How much cardio

Cardio does burn some calories, but you don't have to do it to lose weight. It's great for your heart and lungs. Calorie deficit, eating less than you burn is important for weight loss.

Strength training doesn't burn as many calories as cardio but it helps you hang onto existing lean muscle mass and is good for your bone health. Strength training is great for shaping your weight loss result.

Cardio isn't a requirement to lose weight but it will improve fitness, and heart and lung health. I think the current recommendation is 30 minutes per day will show benefits. Cardio will aid weightless if you don't eat back all the calories you've burnt during your workout.

ronocnikral wrote: »

cwolfman13 wrote: »

The exercise itself isn't what burns the fat..being in a calorie deficit does that. Personally, I think incessant amounts of cardio can be unhealthy, particularly when those kind of training bouts aren't fueled.

False. I avg over 12 hours of cardio work a week. And most of that is in a fasted state since I do 2 hours of treadmill and stairs before I eat anything in the morning. It's all about what kind of "cardio" you do. If you're heavily dependent on glycogen stores that your liver cannot make up, your body will tell you it is unhealthy. If you workout in a "zone" which burns primarily fats, you can go for a long time and feel great. A far cry from being "unhealthy."

So much woo in one post. Fat loss is all about calorie deficit. If it is from restricting calories or exercising to increase overall calorie burn so a person is in a deficit, they will lose. People can lose fat with no exercise or with lots of exercise. It is not about "fasted cardio" or about what kind of cardio you do, nor is it about working out in the fat burning zone.

ronocnikral wrote: »

cwolfman13 wrote: »

The exercise itself isn't what burns the fat..being in a calorie deficit does that. Personally, I think incessant amounts of cardio can be unhealthy, particularly when those kind of training bouts aren't fueled.

False. I avg over 12 hours of cardio work a week. And most of that is in a fasted state since I do 2 hours of treadmill and stairs before I eat anything in the morning. It's all about what kind of "cardio" you do. If you're heavily dependent on glycogen stores that your liver cannot make up, your body will tell you it is unhealthy. If you workout in a "zone" which burns primarily fats, you can go for a long time and feel great. A far cry from being "unhealthy."

For one, I said incessant amounts of cardio while underfeeding...as in your total calories for the day is unhealthy...like if I go for a 50 mile ride and burn, say ,1800 calories and only consumed 2,000 calories, that would be inherently unhealthy done on any kind of regular basis...part of being healthy is taking in an appropriate amount of energy...i.e calories. I wasn't talking about fasted cardio...as an endurance athlete, I do that a lot...has jack *kitten* to do with what I'm talking about...and frankly, I wouldn't consider 8-12 hours per week to be anything outlandish...but it does require proper feeding.

And training in the fat burning zone is irrelevant...it's simply the fuel source being used at that particular moment. Our bodies constantly cycle through burning and storing fat...burning and storing glycogen, etc. What is relevant is your net energy position when it's all said and done, and nothing else.

Eat at a deficit

I have built considerable muscle mass last year so now I follow a program where I lift weights about 4 times a week and cardio about 4 - 5 times a week because I am trying to lean out. Of course the cardio varies. I rotate between the following: HIIT for 15 minutes, intervals on the treadmill with incline, intervals on the stairs for 10-15 minutes, jump training for 20-25 minutes and then I play 6 volleyball games on Saturday nights. I don't do cardio for more than 30 minutes per day - other than my volleyball tournaments. I have noticed greater results with HIIT.

heather0709 wrote: »

Recently stopped nursing due to pain and issues , didn't want to but it is what it is. I'm pretty busy with 4 kids and don't have time like I use to, so trying to figure out a work out schedule to achieve my 20 pounds I want to lose. Figuring 5 days a week 30 min treadmill 30-45 min of weight machines. Plus everything I else do. Honestly I don't eat much I try too but just sometimes don't even have time. Here a photo of me from two weeks ago , I was very underweight before pregnancy that's not my goal again my goal is 120-125 pounds before summer

I'm sorry you aren't able to nurse if that's what you wanted. 120-125 is a great goal, my apologies if I came across as judgey.

As long as you're getting enough calories, and easing back into a workout carefully. I think you'll be fine. Just remember that you're still recovering, and you need to be careful or you risk injury. More so than usual.

I have four kids too, the youngest is 14 months old. I thought I'd be at my goal weight by now, but this last kid kicked my butt hard. I had 40lbs total to lose, and I still have 20 to go. My weight loss took a back seat more often than not for the first 10 months. Although I finally feel like I'm on track for real.

Energy deficit to lose weight....
Strength training to build and maintain muscle and bone mass...
Cardio to strengthen the cardiovascular system...

heather0709 wrote: »

This is my 3rd time to lose weight, my daughter is two months old and I already lost around 35 pounds and want to lose and 15 asap and then another 10 by Summer. She is my 4th child and after my other two I didn't work out after , when I decided to lose weight both times took me 3.5 months to lose 40 pounds. I'm 5"6 and just want to be 120, I am now 142 I was 109-112 before pregnancy. How much cardio daily? I love weight machines more than cardio but I need cardio to lose weight

So really, you are looking to lose 25 by Summer.
I asked people who were really successful with loosing weight ( 25 lbs+) how much time they had to put in.
It turns out they cardio for 2hrs

I do cardio, every other day for 100min and I burn 1500 calories.

ronocnikral wrote: »

cwolfman13 wrote: »

The exercise itself isn't what burns the fat..being in a calorie deficit does that. Personally, I think incessant amounts of cardio can be unhealthy, particularly when those kind of training bouts aren't fueled.

False. I avg over 12 hours of cardio work a week. And most of that is in a fasted state since I do 2 hours of treadmill and stairs before I eat anything in the morning. It's all about what kind of "cardio" you do. If you're heavily dependent on glycogen stores that your liver cannot make up, your body will tell you it is unhealthy. If you workout in a "zone" which burns primarily fats, you can go for a long time and feel great. A far cry from being "unhealthy."

The plural of anecdote is not data.

The source of the fuel for your workouts is irrelevant in respect to weight loss, it's energy balance that counts. I run, row or ride fasted in the mornings and I shoot for higher zones because I want the improved fitness associated with them and I don't want to spend 2 hrs on a treadmill.....

The fat burning zone is really only relevant to endurance athletes.