Can you do too much cardio?

Options
2»

Replies

  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Options
    Can you do too much cardio?


    Sure.
    Will some rando on mfp who is 20#+ overweight do too much cardio? Probably not.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    Options
    No way in hell are you burning 2000+ cals on a 20mi exercise bike ride
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Options
    SonicDeathMonkey80 wrote: »
    No way in hell are you burning 2000+ cals on a 20mi exercise bike ride
    and yeah, no way in hell he's burning that in 80 minutes.
  • llUndecidedll
    llUndecidedll Posts: 724 Member
    Options
    I do a lot of cardio. Have been doing so for about six months and I haven't noticed any issues. For example, I would burn a calorie reading total of about 1300- 2200 calories a day on the treadmill. Sometimes I would focus on just miles (10 miles a day), sometimes speed, sometimes just burning calories.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Options
    So you'd be going between 13 and 20 miles on the treadmill each day?

    Yeah...
  • llUndecidedll
    llUndecidedll Posts: 724 Member
    Options
    Well. If I'm focusing on calories I would walk 5 miles at 3 mph, 10% incline-- this gives me about 1300 calories (treadmill calorie reading)-- as one workout. Then I would do something similar again later that day until I reach the number of calories I want. Which is the total cut in half. So 2000 calories is documented as 1000 calories for me. This is how I've been creating my deficit.

  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Options
    That's not how this works.

    A mile walked is about 100 calories, maybe as high as 120-130 for the very large folks. 3mph is a fairly leisurely stroll.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    edited February 2015
    Options
    llUndecidedll wrote: »
    Well. If I'm focusing on calories I would walk 5 miles at 3 mph, 10% incline-- this gives me about 1300 calories (treadmill calorie reading)-- as one workout.

    Your profile says you're around 225 pounds. 5 flat miles walking at that weight is about 400 calories (and 100 minutes of time - well done on the time commitment!)

    The rule of thumb for elevation changes is roughly 1 calorie burned for 100kg going up 1 metre. Since this is a treadmill, the 10% incline becomes an 8% incline and then that gets cut in half to estimate climbing an actual road. So a 4% grade over 5 miles is an elevation change of about...350m. So call it 350 extra calories for the climb.

    So your machine is over-estimating, but nowhere near as bad as the OP.
  • Springfield1970
    Springfield1970 Posts: 1,945 Member
    edited February 2015
    Options
    You need to slow down my friend and treat your body with love and respect.
    The worst way to lose weight at your size and level of fitness is by intense sports.
    You should be concentrating on the calorie deficit from the food angle.
    Go back to a place where you aren't injuring yourself, lose the fat, hold on to the muscle by eating enough protein and weight training.

    Only train like an athlete when you body fat is healthy, your weight is appropriate to the sport you are doing, and you are eating at maintenance or very very close to it. Bodies get injured and before you know it, you're on rest, physio bills and demotivated.
  • DvlDwnInGA
    DvlDwnInGA Posts: 368 Member
    Options
    Love the enthusiasm, but why not slow down and adjust your calorie goal back where you lose 2 pounds a week without needing to do 2000 calorie a day deficit? Are you going to do that much cardio forever? If not, you need to learn how to eat within your calorie range, do a mix of weight training and some cardio on your non weight training days and lose weight. Right now the only reason you would need to do that much cardio is because you are overeating.

    How you are going right now, is a recipe for burnout. Long term success doing this is what you are after. This isn't a race, it is a way to learn to eat correctly and get yourself active in things you enjoy and will continue to do for a lifetime.
  • blackcloud13
    blackcloud13 Posts: 654 Member
    Options
    Also depends on why you're doing it. You need to be sure you align your workouts to you goals. 2, 000 cals a day is major training for a marathon or pretty major sports event. If the main goal is to lose weight, this will work; but you might find altering diet more effective. I note you usually lift, so that will be good when you are fit again. I also note you are looking to use the cardio as a substitute for the weights. Not sure that works.
    Still - burning 2, 000 cals is far better than burning none; and you will benefit from the extra fitness
  • Lacey0903
    Lacey0903 Posts: 40 Member
    Options
    Weight loss is mostly in the kitchen. You can't out-exercise a bad diet. Focus on the food & less on the cardio.
  • jtr357
    jtr357 Posts: 45 Member
    Options
    Great advice everyone.I appreciate it.I DID get my numbers mixed up,sorry bout that.I wasn't intentionally lying.
  • jtr357
    jtr357 Posts: 45 Member
    Options
    I just wanna get ripped.I'm still like 30lbs overweight & I've reached a plateau it seems.I'm watching my diet too.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    Options
    you wont get ripped on cardio. you will lose the fat but you wont get ripped.you have to lift weights at a caloric surplus to get ripped.also 2000 calories a day burned is WAY too much. its almost impossible to burn 1000 calories in 70-90 minutes for most people (the less you weigh the harder it is) just with cardio. maybe bike riding or something like that(I dont mean indoors either) most people can burn that much. if you are having pain while working out then yeah something isnt right. you dont stretch before a workout you do whats called dynamic warms ups(look it up) and you stretch after your workouts.also fueling your body 30-60 minutes before and after a workout is advised as well. Might be why you are having pain and cramping as well.

    I would shoot to burn maybe 300-600 calories a day and no more than 4 days a week and 45-60 min a day more than that is not needed for your goals. can you use light hand weights? for like bicep curls,and moves that wont hurt your shoulder? Ive read and research says that too much cardio will put you into a catabolic state and you will burn muscle ,then it can put your body into a type of stress mode and you will lose strength and your metabolism can slow down not to mention it can cause other health issues eventually.you need at least one or 2 days of rest and you can take short walks on those days if you want or maybe try some kind of yoga,you wont burn a lot of calories but it can make you stronger because you use a lot of body weight. I would also invest in a heart rate monitor that has a chest strap for the cardio to see how many calories you are burning.machines often overestimate calorie burn.only wear it while doing cardio though.(not everyday all day like some people do thats not its intended purpose)

Categories