Strength Training with NO Cardio

You should try circuit strength training. Basically, you go from one exercise to another without any rest, then once you've completed one set of each exercise, take about a 2-3 minute break for water/rest. Then do this two more times. You will get your heart rate up and your workout will be over in considerably less time. I hate cardio, so I do circuits, but I still do about 15 minutes of HIIT on an elliptical about 5 days a week because I feel like I have to.

Cardio is not a requirement for success. Strength training and a good diet can easily get you to look the way you want to look. But cardio is awesome for your overall health.

Ya, I just know cardio can eat away at muscle mass but I'm trying to burn fat as well. I love cardio only for the high it gives and yes, I do feel healthier afterwards.

Ah, so your concern is more about not seeing muscle gains if you do cardio? If that's an accurate statement of your concern, then keep your pace down and your heart rate lower. You'll have a higher percentage of fat burn, though your overall calorie burn won't be as high ... should be a none issue if I understand your concern correctly.

1. Walking does not affect AMPK (which blunts muscle protein synthesis).

Moderate to intense cardio does. Prolonged cardio, i.e. jogging at a good pace for >30 min has the most detrimental effect in this regard.

2. Walking does not stress the CNS. You're saving your nervous system (strength) and performance for the weights, which is crucial for muscle gains and muscle retention. HIIT is very stressful for the CNS. An all out sprint (i.e. HIIT done right) is not so different from a set of 3-4RM squats.

Lifting at a suboptimal capacity starts a downward spiral in my experience. If your nervous system cannot keep up with what your muscles can lift, muscle loss happens as a consequence of never being able to apply adequate stress/perform optimally.

3. Cardio - HIIT in particular - tears up muscle fibers and require repair and recovery, just like a set of squats.

If you're adding 2-3 sessions of HIIT to your 3 sessions of weights, it is almost comparable to adding 2-3 days of weights. Keyword is "almost", I'm obviously not drawing direct comparisons. That's all fine and dandy if you think working out 5-6 days/week is a good idea on a diet. But I don't think anyone - no matter what level of experience - needs more than 3 days a week in the gym when cutting. (Yes, this goes for competitors and beginners alike.)

In conclusion, if conditioning is not terribly important for you, if your goal is really about getting shredded while keeping your muscle, I highly suggest limiting moderate to high intensity cardio on a diet - or ditch it completely. Save it for some other time when your recovery is good and not limited by your diet.

A calorie deficit is a recovery deficit. Avoid deficit spending

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=131542323&p=639771283&highlight=ampk#post639771283

I am now finally at my goal size, with good muscle development - and it took a good amount of cardio added into my routine (along with strength training 3 days a week, circuits for 45-60 min)

nope not true at all. Nice though though, and I see where you are going.

Those are all things I just adjusted. In the past 4 years.

I actually rarely exercised or dieted for years, other then normal activity from time to time. I ate normally, never hungry, good foods sometimes, all junk others, LOL Size 7-8

I did scuba dive for a few years, twice a day, everyday, and build some good muscle with that. But was not dieting or trying to exercise.

And that was about two years at age 20-21. Stopped after that (I moved to a new location) No working out or diving much after that.

Weight stayed great, no change in diet or workouts. I did not even try to workout on purpose, or "eat special", but I do move around alot in normal life.

Gained weight after my Daughetr was born when I was 28. But still okay, just a little heavy, but average weight. Size 10-12.

At age 35ish, I started to put on pounds, a bit here a bit there. Again not workouts, no dieting - just normal food.

Then at about age 40 ish, I was putting on more weight, eventually about 60 lbs total. Size 18-20
Started trying to lose it at about age 42.

Tried diet only, exercise only (standard DVDs etc) and just have had to play around with it. Went through periods where I did nothing, and gave up.

Finally lost about 30 pound, with normal good diet, and cutting calories, different ranges, working out 4-5 days a week, 30 min. Sometimes cardio only, sometime weights only, high reps low weight, until I learned better. Then Higher weighs lower reps, but still little cardio (as I hate it)

Did lose some, but kept hitting road blocks. (size 10-12-14)

Made adjustments throughout the process.

Anyway, within the last six -eight months, finally added in more cardio, consistently, at least 4 days a week, at least 45 min, and the last few months, 60 min 4-5 days a week.

This has helped me finally drop the fat levels down lower. Size 4-6 now, except waist, still have some fat their. So still lowering bodyfat a bit.

okay i guess I am asking incorrectly. I guess the best way to ask is. "You kept calories constant and lost no weight, you added weights and lost no weight, then you added cardio and lost weight?" Is this how it happened.