wrote: »evilunclematt wrote: »Anyone who says doing cardio (lots, or otherwise) is an idiot. I'm no nutritionist, but as far as I can tell, 98% of the people who post on here aren't either, so their opinions on such matters are fairly well worthless.
lol lol lol
Ikr?0 -
EvgeniZyntx wrote: »physical effort like cardio does have a LBM preserving role. Insufficiently fueling for someone that does signifcant amounts of cardio may result in LBM loss. But cardio fueled at full maintenance does not result in LBM loss.
Thank you.
QFT0 -
SergeantSausage wrote: »LOL - "cardio ==> bad"
I'm logging 51 miles this week. As we get closer to Spring Marathon Season that will rise to 70-80 miles a week when the two long runs a week go big-miles. Many folks would call that "excess".
Look at my profile pic.
Does that look like "cardio is bad"? Do i look "skinny fat"? Am I missing muscles that the cardio somehow ate? Does it look like I need to lift (I don't lift) to look "toned"? Does it look like age is eating my lean muscle mass (I'm 45).
Nope to all of the above. Just an old, formerly fat, now skinny, well toned, small built but well muscled distance runner.
Do all the cardio you like and don't listen to the Neurotic Dieter WooWoo.
Cardio isn't bad... and I cant believe there is such a thing as "too much cardio".
Thank you!0 -
snarlingcoyote wrote: »Well, why do you do it?snarlingcoyote wrote: »So long as you do enough to preserve your lean muscle mass as you age, you're fine. The only other reason to lift weights is to look like you're buff.
Personally, I'm happy with the look of my legs when I run and don't really care about having big guns. . .
If you're happy with the look of your body and like the exercise you're getting, I think you're fine!
What? Sorry but you're wrong there.
So besides muscle retention every person that lifts weights is in it to look buff?
Well, why do you do it?
To get stronger, because I love it and it makes me feel on top of the world, to keep my muscles in a deficit so I look hotter and not just a smaller/just as mushy version of my heavier self.
And eventually, yes-to gain a little muscle. I would never say to get "buff"... I prefer to say to become stronger and more beautiful.0 -
farfromthetree wrote: »SergeantSausage wrote: »LOL - "cardio ==> bad"
I'm logging 51 miles this week. As we get closer to Spring Marathon Season that will rise to 70-80 miles a week when the two long runs a week go big-miles. Many folks would call that "excess".
Look at my profile pic.
Does that look like "cardio is bad"? Do i look "skinny fat"? Am I missing muscles that the cardio somehow ate? Does it look like I need to lift (I don't lift) to look "toned"? Does it look like age is eating my lean muscle mass (I'm 45).
Nope to all of the above. Just an old, formerly fat, now skinny, well toned, small built but well muscled distance runner.
Do all the cardio you like and don't listen to the Neurotic Dieter WooWoo.
Cardio isn't bad... and I cant believe there is such a thing as "too much cardio".
You do look great! Just think how good you would look if you began lifting!!
Agreed, great accomplishments. Not everyone has the goals of looking like a distance runner though and that is when "too much" cardio can be bad for one's goals, but I definitely don't think there is such a thing as "too much" cardio in general assuming the person isn't going beyond their training level.
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Oh, and OP-to answer your question, personally I did not see the weight come off the way I wished until I stopped doing a bunch of steady state cardio and started lifting. Was the cardio bad? No. But less cardio and more lifting helped give me the body I prefer.0
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Iron_Feline wrote: »SergeantSausage wrote: »Cardio isn't bad... and I cant believe there is such a thing as "too much cardio".
Question: In my running training (and I'm a total newbie) I am advised to take a rest day between run days to allow my muscles to recover. So doesn't that imply that there is such a thing as "too much cardio [at once]"? My physiotherapist has just advised me to dial it back a little and add some stretches to work out an imbalance (stiff hips, wobbly knees).
that is true for newbies - it really does depend on the circumstance, anything can be bad if done in excess. Esp if you are not fueling properly for massive cardio amounts.
I'd also advise new lifters to keep a rest day in between lifting if doing a compound routine.
Small nitpick. Not just newbies. Any time you're looking to increase your exercise beyond what you are used to there is such a thing as 'too much, too fast'.
Also, you can lift multiple days in a row doing a compound routine, but it's not generally recommended for a full body routine. For example, I'm following a 4-day upper lower split with compound and isolation lifts. Monday upper, Tuesday lower, Wednesday rest, Thursday upper, Friday lower, weekend rest.
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I train for triathlons so there is a ton of cardio involved. You have to make sure you get rest and recovery but other than that I don't think we can say what is too much.
That being said, strength training makes your body more efficient in burning fat. Muscle will burn fat long after your workout. How much muscle just depends on your goal.
I used to lift pretty heavy and got bigger but now that I'm competing in triathlons I lift lighter weights to maintain the muscle.0 -
I'm wondering if everyone missed the fact that the OP is a young girl/woman who is apparently relatively new to the site looking to lose 60lb? I appreciate all the opinions of marathon runners and experienced weight lifters on this thread, but only one person hit the nail on the head considering the context: he said sth like "The concern is that many people do not eat enough to support the intensive amounts of cardio they do".
I think the problem, if you're new and looking to maximise your weight loss with cardio + diet, is that basically too many people rely on doing unsustainable amounts of cardio and a huge deficit to lose the weight quickly, and either get sick, give up, or regain it, and also, yes, with an unreasonable deficit and excessive cardio at the expense of resistance training apparently you can become "skinny fat". So I think that's why "lots of cardio" gets associated with "bad" on these forums.
I don't think anyone is really disputing the importance of cardio work for cardiovascular health, or the benefits of some cardio in moderation. But without knowing the OP's mind and just suspecting where the greater danger might lie, I felt it was important to put this out there. May be I surmised wrong.0 -
SergeantSausage wrote: »Cardio isn't bad... and I cant believe there is such a thing as "too much cardio".
Question: In my running training (and I'm a total newbie) I am advised to take a rest day between run days to allow my muscles to recover. So doesn't that imply that there is such a thing as "too much cardio [at once]"? My physiotherapist has just advised me to dial it back a little and add some stretches to work out an imbalance (stiff hips, wobbly knees).
What you are speaking of is basically "over-train" which, yes...you can do too much. "Too much" is largely going to be dependent on your fitness level as well as your ability to consume enough energy and nutrients to provide recovery for your body.
I believe what the OP is eluding too is this notion that if you do more than 30 minutes of cardio per day or something, somehow you're going to end up "skinny fat" or lose a bunch of muscle, etc. At least that's how I'm interpreting that...
But yeah, you can definitely over-train.
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I do cardio so I can eat more...I lift weights to get strong0
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if I'm being honest... I have a whole lot of trouble losing weight when I'm JUST doing weights, or when I'm JUST doing cardio.
probably the best use of ones time, if the overall goal is weight loss or fitness, would be to do an adequate amount of both.
but I'm guessing you already knew that ....0 -
evilunclematt wrote: »Anyone who says doing cardio (lots, or otherwise) is an idiot. I'm no nutritionist, but as far as I can tell, 98% of the people who post on here aren't either, so their opinions on such matters are fairly well worthless.
Um.
Did you just say that your opinions are worthless on these matters? 'Cause you're not a nutritionist, and all.
Agreed.0 -
Wiseandcurious wrote: »I'm wondering if everyone missed the fact that the OP is a young girl/woman who is apparently relatively new to the site looking to lose 60lb? I appreciate all the opinions of marathon runners and experienced weight lifters on this thread, but only one person hit the nail on the head considering the context: he said sth like "The concern is that many people do not eat enough to support the intensive amounts of cardio they do".
I think the problem, if you're new and looking to maximise your weight loss with cardio + diet, is that basically too many people rely on doing unsustainable amounts of cardio and a huge deficit to lose the weight quickly, and either get sick, give up, or regain it, and also, yes, with an unreasonable deficit and excessive cardio at the expense of resistance training apparently you can become "skinny fat". So I think that's why "lots of cardio" gets associated with "bad" on these forums.
I don't think anyone is really disputing the importance of cardio work for cardiovascular health, or the benefits of some cardio in moderation. But without knowing the OP's mind and just suspecting where the greater danger might lie, I felt it was important to put this out there. May be I surmised wrong.
That's why I asked them how much they do.
Context.0 -
Why does it have to be one or the other. They are different and they both have benefits so you should do BOTH.0
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TheFeynmanGuy wrote: »
Most bodies do anyway. I wouldn't say it was universal.0 -
Iron_Feline wrote: »SergeantSausage wrote: »Cardio isn't bad... and I cant believe there is such a thing as "too much cardio".
Question: In my running training (and I'm a total newbie) I am advised to take a rest day between run days to allow my muscles to recover. So doesn't that imply that there is such a thing as "too much cardio [at once]"? My physiotherapist has just advised me to dial it back a little and add some stretches to work out an imbalance (stiff hips, wobbly knees).
that is true for newbies - it really does depend on the circumstance, anything can be bad if done in excess. Esp if you are not fueling properly for massive cardio amounts.
I'd also advise new lifters to keep a rest day in between lifting if doing a compound routine.
Small nitpick. Not just newbies. Any time you're looking to increase your exercise beyond what you are used to there is such a thing as 'too much, too fast'.
Also, you can lift multiple days in a row doing a compound routine, but it's not generally recommended for a full body routine. For example, I'm following a 4-day upper lower split with compound and isolation lifts. Monday upper, Tuesday lower, Wednesday rest, Thursday upper, Friday lower, weekend rest.
Agreed and I meant full body, sorry I'm reply while watching the rugby.
Rugby makes me carp at multitasking :bigsmile:0
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