More than an hour of Cardio a day?

radscorpion
radscorpion Posts: 55
edited November 11 in Health and Weight Loss
Is it alright to do cardio for more than an hour, say between 1 and 3 hours a day?

Yeeeeessss I know strength training is important and such and I incorporate that too (around 3 times a week.) so please no 'OMGZ UR A CARDIO BUNNY DNT U NO MUSCLE WEIGHS MOAR THAN FAT?/1 CARDIO IS EVIL'. Haha.

My question is, will doing that amount of cardio daily harm me in any way? I genuinely enjoy working out and I always try to eat my exercise calories.. I mean the sort of thing I like to do is go for a run and then come back and jump on the stationary bike and watch Dexter or Battlestar Gallactica for an hour or more. It's something I enjoy, I'm not trying to be a *kitten* and lose 10lbs in a week or anything, I just enjoy exercising and feeling the drastic improvement in my endurance week after week.

Any help is appreciated :)

Replies

  • ericcumbee
    ericcumbee Posts: 117 Member
    i dont really know, i dont think it will hurt you but from my understanding after an hour of cardio you hit the point of diminishing returns.
  • emmamcblain
    emmamcblain Posts: 342
    Ooooh, I want to know this too! :)
  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member
    It won't hurt you if you are eating to fuel it...it just won't help you any more after a certain point...
    And please take a rest day once a week. If you get injured, you won't be able to run at ALL for a while and that would be worse, right?
  • csingleton24
    csingleton24 Posts: 235 Member
    OMG! I do the same thing! Walking/running on the treadmill is the only time I get to really watch MY shows! I started on season 1 of Smallville, I am now on season 7. I'm on the treadmill 1-2 hours a day, 5 days a week. I weight train 2x a week. You are fine as long as you allow yourself recovery time or active rest (meaning brisk walk for 15-20min on one day, etc). I enjoy it cause it's "my time". Once I finish Smallville I might go back through all the Supernaturals from season 1 (one of my other fave shows)!

    Enjoy your time on the treadmill, just make sure you have off days/recovery days.

    Christy
  • andrejjorje
    andrejjorje Posts: 497 Member
    No it is not. Cortisol problems and adrenal fatigue.
    Top 6 h/week.
    Read this article and go over the nutrition point. 6 meals/day not really accurate now.
    http://www.muscleandstrength.com/articles/losing-muscle-cortisol.html
    It seems that you already know the answer but you don't want to hear it again. If you are a competitive athlete eating a lot and monitoring everything then you may be able to do it but the question is: are you?
    Bottom line. You won't be able to sustain this effort for long. :smile:
  • ryno0618
    ryno0618 Posts: 361
    I'm a running junkie so I know where you are coming from. Seems like you know what you are doing, you are getting in the strength training as well as the cardio, and you are eating back exercise calories from your epic burns, so I don't think you are doing any great harm to yourself. Building the endurance and the stamina always motivates me to go go go as well. Just listen to your body and don't over exert yourself beyond what it is telling you.
  • jennalink807
    jennalink807 Posts: 226 Member
    you'll be fine- i have family members that train for triathalons, and you can bet they do more than an hour of cardio a day. As long as you're smart about it (which it sounds like you are, eating your calories back and incorporating strength training) then you can sit back (or stand up) and enjoy! :)
  • david081
    david081 Posts: 489 Member
    I never heard about the 'diminishing returns' after the one-hour theory, but would like to know more on that. I do an average of 180 to 200 minutes a day, as I am not in employment, and it gets me out. This has been my pattern over the last year. I don't eat much back from that, and don't see how people can stuff an extra 1000+ calories in on top of the stated allowance. So far I lost 27lbs and have 13 to go
  • AllanMisner
    AllanMisner Posts: 4,140 Member
    This is my opinion only, but I don't think there is a problem so long as you are eating well and getting good rest. Otherwise, you risk overtraining and burnout.

    Long workouts will tend to lean you out (think marathon runner) whereas short burst high intensity work will build you out (think sprinter). Think about the results you want and taylor your workouts and food to meet that. Enjoy!
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    If doing more than an hour of cardio was counter-productive to weight loss, all Marathon runners would be obese.

    Yes, the law of diminishing returns applies the longer you go, as you become more efficient at the cardio you're doing and you burn a different amount as you switch between energy stores. However you do still keep burning, albeit at a lesser rate.

    Edit: I noticed in your original post you want to increase your endurance, in which case going for longer is the only way you'll achiever that. If not, I'd ditch my long runs (three hours this Saturday) in favour of heavy lifting and a couple of HIIT sessions, then I'd have a lot more time to myself!
  • lisaabenjamin
    lisaabenjamin Posts: 665 Member
    Wow, you must eat a LOT if you are eating back the calories from that amount of cardio! I'm jealous!! :-) I say if you enjoy it and you're not injuring yourself in any way, then go for it!
  • ValleryK
    ValleryK Posts: 16
    I'd say that if it makes you feel good & improves your health, and most importantly, if you actually enjoy it - go for it.
    I used to do an hour + of cardio every time I went to the gym, but after a few months I started feeling that I don't want to go to the gym anymore, because it's too hard and too time consuming. So now I'm back to 30-45 minutes & enjoying working out again. (:
  • Flixie00
    Flixie00 Posts: 1,195 Member
    I have been doing 1.5 - 2 hours 5 days a week and it hasn't done me any harm.
  • I1ahunt
    I1ahunt Posts: 72
    I personaly do 2 hours of cardio 4 times a week the other 3 days I do 1 hour of cardio....I also do strength training 5 times a week...that being said I believe the fear is that to much cardio causes you to "burn muscle" as long as you are doing your strength training 3 days a week I would say you are fine.....marathon training is way more than the amount of cardio you are doing and marathon runners are alive and well.....here's an interesting article , that may help you...

    http://www.drclay.com/2010/01/how-much-cardio-is-too-much-cardio/
  • shaybethxo
    shaybethxo Posts: 153 Member
    i watched a show the other day and the bloke lost like 11 stones in one year. he did it by eating good and exercising 4 hours a day, mainly cardio. worked for him so you should be okay. :) just make sure your joints don't suffer too much, and that you're not over doing it. good luck!
  • skinnieminniemouse
    skinnieminniemouse Posts: 118
    As long as you are eating back your calories I don't see why it would be a problem. But make sure you have rest days too or you might overwork your body. Also, Dexter is awesome :)
  • violetness
    violetness Posts: 131 Member
    I'm not an expert by any means - but I don't think it hurts you at all. For myself, thoguh, I have noticed that if I work out longer than an hour a day, my weight loss will plateau. I lose the most at about 30 to 60 a day, and I do strength training and cardio on alternating days.
  • iplayoutside19
    iplayoutside19 Posts: 2,304 Member
    The only thing that keeps me from doing this, is non-exercise obligations.

    You're getting ST, you're doing it by different modes of transportation. Sounds good to me as long as you're allowing yourself proper rest.

    When are you entering your frist triathlon?

    Or if you were really feeling good you could join these nutcases:

    http://www.adventure-journal.com/2012/02/the-daily-bike-february-17-2012/
  • grinch031
    grinch031 Posts: 1,679
    That much cardio is a waste of time if you are doing it it to help lose weight or just become physically fit.

    However if you want to be an endurance athlete, that is exactly what you need to do. High volume is the most effective type of training for this.

    So it depends on what you are trying to achieve that should determine how much cardio you should be doing.
  • elsinora
    elsinora Posts: 398 Member
    It won't hurt you if you are eating to fuel it...it just won't help you any more after a certain point...
    And please take a rest day once a week. If you get injured, you won't be able to run at ALL for a while and that would be worse, right?

    This..... I'm a long distance runner and do triathlons and mountain climbing. It is in no way harmful if you are sensible, know you limits, build up endurance and fuel yourself correctly. Longest run, non competition level, was 4 hours for me.
  • elsinora
    elsinora Posts: 398 Member
    That much cardio is a waste of time if you are doing it it to help lose weight or just become physically fit.

    However if you want to be an endurance athlete, that is exactly what you need to do. High volume is the most effective type of training for this.

    So it depends on what you are trying to achieve that should determine how much cardio you should be doing.

    Understand partly what you are saying but it is not a "waste of time". I'm not an elite athlete and neither are my friends but learning and loving long distance runs (more than 1 hour runs) is what got us physically fit for the long term!
  • grinch031
    grinch031 Posts: 1,679
    That much cardio is a waste of time if you are doing it it to help lose weight or just become physically fit.

    However if you want to be an endurance athlete, that is exactly what you need to do. High volume is the most effective type of training for this.

    So it depends on what you are trying to achieve that should determine how much cardio you should be doing.

    Understand partly what you are saying but it is not a "waste of time". I'm not an elite athlete and neither are my friends but learning and loving long distance runs (more than 1 hour runs) is what got us physically fit for the long term!

    Yeah but its not necessary. You are better off running shorter distance at higher intensity for general physical fitness.
  • elsinora
    elsinora Posts: 398 Member
    That much cardio is a waste of time if you are doing it it to help lose weight or just become physically fit.

    However if you want to be an endurance athlete, that is exactly what you need to do. High volume is the most effective type of training for this.

    So it depends on what you are trying to achieve that should determine how much cardio you should be doing.

    Understand partly what you are saying but it is not a "waste of time". I'm not an elite athlete and neither are my friends but learning and loving long distance runs (more than 1 hour runs) is what got us physically fit for the long term!

    Yeah but its not necessary. You are better off running shorter distance at higher intensity for general physical fitness.

    Not necessarily, but the OP wants to increase her endurance and was asking if it's harmful and it isn't.

    Point being running is a great all over body workout, can be enjoyable of it floats your boat, gives you fantastic endurance (which is what the OP) wants and teamed with strength training and right diet is great! I dont see how this is classed as a "waste of time"
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    Remember the meaning of "fit" is fit for purpose. Darwin wasn't thinking of VO2max when he wrote origin of the species. Exercise -wise it means doing the appropriate training to meet your goals, such as being able to keep going for a long time rather than just shed pounds with the least exercise time
  • radscorpion
    radscorpion Posts: 55
    Wow, thanks so much for all of your replies! It's been really helpful reading through and very relieving if I'm honest. I love running and I love pushing myself further and further - it started off as a weight loss thing but it's become so much more than that and the stationary biking I've found has helped a lot with my endurance so I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing and listen to my body. Thanks again for the response :)
  • grinch031
    grinch031 Posts: 1,679
    That much cardio is a waste of time if you are doing it it to help lose weight or just become physically fit.

    However if you want to be an endurance athlete, that is exactly what you need to do. High volume is the most effective type of training for this.

    So it depends on what you are trying to achieve that should determine how much cardio you should be doing.

    Understand partly what you are saying but it is not a "waste of time". I'm not an elite athlete and neither are my friends but learning and loving long distance runs (more than 1 hour runs) is what got us physically fit for the long term!

    Yeah but its not necessary. You are better off running shorter distance at higher intensity for general physical fitness.

    Not necessarily, but the OP wants to increase her endurance and was asking if it's harmful and it isn't.

    Point being running is a great all over body workout, can be enjoyable of it floats your boat, gives you fantastic endurance (which is what the OP) wants and teamed with strength training and right diet is great! I dont see how this is classed as a "waste of time"

    Yes so in the context of building endurance it is not a waste of time.
  • elsinora
    elsinora Posts: 398 Member
    Wow, thanks so much for all of your replies! It's been really helpful reading through and very relieving if I'm honest. I love running and I love pushing myself further and further - it started off as a weight loss thing but it's become so much more than that and the stationary biking I've found has helped a lot with my endurance so I'm just going to keep doing what I'm doing and listen to my body. Thanks again for the response :)

    That's great! That's exactly what happened with me. I used to be out of breath just walking and then I started off slow running/jogging to lose weight and then eventually started setting goals and enjoyed it so much I decided to do marathons, triathlons etc. add me as a friend if you want! would love to have more running peeps as friends and swap tips and stories! BTW my bible, so to say, that I got as a present is this book: A Competitive Runner's handbook by Bob Glover and someone else.

    It's not as scary as it sounds, it actually has everything you need as a learning runner etc down to running plans and nutrition!!! x
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    If you've got the time go for it but mix up your workouts so you're not working the same muscle groups day in and day out eg: run one day, bike the next and don't forget to take at least one rest day during the week.

    I get a kick out of the "diminishing returns" train of thought. It's called adaption, your body becomes more efficient which is exactly what you want it to do.
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