Cardio vs no cardio
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Sunflowerinbloom
Posts: 119 Member
So does cardio and weights help you lose weight I was told cardio does not help if going to the gym just do weights
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Replies
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Generally speaking:
1) For wt/fat loss, eat fewer cals than your body burns. It's referred to on MFP as CICO.
2) For cardio vascular and general health and fitness and to burn additional cals beyond what your body burns through normal activity, do cardio.
3) To build strength and muscle, lift weights. Lifting alone does not burn a significant amounr of cals. So, you are unlikely to lose much (if any) wt just by lifting.
However, do them altogether, as I have in the past, and you should lose wt, gain strength and muscle and improve your cardio vascular and general health and fitness.14 -
Cardiovascular exercise burns more calories than weight lifting. People recommend weight lifting during weight loss because it helps to preserve muscle mass, which usually helps with aesthetics and overall feeling good.
You can also lose weight without doing either of them. Plenty of people lose weight by just eating less calories than their body burns from daily activity. So while doing both cardio and weight lifting can certainly be beneficial, they are not required.6 -
What they said above. Cardio does help in that your calories burnt increases. Also, it helps you with general cardiovascular health.
@sgt1372 put it exactly right. Mix all three elements and you should lose weight and improve overall health and fitness.7 -
Cahgetsfit wrote: »What they said above. Cardio does help in that your calories burnt increases. Also, it helps you with general cardiovascular health.
@sgt1372 put it exactly right. Mix all three elements and you should lose weight and improve overall health and fitness.
There's the key, for sure.
....... this is my own order of importance.
1. Diet
2. Diet
3. Diet
4. Weights
5. Diet
6. Diet
7. Diet
8. Cardio
9. Weights
10. Diet
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Cardio will improve your health. Diet will help you lose weight. Weights will help you get stronger and can help you preserve muscle, which helps in the long term.2
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Awesome thanks guys1
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In my personal experience, cardio helps me a lot with weight loss, not because it has some magical weight loss properties, but because it makes my diet more sustainable. Cardio burns calories, which means I can eat more. Eating more means I'm less hungry and my food choices aren't too limited. If being comfortable on a diet doesn't help with weight loss, I don't know what does.
It's important to understand, though, that it supports weight loss, it doesn't cause it. If you eat too much you won't lose weight no matter how much cardio you do. It's also important to understand that there may be days (or weeks, or even months) where you are unable to do cardio and will have to change your diet accordingly. It's less pleasant, but it helps to know it will pass - or at least that's what I'm telling myself now that my back is flaring up
Edit: note that my answer is assuming you want to do cardio. If you don't enjoy it or it makes life harder for you, it's entirely okay to go without. It does have health benefits, but if it's going to make the process stressful, you're more likely to quit, which is less healthy than not doing cardio.7 -
Ok so I don't disagree with anyone above but you can absolutely lose weight by lifting weights. It's all about HOW you train. HIIT workouts with weights are far more effective than your average cardio. You definitely won't see the same results from jogging on a treadmill that you would see from the same amount of time doing HIIT.13
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One thing that makes cardio really a secret weapon for achieving goals is that it tends to blunt appetite for a lot of people. It doesn't work for everyone in that way, but it works for me. A morning workout before breakfast helps keep my appetite stable throughout the day, while an evening workout is great to do when I know I'd otherwise be tempted to graze. For myself personally, the calorie burn is just an added bonus. The appetite control is what I'm after.6
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TheAssyrian wrote: »Ok so I don't disagree with anyone above but you can absolutely lose weight by lifting weights. It's all about HOW you train. HIIT workouts with weights are far more effective than your average cardio. You definitely won't see the same results from jogging on a treadmill that you would see from the same amount of time doing HIIT.
This isn't universal. I had to completely stop any type of HIIT because they made my appetite and hunger outpace my calorie burn so I was eating more but feeling hungry - not what you would want on a diet. As for calorie burn, I personally find moderate intensity burns more calories over time for less effort because there is no downtime like HIIT has, and I'm not so wiped out afterwards that I move less throughout the day compromising non-exercise activity (which is another reason why I stopped HIIT).4 -
I'm a number girl and like to rationalize things with numbers. If I run 50 minutes I burn about 350kcal. Note, this depends on weight and distance run. Generally, miles * body weight in lbs * 0.64 works quite well.
So cool, 350kcal from running. If I do this for a week I'll lose 1750kcal. Or half a pound. Meh! Can I do this every day, without a break? Unlikely. Rest days are important. So I might lose a tiny bit of weight from running for 50 minutes a few times per week. Nope, doesn't seem like a good weightloss plan. (mind you, I'm maintaining. Just making a point)0 -
I'm a number girl and like to rationalize things with numbers. If I run 50 minutes I burn about 350kcal. Note, this depends on weight and distance run. Generally, miles * body weight in lbs * 0.64 works quite well.
So cool, 350kcal from running. If I do this for a week I'll lose 1750kcal. Or half a pound. Meh! Can I do this every day, without a break? Unlikely. Rest days are important. So I might lose a tiny bit of weight from running for 50 minutes a few times per week. Nope, doesn't seem like a good weightloss plan. (mind you, I'm maintaining. Just making a point)
But even if you don't do this every day, and even if you do just 20 minutes, that's an extra snack, a bigger meal, or a scoop of ice cream on days you do. That's the perfect weight loss plan.4 -
I do both. I've always been a walker and, as a short woman, if I didn't have those extra calories, I'd miss them in social situations. I started strength training about 6 months into my weight loss (I've been losing since October 2016).
Now, I'm currently training for my second 5K. I'm 47 years old and until last summer, the last time I ran, I was probably 14 at summer camp and I was NOT fast. Well, last year, I ran my first 5K in 28:17 and won my age bracket. This year, I'm ahead of the pack in my running workshop. I'm 5'3"; my legs aren't especially long, and I haven't run since the last 5K. I feel like I have to chalk my performance up in part to the running training (modified C25K) but in part to the strength training. It all comes together.5 -
I'm a number girl and like to rationalize things with numbers. If I run 50 minutes I burn about 350kcal. Note, this depends on weight and distance run. Generally, miles * body weight in lbs * 0.64 works quite well.
So cool, 350kcal from running. If I do this for a week I'll lose 1750kcal. Or half a pound. Meh! Can I do this every day, without a break? Unlikely. Rest days are important. So I might lose a tiny bit of weight from running for 50 minutes a few times per week. Nope, doesn't seem like a good weightloss plan. (mind you, I'm maintaining. Just making a point)
Running is high impact, it's hard on your joints, bones, etc. I can ride a marathon every day, comfortably. I can walk 350 kcal every day, comfortably. Your example is about running, not exercise generally.1 -
NorthCascades wrote: »I'm a number girl and like to rationalize things with numbers. If I run 50 minutes I burn about 350kcal. Note, this depends on weight and distance run. Generally, miles * body weight in lbs * 0.64 works quite well.
So cool, 350kcal from running. If I do this for a week I'll lose 1750kcal. Or half a pound. Meh! Can I do this every day, without a break? Unlikely. Rest days are important. So I might lose a tiny bit of weight from running for 50 minutes a few times per week. Nope, doesn't seem like a good weightloss plan. (mind you, I'm maintaining. Just making a point)
Running is high impact, it's hard on your joints, bones, etc. I can ride a marathon every day, comfortably. I can walk 350 kcal every day, comfortably. Your example is about running, not exercise generally.
I believe they were just pointing out the caloric deficit part of exercise in general, saying cardio or no cardio it's not much of a difference, you can't lose a significant amount of weight with a poor diet and only exercise.0 -
A friend of a friend lost 40 pounds hiking the PCT and eating as much as he was capable of, like entire jars of peanut butter in a sitting. I'll have to let him know what happened is impossible.5
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julieweberr wrote: »NorthCascades wrote: »I'm a number girl and like to rationalize things with numbers. If I run 50 minutes I burn about 350kcal. Note, this depends on weight and distance run. Generally, miles * body weight in lbs * 0.64 works quite well.
So cool, 350kcal from running. If I do this for a week I'll lose 1750kcal. Or half a pound. Meh! Can I do this every day, without a break? Unlikely. Rest days are important. So I might lose a tiny bit of weight from running for 50 minutes a few times per week. Nope, doesn't seem like a good weightloss plan. (mind you, I'm maintaining. Just making a point)
Running is high impact, it's hard on your joints, bones, etc. I can ride a marathon every day, comfortably. I can walk 350 kcal every day, comfortably. Your example is about running, not exercise generally.
I believe they were just pointing out the caloric deficit part of exercise in general, saying cardio or no cardio it's not much of a difference, you can't lose a significant amount of weight with a poor diet and only exercise.
A chap called Guy Martin rode a tough mountain bike event called the Tour Divide with a very simple eating plan - eat as much as possible, whenever possible. That included a huge pizza for main course, calzone for dessert and one to take away and eat on the trail.
When he finished the event he described himself as looking emaciated and like a concentration camp survivor.
BTW - cardio or no cardio would make on average 500+ cals a day for me difference, I wouldn't call that "not much" would you? If I wanted to create a significant and long term deficit using cardio I certainly could, that some other people couldn't is also of course true.
Be very careful about using absolute terms or projecting supposed typical situations to apply to everyone.6 -
I’m also in the cardio for health + snacks camp, and another vote for the exercise as appetite suppressant. My most satisfying days of staying within calories and not feeling hangry are when I exercise at about 10:30 am. That’s usually when I’m starving but lunch is sooo far away. I might start out hungry, but after a few minutes of working out I’m not hungry and won’t be until after I’m home, showered, and have fed the kids, so I eat around 2. A smallish lunch keeps me till my old person dinner hour of 5:30/6, and I can eat a bigger dinner and sometimes have leftover calories for a snack or adult beverage. Win win.
ETA: I only eat back cardio calories, so that’s usually 200-300 ish on a regular day. I spent most of my time lifting, so I just don’t count that—I figure any small calorie burn there offsets any small logging issues (ie, my packages veggies were really 2.7 servings instead of the 2.5 on the bag). So far it works for me when I actually log 🙄
I also stopped doing HIIT bc it wasn’t sustainable for me. It wore me out, so my lifting suffered. Plus the high impact nature of any HIIT I’d actually not hate (so no bike sprints, and I have an aversion to the erg since college crew...I’ll only do that every once in a while and remember how I hate it) started to irritate my already irritable impinged hip. So I went back to moderate cardio (arc trainer, stair stepper). It’s sustainable for me and I get few extra calories.0 -
One thing that makes cardio really a secret weapon for achieving goals is that it tends to blunt appetite for a lot of people. It doesn't work for everyone in that way, but it works for me. A morning workout before breakfast helps keep my appetite stable throughout the day, while an evening workout is great to do when I know I'd otherwise be tempted to graze. For myself personally, the calorie burn is just an added bonus. The appetite control is what I'm after.
Yes, if I don't get some exercise at lunchtime I have the munchies in the afternoon and am cranky. Regular exercise is crucial for my mental health.2 -
julieweberr wrote: »NorthCascades wrote: »I'm a number girl and like to rationalize things with numbers. If I run 50 minutes I burn about 350kcal. Note, this depends on weight and distance run. Generally, miles * body weight in lbs * 0.64 works quite well.
So cool, 350kcal from running. If I do this for a week I'll lose 1750kcal. Or half a pound. Meh! Can I do this every day, without a break? Unlikely. Rest days are important. So I might lose a tiny bit of weight from running for 50 minutes a few times per week. Nope, doesn't seem like a good weightloss plan. (mind you, I'm maintaining. Just making a point)
Running is high impact, it's hard on your joints, bones, etc. I can ride a marathon every day, comfortably. I can walk 350 kcal every day, comfortably. Your example is about running, not exercise generally.
I believe they were just pointing out the caloric deficit part of exercise in general, saying cardio or no cardio it's not much of a difference, you can't lose a significant amount of weight with a poor diet and only exercise.
This really depends on the person. Someone with a full time desk job, kids, busy schedule, might have a hard time fitting in significant exercise. (But it's not impossible, as many here will attest.)
However, my mom is retired and is so active with gardening, swimming, walking, yoga, and work around the house that she struggles to stay above Underweight.
She was also going to the gym to work out with her trainer twice a week but she just quit that for the summer in order to be able to fit in her other activity.1
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