Cardio to lean out

[Walk2liv]

Okay, so I was askin my PT friend what I should do to lean out more cause I'm impatient and I want this fat burned off my damn belly quicker... yes (I eat clean/weight train) and he said I need to run 4-5 miles, 3x a week or jump rope 30 minutes (probably 3x a week) straight. Do you agree or disagree?? Are these the only two forms of cardio to do? I'm in an apartment on the 2nd floor and I'm in AZ, so I sure as hell am not jump ropin in my apt (don't wanna be rude to people below) and outside I'd die... I don't go to a gym... I workout at home... any other suggestions?

Thanks

[suprachic83]

I know the feeling. I live in Fl and it is absolutely hell in the summer here. I got a treadmill for my house and also got a bike. You have to bike for twice as long to burn the same amount of calories as running, but there is a breeze on your face and it is a lot more entertaining. The key is to put some good tunes on your Ipod and go. Also try early in the morning or at night when it isn't so hot and sunny.

In the winter I run 10 miles a day easily and summer I am lucky to get 3 a day. And thats when you are in a bikini. go figure.

[AUTiger13]

Okay, so I was askin my PT friend what I should do to lean out more cause I'm impatient and I want this fat burned off my damn belly quicker... yes (I eat clean/weight train) and he said I need to run 4-5 miles, 3x a week or jump rope 30 minutes (probably 3x a week) straight. Do you agree or disagree?? Are these the only two forms of cardio to do? I'm in an apartment on the 2nd floor and I'm in AZ, so I sure as hell am not jump ropin in my apt (don't wanna be rude to people below) and outside I'd die... I don't go to a gym... I workout at home... any other suggestions?

Thanks

Cardio will add a little bit of sink in your overall caloric deficit but honestly why don't you just tweak your diet. There is nothing magic about what your PT friend told you and NO you don't have to do those two things just like he said.

Are you lifting at all?

Diet is going to be where you see the most changes and it isn't all about just eating 'clean' You can eat clean and still gain weight. How much are you eating?

[Linds33]

I am trying to lean out as well and I asked my BF who used to be a bodybuilder what he did to lean out and he said that yes, he did cardio in the AM for a month but it wasn't anything intense, just walking on the treadmill for 45 minutes enough to get his heart rate up.

Maybe a bit of HIIT training as well but running 5x a week isn't going to make you loose weight any faster unless as it was stated before you are doing it so to create a larger calorie deficit.

If you are wanting to get some cardio in that isn't something like running or jumping rope, why not try some fun stuff like swimming or rollerblading. Swimming is great for a place like FL in the summer cuz it can keep you cool. I know how the summers can be in the south (I am living it right now) and swimming has always helped me cool off and get some cardio in.

[Walk2liv]

Cardio will add a little bit of sink in your overall caloric deficit but honestly why don't you just tweak your diet. There is nothing magic about what your PT friend told you and NO you don't have to do those two things just like he said.

Are you lifting at all?

Diet is going to be where you see the most changes and it isn't all about just eating 'clean' You can eat clean and still gain weight. How much are you eating?

Yes I lift, I take it anywhere from 1750-1900 calories a day -- 6 meals a day - only two shakes -- 1 after workout and 1 before bed, rest is healthy food like cottage cheese, green beans, tilapia, tuna, egg whites, fruit, nuts etc etc.

I didn't want to reduce my calories, I don't think I need to... atleast not yet. I was hopin to just add on some cardio cause I don't do a lot as it is to help me shed some bf.

I lift 5 days a week. I split it upper one day/lower the next.

Oh and I've been doin my 'diet' for 3 weeks now, and I have been consistently seeing changes thus far aka gotten leaner/more muscle definition every week... so that's why I don't want to change it... I am getting results... I just want to get them faster lol so I thought to ask my friend what to do to get a more leaner ab area and he said do more cardio. (yes, I know you cannot spot reduce, what I meant by leaner in the abs is something that would burn more fat off me and in the end starting shedding some off my tummy at the same time)

[ToraAdams]

Cardio does assist in the over all calorie deficit you require to lose fat.

Its important to understand that its the food you eat how much you eat that ultimately creates the long term"look" your looking for.

Have a great day.

[erinlee01]

Jumping rope is great cardio. Though, personally I find I burn fat faster when I do sprints (1 min sprint, 2.5 min walk) or HIIT.

[Walk2liv]

Cardio does assist in the over all calorie deficit you require to lose fat.

Its important to understand that its the food you eat how much you eat that ultimately creates the long term"look" your looking for.

Have a great day.

Yeah, I realize that. I appreciate the response. I know diet is everything almost, thats why I've been keepin it good and clean and at a reasonable amount of calories. that won't ever change (as in, I will continue to eat clean and I know I must to maintain a lean look)

[Walk2liv]

Jumping rope is great cardio. Though, personally I find I burn fat faster when I do sprints (1 min sprint, 2.5 min walk) or HIIT.

Yeah I think I might do that when I move back to WA. I gotta move in with my parents (unfortunately) till I get work and they have 2.5 acres of land... so I figure I can do a lot of sprints and what not out there lol.

[Haybales]

You could try HIIT on the tready, or even a bike, my friend does that, she runs on a treadmill while she watches tv, jogs during the show and sprints during the ads. She's lost 15kgs in about 4 months, which is amazing!

[genepool]

Cardio will add a little bit of sink in your overall caloric deficit but honestly why don't you just tweak your diet. There is nothing magic about what your PT friend told you and NO you don't have to do those two things just like he said.

Are you lifting at all?

Diet is going to be where you see the most changes and it isn't all about just eating 'clean' You can eat clean and still gain weight. How much are you eating?

^^^^^This^^^^^^

[Walk2liv]

^^^^^This^^^^^^

why would I tweak my diet when it's fine and i'm getting perfect results from it now. i dont want to jump into a bigger calorie deficit.

[kimm4]

The diet is what leans you out...not the cardio. You can do cardio all day long and if the diet's off...you'll just be spinning your wheels.

It's a matter of dieting longer...you can't burn fat any faster it just doesn't work that way.

Good luck!

[Walk2liv]

The diet is what leans you out...not the cardio. You can do cardio all day long and if the diet's off...you'll just be spinning your wheels.

It's a matter of dieting longer...you can't burn fat any faster it just doesn't work that way.

Good luck!

I see I see. I understand. I know the diet leans me out but I was saying I dont think I should be tweakin it if I can losing bf with it right now and I haven't plateaued. I figure theres no reason to mess with it if it's working. I know, patience is the game :/

[LisaMarieI]

Okay, so I was askin my PT friend what I should do to lean out more cause I'm impatient and I want this fat burned off my damn belly quicker... yes (I eat clean/weight train) and he said I need to run 4-5 miles, 3x a week or jump rope 30 minutes (probably 3x a week) straight. Do you agree or disagree?? Are these the only two forms of cardio to do? I'm in an apartment on the 2nd floor and I'm in AZ, so I sure as hell am not jump ropin in my apt (don't wanna be rude to people below) and outside I'd die... I don't go to a gym... I workout at home... any other suggestions?

Thanks

I disagree. Get your diet in check first. Running is fine, but start off slow. Run a mile here and there, or maybe do a couple sessions of HIIT. But to advise you to run 15 miles a week is kind of silly and not needed. You can get lean but keeping your calories/macros in check. Cardio should just be a secondary aide.

Hope that helps

[irishman301]

Once I started taking these MMA classes 3 times per week, I leaned out like a motherf***er. I always ate relatively healthy, and my training was always hard and heavy, but I never really focused on cutting as strength was always my primary concern. Once I started doing the MMA (which is pretty much all cardio), I went from 220 to 185 in a very short amount of time. I am amazed at my physique now, and the funny thing is that my goal was never even to get "ripped".

That being said, I'm gonna have to say that a good mix of LSD, HITT, and circuit training would be your best bet as far as cardio is concerned. Hell, it worked for me, and I wasn't even trying to cut, lol.

[AUTiger13]

I see I see. I understand. I know the diet leans me out but I was saying I dont think I should be tweakin it if I can losing bf with it right now and I haven't plateaued. I figure theres no reason to mess with it if it's working. I know, patience is the game :/

Then if it is all working and you have only been doing it 3 weeks...stick with it! Why change something that seems to be right?

[qnz_girl]

You are eating at calorie deficit now? What about your carbs then? Maybe you can tweek your diet in that regard or do some carb cycling. Also, as others mentioned HITT is the best type of cardio to burn fat and you can do it in your apartment.

[cadre]

Yes I lift, I take it anywhere from 1750-1900 calories a day -- 6 meals a day - only two shakes -- 1 after workout and 1 before bed, rest is healthy food like cottage cheese, green beans, tilapia, tuna, egg whites, fruit, nuts etc etc.

I didn't want to reduce my calories, I don't think I need to... atleast not yet. I was hopin to just add on some cardio cause I don't do a lot as it is to help me shed some bf.

I lift 5 days a week. I split it upper one day/lower the next.

Oh and I've been doin my 'diet' for 3 weeks now, and I have been consistently seeing changes thus far aka gotten leaner/more muscle definition every week... so that's why I don't want to change it... I am getting results... I just want to get them faster lol so I thought to ask my friend what to do to get a more leaner ab area and he said do more cardio. (yes, I know you cannot spot reduce, what I meant by leaner in the abs is something that would burn more fat off me and in the end starting shedding some off my tummy at the same time)

I think your diet is probably fine and if it is working for you then I would leave it. Is the problem that you aren't losing fat fast enough? And how fast are you losing it?

It sounds like you're eating at a deficit so that's good and I agree that if you continue to lower your intake you may end up doing more harm than good. That said, you may consider dropping your intake a little bit at a time so that you know what the effects are. When you stop losing fat or have some other problem then you know where to go back to.

But there are really two ways you can lose more fat here, you can cut your calories or you can add cardio. Personally I would add cardio because I think cardio is an important part of any healthy lifestyle.

I live in Phoenix, Az so I know what you mean about the heat but I still manage to do cardio. Lately I've been running at my gym, does your apartment complex have a gym with a treadmill or an elliptical? You can also get up early to run or run at night (be careful though). Jump rope is very good of course and if there's a gym in your complex you can probably do that there. I seriously considered picking up a used stationary bike on craigslist, that might be an option for you as well.