Confusion about cardio

Options
adriat
adriat Posts: 49 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So...for pretty much ever I thought that when you want to lose weight - you do cardio. Of course incorporate some strength training 2 times a week or something - but the emphasis being on cardio. The more I am reading - this doesn't seem to be true. That it should actually be the opposite. Lift and throw in some cardio for your "hearts" sake. Sighhhhhh - so what is it? What does a well balanced exercise plan include? What are some of your routines?
«1

Replies

  • Bugdude54
    Bugdude54 Posts: 137 Member
    Options
    I typically lift for 45 minutes or so focusing particular muscle groups each day and after that do 45-1hr30 mins of cardio. Like maybe bike for 30 mins and then walk 30 minutes or something like that
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
    Options
    To lose weight, you eat in a calorie deficit. Cardio helps with the deficit and strengthens your heart. Lifting helps retain LBM and focus more of the loss on fat. But they won't help as much if you aren't eating less than you burn.

    I do SL5x5 three days a week and two days of walking/cardio/yoga.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    Options
    malibu927 wrote: »
    To lose weight, you eat in a calorie deficit. Cardio helps with the deficit and strengthens your heart. Lifting helps retain LBM and focus more of the loss on fat. But they won't help as much if you aren't eating less than you burn.

    This ^^

    Both are important for health, both can help with weight loss. But if you don't have a calorie deficit, neither will "work" for weight loss.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    Options
    It can include all cardio, or all weights or an infinite amount of balance between the 2. And if its just some weight you want to lose it doesn't really even need to include any exercise, but I'd still recommend it. I have lost weight and got lean doing nothing but running, I've gotten very lean doing nothing but strength training. Currently I do a bit of both. For many people just doing all one or the other only gets them so far. It's a process of finding the sweet spot for what works and what you enjoy. No one can really tell you what's going to happen. And of course none of the exercise matters if your eating isn't in check.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
    edited April 2015
    Options
    No. There are many fans of lifting on this site, but you will never see someone who really understands fitness post about skipping cardio in favour of lifting. You need cardio, several times per week, to be healthy. It does not have to be something exhausting, walkign is cardio too.And it will help you with eating below maintenance. You do nto need hours of cardio per day but you should not just replace it completely with strength trainign either, the ideal is the combination of both. Ideally for your heart alone, you need some cardio almost daily.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    Options
    Emphasis on calorie deficit. Exercise isnt' needed for weight loss, so do whatever you enjoy. I do maybe 80-90 minutes of cardio a week only. Then upwards of 4 hours of lifting a week.
  • adriat
    adriat Posts: 49 Member
    Options
    Right - my eating is in check. I completely understand the CICO. I guess I was just confused about fitness plans. Thanks for all the responses!
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    Options
    aggelikik wrote: »
    No. There are many fans of lifting on this site, but you will never see someone who really understands fitness post about skipping cardio in favour of lifting. You need cardio, several times per week, to be healthy. It does not have to be something exhausting, walkign is cardio too.And it will help you with eating below maintenance. You do nto need hours of cardio per day but you should not just replace it completely with strength trainign either, the ideal is the combination of both. Ideally for your heart alone, you need some cardio almost daily.

    I've done lifting without cardio, I do not do cardio daily.

    You try pulling 200lbs of weight off the floor, or doing lunges, and tell me this isn't a cardiovascular workout.
  • adriat
    adriat Posts: 49 Member
    Options
    My experience with exercise is limited - so I just want to make sure I am doing the max to help me burn more and keep losing! For whatever reason I was under the impression that cardio did that - but I can see from the general response that's not really the case. Word!
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    Options
    adriat wrote: »
    My experience with exercise is limited - so I just want to make sure I am doing the max to help me burn more and keep losing! For whatever reason I was under the impression that cardio did that - but I can see from the general response that's not really the case. Word!

    You shouldn't be aiming to burn more for the purpose of losing more weight. Exercise is for overall health and it increases how much food you can eat. Meaning if you burn 2500 calories a day without exercise and you eat 2000 calories to lose a pound per week, then if you add in exercise 5x a week and burn on average 2800 calories a week, you should now be eating ~2300 calories per day to lose 1lb/week.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    edited April 2015
    Options
    To lose weight you don't need any kind of exercise. Food control is enough. But to get better results you need both.

    Cardio burns a lot of calories, so the more cardio you do the more weight you lose.

    Strength training helps you keep as much of your muscle as possible so you don't end up looking skinny fat once you are at goal weight or have too low of a maintenance allowance to sustain comfortably.

    Now here is catch: if you do a lot of cardio, burn a lot of calories, and don't (or are unable) to eat all of these calories back you muscles are likely to suffer because you are eating a low net calories (net calories are calories you are eating minus exercise calories). Netting low calories tends to accelerate muscle loss.

    For me, personally, I don't like strength training so I use it sparingly just to keep my strength up and focus on cardio more because I like it.

    No perfect formula, just do what you are most likely to sustain long term.
  • branflakes1980
    branflakes1980 Posts: 2,516 Member
    Options
    malibu927 wrote: »
    To lose weight, you eat in a calorie deficit. Cardio helps with the deficit and strengthens your heart. Lifting helps retain LBM and focus more of the loss on fat. But they won't help as much if you aren't eating less than you burn.

    I do SL5x5 three days a week and two days of walking/cardio/yoga.

    ^^^This. I added cardio in to my routine because I enjoy eating alot of food, and I have a history of heart problems in my family. I lift 4 days a week because I enjoy feeling strong and the more lean muscle you have the more calories you burn even at rest. So the truth is both could be important depending on your goals however neither are detrimental in losing weight because without a deficit no weight will be lost. Good luck to you!
  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,577 Member
    Options
    I try to do a mixture of cardio and weights though the serious lifters would scoff at my attempts (LOL) because I use the machines at the gym. Some day I may get into those "serious" weights but for now, the machines are helping me...I'm not intending on becoming a body builder.

    My "fitness routine" includes a 45 minute spin class 2x a week which is quite a work out, followed by about 15-20 mins on the machines doing 3 sets of 12 reps and staggering the different machines. When the weight level gets "easy" I bump it up 5 or 10 lbs. Then I may do 15 minutes or so on the elliptical trying to beat my last "score" of how many "miles" it says I did and how many "calories" it says I burned.

    I only take credit for about half the calories any one activity "claims" to burn and I usually don't eat back all my calories anyway. Doing this simple routine has been effective for me. I noticed last night on the elliptical, I did not "feel like stopping" as early as I had other times...so I know I'm getting stronger and more fit, little by little.

  • peterjens
    peterjens Posts: 235 Member
    Options
    adriat wrote: »
    What are some of your routines?

    For strength training I use "Power of 10" program - check it out on Amazon or Youtube) Basically, it is performed one (or two) days a week. About 5 exercises covering the major muscle groups. 10 seconds positive, 10 seconds negative to muscle failure. Total workout is around 15 minutes. Sounds simple but I am glad when it's done. Rest/recovery is important to let the muscle fibers repair and grow. That's why it is recommended once (or twice) a week.

    For cardio, I play racquetball with my wife two days a week. Done.


  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    Options
    adriat wrote: »
    So...for pretty much ever I thought that when you want to lose weight - you do cardio. Of course incorporate some strength training 2 times a week or something - but the emphasis being on cardio. The more I am reading - this doesn't seem to be true. That it should actually be the opposite. Lift and throw in some cardio for your "hearts" sake. Sighhhhhh - so what is it? What does a well balanced exercise plan include? What are some of your routines?

    Nowhere in there are you talking about food....
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    Options
    Food is the most important part of losing weight. Anyone can workout for an hour. It's the other 23 hours of watching your intake that are difficult.

  • esjones12
    esjones12 Posts: 1,363 Member
    Options
    adriat wrote: »
    Right - my eating is in check. I completely understand the CICO. I guess I was just confused about fitness plans. Thanks for all the responses!

    That would be determined by your fitness goals. If you are just looking to stay mobile and overall healthy....I'd recommend a little cardio, a little strength/resistance, and some yoga/flexibility work. If you have a specific fitness goal (run a 5k, squat 200lbs, etc) then your exercise plan will be tailored to that.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
    Options
    MrM27 wrote: »
    aggelikik wrote: »
    No. There are many fans of lifting on this site, but you will never see someone who really understands fitness post about skipping cardio in favour of lifting. You need cardio, several times per week, to be healthy. It does not have to be something exhausting, walkign is cardio too.And it will help you with eating below maintenance. You do nto need hours of cardio per day but you should not just replace it completely with strength trainign either, the ideal is the combination of both. Ideally for your heart alone, you need some cardio almost daily.

    OP, the above statement is incorrect. You do not NEED cardio. It's a little ironic that the poster went on to say what people that understand fitness would say then she says that.

    You do not need cardio or strenght training to lose weight. You need cardio, and strength training to be fit. And you need at least cardio regulalry to stay healthy on the long run. Find a single dr or anyone trained in fitness or a single medical publcation who states you do not need cardio for your health. Only on MFP...

Categories