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

Hello

I read through quickly and may have missed something but I believe the only logical answer is that the woman running is not eating properly. I have worked as a personal trainer and am a HE/ PE Teacher. I use to do the caliper tests on all my clients and get a log of their eating habitsfor a week prior to training. EVERYTHING goes i the log. For an accurate response on this blog we would need her weight, height , body fat, age, resting HR, and exercise HR. The lack of these variables will cause random statements about your friend and inacurate quesses about why she is not toning up.

Jonathan

I don't think we need all that when you can go to the gym and visually see the results. I can only go by what happens at my gym and others that I've been to. It looks like 85% of the people glued to cardio machines are all overweight or flabby. If all the running and elliptical-ing was working so well, they should look just as fit as anyone else who's getting a real work out in.

Correlation. Causation. Learn the difference. Obviously, overweight people use cardio machines because they are overweight, not the other way around.

In addition, there are some unfounded assumptions you're making: 1) Not everyone that does a lot of cardio does it on elliptical machines inside a gym (I could easily go look at those running outside or playing cardio-heavy sports and make an opposite claim) 2) Your gym isn't necessarily representative of every gym everywhere 3) You are the arbitrator of "real workouts."

I have no thyroid, lost it to cancer. I take a synthetic replacement, both T3 and T4. If this article were true, all i'd have to do is kick up my cytomel dosage, and i'd drop weight. Doesn't happen like that...

I think the correlation does not equal causality maxim just whizzed right over your head....

<snip>
I do a 3 hour workout per day - 1.5 hours cardio - 30 minutes intense resistance.
And eat?
Just check out my diary :drinker:

NO ISSUES!

New math? :happy:

2 hours - sorry!

ROLF!! :laugh: Same math Yogi uses!! Same heart too!

I think running is great for weight loss and healthy, but only to an extent. I was losing really easily when I started running, because I was typically not running more than 30 minutes a few times a week. I've since started training for a half marathon, which is exciting, but I've found my weight loss has slowed, and I may have put back on a couple pounds. Part of it may also be the my eating hasn't been top notch either, but it's REALLY HARD to eat back 600+ calories from my long runs. And sure running has given me great leg strength, but I've founding other things, specifically strength training, to be just as important.

So basically, long distance running isn't really conducive to weight loss, and you need more than just cardio to get to toned and fit looking.

Obviously, your weight loss will slow if you're working towards a half marathon since you need to make sure you properly fuel your training. But there's no reason why you should gain weight, or even stop losing, while training. You can still eat at a slight deficit from your TDEE leading up to your race day. If you are gaining weight (other than water) then you are eating above your maintenance. You can try holding your current calories steady for a bit as you increase your milage. Or you can even try a slight cut in your calories (which should not be a problem if you are struggling to eat your additional exercise calories). Eating slightly less should not hinder your progress. But if you find that this causes your workouts to suffer, then you probably cut too much (and spacing the "600+ calories" out over a few days might help instead of e.g. trying to carbo-load right before). I think part of the issue here is that your TDEE minus your exercise calories probably decreased when you started training. You may have been less active if your runs tired you out. You may have not taken that extra walk since you told yourself that the runs give you sufficient exercise. Etc. But the bottom line is, if you're gaining weight you don't want, you're eating too much.

But I don't know why you would conclude that it is the distance running that hindered your weight loss when it was your diet. Many people use any sort of exercise, but especially cardio, as an excuse to slacken their diets to the point that they gain weight. If that is the case, I would work on getting more control over my diet before I'd blame the exercise. But if you do find that it causes you to mentally lose control, then maybe you are better off not doing the endurance sports.

Victoria, for what it's worth, I share your observations, of the same people doing the same 45-60 mins of mincing around on the ellipital and over months and months never changing shape.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who notices this. I always thought it was a pretty common scene too. I've been to maybe 10 gyms my whole life but I've always seen the same scene. I know it doesn't define every gym in the world but I still think its common at all the gym and fitness franchises.

Incidentally, I don't know many actual runners who don't also strength train. Who are these people that the 'running is evil' crew are going on about?

There are so many logical gaps in this thread, I could drive a fleet of buses through it. The only poster from that 'don't run' camp (and I recognise I'm oversimplifying her argument) who seems to have a modicum of sense and any experience to support her pov is Kara.

The rest of you are just funny, frankly.

First off, I'm a physiologist. The author has his/her facts straight, but the logic is wrong. It's true that your body will adapt to your exercise regimen so that over time you will burn fewer calories in order to do the same amount of work. Likewise, as you lose weight, you will burn fewer calories when you do the same exercise as when you were heavier. Your body is really, really good at helping you perform in times of calorie shortage. Most people become markedly more efficient after only 7 or so workouts.

If you keep your eating habits the same, this means you will plateau. You might even gain weight if you become very efficient at your workout, but still eat the same number of calories.

But it's not the cardio itself that is the problem. Cardio is SO good for you. Plus, who wants to hang out with someone who has to huff and puff their way through everything?

The lack of variety in exercise routines is the problem. Every few weeks, switch things up a bit. That's all.

A voice of logic and fact! Rare here...thanks to the OP of this!

I think running is great for weight loss and healthy, but only to an extent. I was losing really easily when I started running, because I was typically not running more than 30 minutes a few times a week. I've since started training for a half marathon, which is exciting, but I've found my weight loss has slowed, and I may have put back on a couple pounds. Part of it may also be the my eating hasn't been top notch either, but it's REALLY HARD to eat back 600+ calories from my long runs. And sure running has given me great leg strength, but I've founding other things, specifically strength training, to be just as important.

So basically, long distance running isn't really conducive to weight loss, and you need more than just cardio to get to toned and fit looking.

Obviously, your weight loss will slow if you're working towards a half marathon since you need to make sure you properly fuel your training. But there's no reason why you should gain weight, or even stop losing, while training. You can still eat at a slight deficit from your TDEE leading up to your race day. If you are gaining weight (other than water) then you are eating above your maintenance. You can try holding your current calories steady for a bit as you increase your milage. Or you can even try a slight cut in your calories (which should not be a problem if you are struggling to eat your additional exercise calories). Eating slightly less should not hinder your progress. But if you find that this causes your workouts to suffer, then you probably cut too much (and spacing the "600+ calories" out over a few days might help instead of e.g. trying to carbo-load right before). I think part of the issue here is that your TDEE minus your exercise calories probably decreased when you started training. You may have been less active if your runs tired you out. You may have not taken that extra walk since you told yourself that the runs give you sufficient exercise. Etc. But the bottom line is, if you're gaining weight you don't want, you're eating too much.

But I don't know why you would conclude that it is the distance running that hindered your weight loss when it was your diet. Many people use any sort of exercise, but especially cardio, as an excuse to slacken their diets to the point that they gain weight. If that is the case, I would work on getting more control over my diet before I'd blame the exercise. But if you do find that it causes you to mentally lose control, then maybe you are better off not doing the endurance sports.

Also: a counter example. I have an acquaintance who started exercising- mainly a core strengthening class 2X per week. She had never exercised before and, from what I gather, mainly wanted to lose weight. She did not do any diet (she hates diets and cardio), and pretty much still ate whatever she wanted. After doing this for a couple months, she had a fitness assessment at her gym and she had gained weight and BF. So did the core strengthening class make her fatter? I think most people would say that is a ridiculous assertion when she had no control over her diet. Any exercise used in conjunction with cutting calories will help you lose weight. But I think most people here realize that any exercise by itself is ineffective for weight loss (even lifting), especially if one uses it as an excuse to eat more.

I guess it wasn't obvious that many people doing just cardio are usually trying to lose weight too. Of course it didn't cause them to be fat, eating too much did that, but it isn't helping them be less fat either in the long run either.

Everyone seems to be missing that point and wants to say "Look at this marathon winner and how great they look!" I doubt the marathon winner was ever obese.

Sorry honey, but who claimed this?

Did you really miss all the "what about this marathon runner? Yeah, they look really fat don't they??" posts? It as illogical and fallacious an argument as the "running is evil" crew you refer to. Honestly, I don't recall a lot of "running is evil" being expressed. I may have missed it and if so, my apologies.

I just think it really gets stupid when the arguments break down along the lines of "cardio is king and weight lifters would be out of breath walking across the room" and "running is useless and you'll only get skinny fat". Logic and all available data indicate both are usefull in a fitness and health strategy. If I understand your posts correctly, you are in agreement with that statement. If you, or anyone else, prefers to focus more on running or biking that strength training as your priority or someone else chooses to focus more on weight lifting, that is there preference. Power to them!

And I'm not sure if attempting to be condescending on the internet makes you feel better in real life, but it isn't necessary. You can save "honey" for your spouse and children.

.... said the pink kitten lady....

I'm not *attempting* to be condescending. But as you're clearly a stranger to logic and reason, I'm guessing the distinction might pass you by just as much as the correlation =/= causality one did.

Anyway, done here. Some people are just ineducable.

I just want to throw out that I think running/jogging are great for you as well. I'm not saying it a bad thing to do, especially if you enjoy it. People just have to realize that its not the only thing you should do.

A few years ago I was only running, not long distances, just 4 miles at most. I was at a healthy weight but I didn't look good, to my standards. At the same weight I am now my body fat % is much lower and I'm a size 2. When I was 135lbs before and only running I was a size 6 (I still have the same clothes from then before anyone blames vanity sizing).

Another thing I noticed is when I ran a 5k then it took me just over 33 minutes to finish. I don't run often now but I went out for a timed run a few weeks ago and my 5k was down to 28 minutes. I'm definitely not trying to win races or anything but I think its a pretty big deal that I got such great results when I'm actually eating a lot more now and not even running much.

I guess it wasn't obvious that many people doing just cardio are usually trying to lose weight too. Of course it didn't cause them to be fat, eating too much did that, but it isn't helping them be less fat either in the long run either.

Everyone seems to be missing that point and wants to say "Look at this marathon winner and how great they look!" I doubt the marathon winner was ever obese.

Sorry honey, but who claimed this?

Did you really miss all the "what about this marathon runner? Yeah, they look really fat don't they??" posts? It as illogical and fallacious an argument as the "running is evil" crew you refer to. Honestly, I don't recall a lot of "running is evil" being expressed. I may have missed it and if so, my apologies.

I just think it really gets stupid when the arguments break down along the lines of "cardio is king and weight lifters would be out of breath walking across the room" and "running is useless and you'll only get skinny fat". Logic and all available data indicate both are usefull in a fitness and health strategy. If I understand your posts correctly, you are in agreement with that statement. If you, or anyone else, prefers to focus more on running or biking that strength training as your priority or someone else chooses to focus more on weight lifting, that is there preference. Power to them!

no, I didn't miss those points. But they weren't making the claim pink kitten woman was trying to counter - that the winning marathon runner had once been obese.... It was a straw man.

(And I agree with the rest of your post. :-) I get irritated immensely by all the people who've never attempted more than a 2 minute jog for the bus going on and on about how dreadful running is ... The ridiculous hyperbole from those who seem to feel that the only things worth doing are lifting and HIIT get on my nerves and bring out the very grumpy git in me.)

I didn't see anyone claim that lifting and HIIT are the only thing worth doing either? Everyone seemed to agree that cardio was good as long as its not all that you're doing.

cris the man said (if you actually read his post) that he does a 20 minute jog, interspersed with other activity. this, combined with the risible comments about stride length does, i'm afraid, amount to 'no, i'm not actually a runner'. i don't see how his paragraph about all the lifting he does, or his acknowledgement of an occasional '20 minute jog' allows an alternate interpretation.

I didn't say that. That 20min was my warmup sweetheart.... I did real running afterwards. Play ultimate sometime. You're just purposely being ignorant, and it's really not appreciated.. And you still havn't answered my question, how is the hundreds of hours I spent running for sports not considered running in your eyes?

Bumping to read later at some point.