Do I need to include cardio?

j_schaffner
j_schaffner Posts: 2 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Background: I am 6 months postpartum. I gained 60 lbs while pregnant and have lost 30. My clothing size has only gone down a size, maybe 2. For exercise, I walk 30-60 minutes 5x a week. I don’t run and my heart rate never gets into he cardio zone. I follow the strong lifts program 3-5x a week (sometimes cut the workout short and pick up where I left off the next day). I have followed the program over two years, but had to modify it while pregnant . I have logged on mfp for over 1000 days, but sometimes not very accurately. I fast from 8:00pm-12:00pm (lost 10lbs since I started that).

Goal: before becoming pregnant with baby #3, I finally felt good about my body at 120-ish lbs and a size 4. I know I can’t get there over night, but I would like to at least loose 20 lbs and become leaner. Lifting is going great, so I don’t mind if my progress stalls a bit.

Question: Progress has been very slow. To achieve my goals is it necessary to include cardio now? Or what would you suggest? I am limited on how many calories I can cut since I breastfeed.

Replies

  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    Cardio is good for overall health but not necessary to lose weight. Resistance work will help strengthen muscles, as I am sure you know since you lift.

    Weight loss is all about what you eat. Eat less than you burn and you will lose. Since you are breastfeeding, I would concentrate more on making sure you are getting enough nutrition to fuel both your body's needs and that of your baby. Is there some kind of cardio you can do with the baby like a running stroller or a backpack that the two of you can go walking with? Just remember if you add exercise, you will need to eat back some of those calories.

    In other words, adding cardio really won't make much difference in weight loss but it can be enjoyable for you so do it if you want but don't feel like you have to.

  • j_schaffner
    j_schaffner Posts: 2 Member
    earlnabby wrote: »
    Cardio is good for overall health but not necessary to lose weight. Resistance work will help strengthen muscles, as I am sure you know since you lift.

    Weight loss is all about what you eat. Eat less than you burn and you will lose. Since you are breastfeeding, I would concentrate more on making sure you are getting enough nutrition to fuel both your body's needs and that of your baby. Is there some kind of cardio you can do with the baby like a running stroller or a backpack that the two of you can go walking with? Just remember if you add exercise, you will need to eat back some of those calories.

    In other words, adding cardio really won't make much difference in weight loss but it can be enjoyable for you so do it if you want but don't feel like you have to.
    In the past, I would do HIIT or sprint intervals and had great results. I can start running with my jogging stroller since my baby is now old enough, but nothing like before. I wasn’t sure if I’d see better results by including steady-state cardio or if I can continue walking. Also, breastfeeding and postpartum hormones seem to be making it difficult to figure out how many calories I need to cut back on. It’s nothing like what it was before.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    j_schaffner wrote: »
    earlnabby wrote: »
    Cardio is good for overall health but not necessary to lose weight. Resistance work will help strengthen muscles, as I am sure you know since you lift.

    Weight loss is all about what you eat. Eat less than you burn and you will lose. Since you are breastfeeding, I would concentrate more on making sure you are getting enough nutrition to fuel both your body's needs and that of your baby. Is there some kind of cardio you can do with the baby like a running stroller or a backpack that the two of you can go walking with? Just remember if you add exercise, you will need to eat back some of those calories.

    In other words, adding cardio really won't make much difference in weight loss but it can be enjoyable for you so do it if you want but don't feel like you have to.
    In the past, I would do HIIT or sprint intervals and had great results. I can start running with my jogging stroller since my baby is now old enough, but nothing like before. I wasn’t sure if I’d see better results by including steady-state cardio or if I can continue walking. Also, breastfeeding and postpartum hormones seem to be making it difficult to figure out how many calories I need to cut back on. It’s nothing like what it was before.

    Walking IS steady state cardio as long as you are not just sauntering along. Walk fast enough to raise your heartbeat and you are good.
  • AllanMisner
    AllanMisner Posts: 4,140 Member
    Focus on your food for weight loss (what and how much).

    Exercise should be done to meet certain fitness goals. Cardio (or rather endurance training) will help you keep up with those little munchkins when they start moving around. I'd do enough cardio training to be ready for that.

  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    Weight loss is from a calorie deficit. Exercise can be a great way to burn off calories, but you can lose weight without exercise, lots of people do.

    If your only goal for cardio is to lose weight, then choose something tolerable and do it for a long time. You'll burn more calories walking for an hour then doing 20 minutes of HIIT. Walking is more pleasant too.
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