Cardio makes you fat: "Women: Running into Trouble"

I think it's all about moderation... 20 hours of one activity is the problem. If you do a balanced approach (BALANCE people), then you should be fine - some weights, some cardio...

Just because cardio is good, doesn't mean you need to do 20 hours a week and ONLY do that. Just because weights are good, doesn't mean you need to lift for 3 hours a day every day and never do cardio.

but that's my figuring.

Yes, but do you have any peer reviewed science to back this up! :bigsmile:

um.... well I did consult with my peers... me, myself and I... and we all decided that our "figuring" was scientific enough!

oh... and @chrisanderson2... THANKS!

Jynus, do you run? how far, and how often?

Jynus, do you run? how far, and how often?

I can answer that.

None.

Stride length? You do realize that most new runners "overstride" right?
Over striding leads to injury. Well done.

It's my humble opinion that girls who run tend to look really freakin hot. I don't know why, but I've found that girls who look like goddesses tend to be runners.

Not sure what else there is to say about it.

I have a little bit of a different opinion/take on it! I started exercising in Dec and was weight training, doing bootcamp and running 3-5 miles a few days a week. I lost weight and body fat. Then I got a new (idiot) trainer who decided to put me on a mostly all running schedule (I mentioned that I wanted to run a Half marathon 10 months away). He had me running a hard 7 miles twice a week and then a long run (8-10 miles on the third day). The other days were mostly 40 min of intense stair climber or other cardio. I ended up gaining weight, gaining body fat and did not look as toned. His explanation--"over training". I had several metabolic tests done and my RMR went DOWN (bad), my body was only burning sugar/carbs (bad) whereas before it was burning half fat (good) and half sugar, my heartrate zones were all messed up etc... I parted ways with him and am now doing heavier weights 3 times a week, STILL running 3 times a week but not nearly as hard or as many miles (until I start REtraining for my Half).

I DO think there is something to be said about people over-exercising at their highest heartrate zones for extended periods of time. YES, I was in good cardiovascular shape, but I felt like I totally jacked up my metabolism. I think running (and other cardio) is essential for good health--but maybe not to an extreme (unless you are training for a specific event). I am definitely no expert but that is just my personal experience.

Also check out Eddie Izzard he lost some weight when he ran those 41 marathons in 50 days but he was still pretty podgy at the end, in theory he should have been ripped after all that running and training.

Jynus, do you run? how far, and how often?

Depends on context. I used to play competitive sports. At my peak I played national level Ultimate and trained/played about 20hours a week with craptons of cardio as the sport is just pure running. Did that for 2 years, and a good few before that with a few hours a week playing other cardio based sports like soccer. I never ran for fun or for time, or competed with running. it was always for training so I honestly have no idea how far, or what my times would be then. It was always ok, 20 min jog, go, and just do that before moving onto other training.

Now my last year of Ulti, I started doing weight training. I found a jump training template that had strength components and hit the gym to improve my performance. After I retired from Ulti to have time for life, I kept going to the gym to remain active. I went much more frequently and exercised a lot more intensely as I had the time and rest for it since I didn't want to bother with sports anymore. End result was after cutting out 20 hours of cardio a week and replacing it with about 6 hours of weight training, I shed a crapton of fat and recomped my body to the point where I just looked drastically different. I always looked athletic before, but had a much more olympic sprinter like look to me afterwards and had a 6pack for first time ever. That was a wakeup call for me about training methodologies and results from them. (assuming diet is in check)

I did spend a couple years actually doing personal training too, and have all my basic certs. And with my sports background and training as a profession, for study I would honestly say I've spent hundreds of hours reading studies and articles on fitness and health, and spent thousands of hours working with people on forums much like this, or in real life training with people. So I do have a bit of a background.

Interesting timing on your question however. I can say this though, I've always wanted to make the point where I do what I say, and made it a point to not do ANY cardio in my training, and have held true to that for the last 2 years. I wanted to show that you can gain and lose, faster and better, all without cardio. However over last weekend, a friend wanted to go for a jog and I said why the hell not. We didn't time it, but it was 3km. And I got through it without any trouble, 1 1min walking break or so though. my freaking legs were itchy as hell though, lol. 2 years not doing cardio prob has a few bugs to work out. I actually plan on taking 1 day a week now just for running. My son is 4, and loves to be outside, and is always wanting to race and do active things. I'll make it a father/son thing to go for a lil jog as much as we can and be active together doing whatever.

k, theres your essay on my background.

edit: the post right above mine is basically a mirror image of my experiences, but in reverse. the link does seem to be excessive/competitive cardio. Might be something to that rather than joe average just doing a few hours a week on the treadmill trying to drop a few pounds.

I have a little bit of a different opinion/take on it! I started exercising in Dec and was weight training, doing bootcamp and running 3-5 miles a few days a week. I lost weight and body fat. Then I got a new (idiot) trainer who decided to put me on a mostly all running schedule (I mentioned that I wanted to run a Half marathon 10 months away). He had me running a hard 7 miles twice a week and then a long run (8-10 miles on the third day). The other days were mostly 40 min of intense stair climber or other cardio. I ended up gaining weight, gaining body fat and did not look as toned. His explanation--"over training". I had several metabolic tests done and my RMR went DOWN (bad), my body was only burning sugar/carbs (bad) whereas before it was burning half fat (good) and half sugar, my heartrate zones were all messed up etc... I parted ways with him and am now doing heavier weights 3 times a week, STILL running 3 times a week but not nearly as hard or as many miles (until I start REtraining for my Half).

I DO think there is something to be said about people over-exercising at their highest heartrate zones for extended periods of time. YES, I was in good cardiovascular shape, but I felt like I totally jacked up my metabolism. I think running (and other cardio) is essential for good health--but maybe not to an extreme (unless you are training for a specific event). I am definitely no expert but that is just my personal experience.

That was my experience too...

My training was pretty eclectic, I used to do shortish pacey runs between 5-10k, do spin classes, Ashtanga yoga, a bit of pad work, and a lot of lifting. I was in cracking shape. I used to be about 17% body fat.

Then I got into distance running and then into long distance triathlons. My coach had me train to heart rate, 85% was steady state... it was all about getting the miles in... plus you HAD to consume a fair amount of carbs... I lost my abs -- they were no longer visible... I did 15+ hours a week of training and had 25% body fat!! Yes I was fit!! I could run for hours, I breezed through century bike rides and could swim 3 miles in a lake... but there was no hiding the fact that despite all those hours I was FATTER than before!

After that I read an article by Rachel Cosgrove "The final nail in the cardio coffin" and her experience of endurance training was exactly the same as mine.

*shrugs shoulders*

I don't care if someone pipes up and thinks it's just an unscientific one person study. I've been there and I know what I know.

And that's why it's so great that there are so many options for different folks.

When I was running 15-20 miles a week and eating lower carb, higher fat, higher protein, I was in great shape.

When I was eating a "clean" diet and doing heavy (quite heavy) weights and HIIT, I packed on a layer of fat that wouldn't budge. Sure, I built muscle, but that fat came on with a vengeance.

What jumped out at me in your post is that you said you "had" to eat lots of carbs to run as you were. Some people don't have to eat as many carbs as you think to fuel those runs. Some do, some don't.

There are fat runners, fat lifters, fat yogis and fat couch potatoes.

There are endomorphs, ectomorphs and mesomorphs and they all respond differently to nutrition and exercise. There are people with insulin resistance, there are people with autoimmune disorders that can't eat carbs like others, and there are people with a host of other differences.

So what works for one won't necessarily work for another.

Good thing some of you can lift and some of us can run and some people can do both or none at all and somehow everyone can find what works for them and see results.

:flowerforyou:

Jynus, do you run? how far, and how often?

I can answer that.

None.

Stride length? You do realize that most new runners "overstride" right?
Over striding leads to injury. Well done.

Thats the 'flexibility' part I addressed... Still doesn't change that stride length is far longer for pro runners than average runners. So to get better times, the FACT remains they need to train on improving their stride length.

I don't believe him. I have enough muscles as it is. I don't need weight training!

I need cardio.