Why am i finding so many people show disapproval of cardio in losing fat?

[HeLiu]

I was a 4 year wrestler in high school and cardio was an essential routine in my lifestyle. and it helped me keep my asthma in check. after a semester of college i gained some fat and wasnt as active as before. im starting on a new routine and workout plan so i was reading up on up getting cut. i find so many articles on people saying cardio is unnecessary and dont do cardio at all! in fact, they show disapproval of it. I read up on a pro bodybuilder, that doesnt do cardio when cutting up but sticks with high reps. i dont see how it can hurt....

[SideSteal]

I have a few things to say about this, but this is just my opinion/observation.

Cardio is not necessary for losing fat.

However, cardio can be helpful because it burns calories, and as we all know it's caloric deficit that causes fat loss. Cardio has health benefits outside of body composition that shouldn't be overlooked when someone mentions whether or not cardio is important.

Cardio is a great tool to use late in cutting stages when an individual is stalling out and doesn't want to cut calories lower via diet (i.e. don't do cardio until you stall out, then add it as a tool to get you over the sticking point).

That's my overall assessment.

Necessary, No.
Helpful, Yes.

[starstrukked]

basically, cardio is optional. if you wanna do it then do it, if not then don't. however keep in mind it really isn't necessary but don't let that get in the way of what you wanna do; so if you wanna do cardio do it man

[steelers1377]

since no one answered your question yet....

while you are cutting your two goals are lose body fat, and maintain muscle mass. cardio is catabolic, meaning it breaks down muscle for energy.

[wadza]

since no one answered your question yet....

while you are cutting your two goals are lose body fat, and maintain muscle mass. cardio is catabolic, meaning it breaks down muscle for energy.

huh?

[Vigilante_Inc]

Why do extra if you are in a calorie deficit. If you truely do want to do cardio eat at maintenence and then do 500 cals worth of cardio a day. But if you're already in a deficit + already lifting + doing cardio... how do you expect your body to recover? What do you expect it to recover with... there is nothing there.

[mych3e]

since no one answered your question yet....

while you are cutting your two goals are lose body fat, and maintain muscle mass. cardio is catabolic, meaning it breaks down muscle for energy.

Sorry, but I don't agree with this. Where did you hear this from?

Cardio is good for burning calories, which translates to burning more fat. I don't know how it can catabolize muscle unless you are not eating enough, or not eating enough carbs (for high intensity cardio), where as then, if fat can't be used for energy, and there are no carbs available, your body might have to use muscle for energy. However, that's probably only going to happen if you are eating the wrong way.

My advice to you is do both cardio and weight training. You need cardio to burn off excess fat, while weight training provides you protection against losing muscle as you lose weight.

[built4tennis]

I was a 4 year wrestler in high school and cardio was an essential routine in my lifestyle. and it helped me keep my asthma in check. after a semester of college i gained some fat and wasnt as active as before. im starting on a new routine and workout plan so i was reading up on up getting cut. i find so many articles on people saying cardio is unnecessary and dont do cardio at all! in fact, they show disapproval of it. I read up on a pro bodybuilder, that doesnt do cardio when cutting up but sticks with high reps. i dont see how it can hurt....

Cardio is not necessary to lose fat if you eat under your maintenance calories, but exercising the heart is definitely not a good idea.

[ppardee]

cardio is catabolic, meaning it breaks down muscle for energy.

Catabolism, or destructive metabolism, is the process that produces the energy required for all activity in the cells. In this process, cells break down large molecules (mostly carbohydrates and fats) to release energy. This energy release provides fuel for anabolism, heats the body, and enables the muscles to contract and the body to move. As complex chemical units are broken down into more simple substances, the waste products released in the process of catabolism are removed from the body through the skin, kidneys, lungs, and intestines.

http://kidshealth.org/parent/general...etabolism.html

Catabolism isn't some BSD (big scary demon) that needs to be avoided. It is how we get most of our energy. Logic will tell you this. Cardio is aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise is catabolic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellular_respiration). Sitting on your butt is an aerobic 'activity' as well. It is therefore catabolic. If catabolism was the process of destroying muscle for energy, you'd never make any gains. Ever.

Thats not to say it doesn't happen, but it is likely not as common as it is made out to be. The only time muscle catabolism comes into play is when ATP and glucose stores have been depleted. If this is true, then there is a strong case to be made against aerobic exercise in ketosis, or even against keto diets in general since we established that catabolism is the metabolism's default state.

However the fact is before your body gets to the point that you start to lose your muscles you must have undertaken very intense aerobic exercises. This is the only way the scale can tip in favor of catabolism.

The term very intense aerobic exercise is a very broad term and I will try to explain just what it means to have undertaken intense aerobic exercises. By intense aerobic exercise I mean undertaking an aerobic session which lasts for more than 50-60 minutes each day of the week. Couple this with failure to eat proper nutrition then you are only preparing yourself for disaster. The only way you can be able to reduce catabolism is by keeping your aerobic session intense but short. If you do aerobic exercises for more than 30 minutes then you are only promoting catabolism.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Does-Perfo...sm?&id=2231513

I'm not an expert, and I welcome any feedback if I'm wrong (with citations, please).

Paul

[gbone74]

Why do extra if you are in a calorie deficit. .

This is my thought on cardio too.I see it like this analogy once you have hammered a nail in(weight loss/muscle gain whatever) why keep hitting it(adding cardio in)

If i am already progressing and weight lifting 5x per week,why go for a run when i dont want to.yes i know about the benefits but i am fit and healthy perfect blood pressure and so on and i have no desire to get bettet at running or increase endurance so why bother

I dont take up hobbies i dont like just because it may aid my other hobbies

[built4tennis]

This is my thought on cardio too.I see it like this analogy once you have hammered a nail in(weight loss/muscle gain whatever) why keep hitting it(adding cardio in)

If i am already progressing and weight lifting 5x per week,why go for a run when i dont want to.yes i know about the benefits but i am fit and healthy perfect blood pressure and so on and i have no desire to get bettet at running or increase endurance so why bother

I dont take up hobbies i dont like just because it may aid my other hobbies

It'll help you cut faster?

[Annihilate]

since no one answered your question yet....

while you are cutting your two goals are lose body fat, and maintain muscle mass. cardio is catabolic, meaning it breaks down muscle for energy.

Depends on the intensity of the run, if you are in an aerobic or anaerobic state.

I haven't lost muscle and iv been doing cardio pretty much daily, with one day off.

[Vigilante_Inc]

It'll help you cut faster?

Why not just eat less then lol?

Cardio is not as effective as you may think... go run 5 miles... you just burned 500 calories. Instead of running 5 miles I'll just opt out of that small piece of cake lulz

[gbone74]

It'll help you cut faster?

I lost 170lbs in a year how much quicker do you want.

Plus why rush i dont care if it takes me 12 or 14 weeks for example to lose a certain amount its not like ive got a competition coming up.

Plus eating cals back to offset cardio which has been mentioned will not make weight loss faster.

Youre deficit can only be so much anyway to avoid problems i have no problem hitting that deficit through diet alone

[Annihilate]

Why not just eat less then lol?

Cardio is not as effective as you may think... go run 5 miles... you just burned 500 calories. Instead of running 5 miles I'll just opt out of that small piece of cake lulz

Because cardio can keep your metabolism working overtime for an extended period after you finish.

Also there are numerous other health benefits to cardio, not just to keep your daily calories in check, such as running stimulates the immune system and keeps it healthy and alert, it might not sound much, but the next time you get flu or something and have to stop lifting for a week, you could potentially reduce that time by including small amounts of weekly cardio.

[gbone74]

Because cardio can keep your metabolism working overtime for an extended period after you finish.

Also there are numerous other health benefits to cardio, .

The benefits dont bother me though,i used to be 350 with a 60" waist and smoke 40 cigs a day.now i am 220 with a 34 waist and pretty fit from where i was my fitness level will do just fine,i already changed my life around i am not adding stuff i dont want to do on top as well

[Vigilante_Inc]

Because cardio can keep your metabolism working overtime for an extended period after you finish.

Also there are numerous other health benefits to cardio, not just to keep your daily calories in check, such as running stimulates the immune system and keeps it healthy and alert, it might not sound much, but the next time you get flu or something and have to stop lifting for a week, you could potentially reduce that time by including small amounts of weekly cardio.

Um in an Equal energy expenditure enviorment... cardio will actually retard your metabolism by making your heart more effecient (not that that's a bad thing lol) but you're arguing the wrong point. Who burns more calories at rest... fat people or skinny marathon runners...


FAT PEOPLE

[Annihilate]

Um in an Equal energy expenditure enviorment... cardio will actually retard your metabolism by making your heart more effecient (not that that's a bad thing lol) but you're arguing the wrong point. Who burns more calories at rest... fat people or skinny marathon runners...


FAT PEOPLE

Fat people who do cardio will burn more than fat people being fat.

"Heart rate is determined by the medulla oblongata and part of the pons, two organs located inferior to the hypothalamus on the brain stem. Heart rate is important for basal metabolic rate and resting metabolic rate because it drives the blood supply, stimulating the Krebs cycle. During exercise that achieves the anaerobic threshold, it is possible to deliver substrates that are desired for optimal energy utilization. The anaerobic threshold is defined as the energy utilization level of heart rate exertion that occurs without oxygen during a standardized test with a specific protocol for accuracy of measurement, such as the Bruce Treadmill protocol (see Metabolic equivalent). With four to six weeks of targeted training the body systems can adapt to a higher perfusion of mitochondrial density for increased oxygen availability for the Krebs cycle, or tricarboxylic cycle, or the glycolitic cycle. This in turn leads to a lower resting heart rate, lower blood pressure, and increased resting or basal metabolic rate."

"lower resting heart rate, lower blood pressure, and increased resting or basal metabolic rate." - Which means the likely hood of gaining the weight back is reduced as long as people don't slip back into their old habits.

[Vigilante_Inc]

Fat people who do cardio will burn more than fat people being fat.

"Heart rate is determined by the medulla oblongata and part of the pons, two organs located inferior to the hypothalamus on the brain stem. Heart rate is important for basal metabolic rate and resting metabolic rate because it drives the blood supply, stimulating the Krebs cycle. During exercise that achieves the anaerobic threshold, it is possible to deliver substrates that are desired for optimal energy utilization. The anaerobic threshold is defined as the energy utilization level of heart rate exertion that occurs without oxygen during a standardized test with a specific protocol for accuracy of measurement, such as the Bruce Treadmill protocol (see Metabolic equivalent). With four to six weeks of targeted training the body systems can adapt to a higher perfusion of mitochondrial density for increased oxygen availability for the Krebs cycle, or tricarboxylic cycle, or the glycolitic cycle. This in turn leads to a lower resting heart rate, lower blood pressure, and increased resting or basal metabolic rate."

"lower resting heart rate, lower blood pressure, and increased resting or basal metabolic rate." - Which means the likely hood of gaining the weight back is reduced as long as people don't slip back into their old habits.

4-6 week sample... please bring me a study that is longer than a lunar cycle. I'm not saying EXERCISE won't burn calories, and that it won't also burn calories post exercise (though this has been proven to be a minimal advantage as well) for a short duration. What I'm saying is that unless it is adding something that consumes energy it cannot be feasible for it to burn more calories. Your metabolism is made of organs and tissue. These things require energy to use. Without adding to the organs or tissue and without adding to their daily use (IE: increased heart rate) they cannot use more energy than before.

Basically what you're saying is If I drive my car faster more often then my car will use more gas at idle than before

[Annihilate]

4-6 week sample... please bring me a study that is longer than a lunar cycle. I'm not saying EXERCISE won't burn calories, and that it won't also burn calories post exercise (though this has been proven to be a minimal advantage as well) for a short duration. What I'm saying is that unless it is adding something that consumes energy it cannot be feasible for it to burn more calories. Your metabolism is made of organs and tissue. These things require energy to use. Without adding to the organs or tissue and without adding to their daily use (IE: increased heart rate) they cannot use more energy than before

Are you saying after cardio you don't burn any more than a minimal amount? there are conflicting studies, there are studies which show more of an increased metabolism for an increased period of time, there is also ones that show the opposite, I guess it is different person to person.

And cardio does keep heart rate elevated for a time after cardio, so there is your "adding to daily use" so it can use more energy.

[Vigilante_Inc]

Are you saying after cardio you don't burn any more than a minimal amount? there are conflicting studies, there are studies which show more of an increased metabolism for an increased period of time, there is also ones that show the opposite, I guess it is different person to person.

And cardio does keep heart rate elevated for a time after cardio, so there is your "adding to daily use" so it can use more energy.

It does but you return to your resting heart rate quite quickly. And your resting heart rate actually improves the more cardiovascular exercise you perform.

Lance Armstrong had a resting heart rate in the 30's.... most obese individuals have one in the 90+ range.

I'm not arguing against cardio. I try and keep my heart nice and active and this is a great way to do it. I'm just arguing that cardio will not improve your metabolism through some magical means.

[V1ado]

I prefer to advise people to do cardio as much as possible while cutting.
Why you ask..?
Well the burned calories can be consumed and in as result you feel less like your on a diet

My take on it....
You burn 200 cal extra with cardio a day x 7 = 1400 cal.

That is a nice meal once a week if you choose to consume it like that.

[swole-striation]

Cardio is good for your heart



ENOUGH SAID!

[RugbyTank]

Cardio is good for your heart



ENOUGH SAID!

This + cardio if you cheated with extra cals

But i do cardio outside for peace of mind

[tanajerner]

I say do cardio

but do weights as well

your body will get rid of what ever it doesnt need and if you do steady-state cardio alot it will get rid of muscle mass. Thats why you dont see muscular long distance runners.

Muscle burns energy so the more you have the more you will burn and the less you have the less you will burn.

and in the long term its better to have an efficient fuel burning system then a I have to do **** loads of cardio to stay thin system

[RTW2]

(12 min/mile for 2 miles) = 24mins / Calories Burned = 259

(Diet/Making the right choice with food) = 1 sec / Calories saved = 3,500


Diet wins....

I do cardio but not for losing weight or to take calories off my calorie count for the day but so i dont get winded and tired after playing with my son for 10 mins

[daniel84uk]

Cardio's just good for you. You don't have to do it if your goal is simply to use weight but often people will come up with myriad reasons why they personally don't need to do cardio and it just masks a bit of laziness and not wanting to do something they don't enjoy. The calorie expenditure is just one small facet of the benefits provided by cardio, but if people don't want to do it then that's entirely up to them and they can achieve strength and definition just as well as someone doing cardio. They just won't get the other benefits.

[tomsfish]

this is my unproffessional,un bro science,personal opinion.
if you treat your cardio like you do your lifting you will get a lot of benifits from it.if you do the same thing 2 times a week over and over again,yea drop it cause its not doing anything for you.
i treat my cardio like i do my lifting,today should be harder,or more intense,than a day ago,a week ago, or a month ago.
if i was doing the same 3 pullups that i was doing a few months ago instead of the 100+ i do a week now,i dont think id be getting much benifits from that either.
when i do my cardio its only 20 or 25 minutes at a time,if i was doing the same thing,my body would quickly adapt to it and i wouldnt be burning the same calories that i had been say a month previous.
my cardio sessions always change from month to month.i may run,do stairs,walk on a steep incline,etc, anything i can do so my body doesnt get used to it.

[Smoked33]

Cardio is good for your heart



ENOUGH SAID!

Yes! Thank you. I know I'm a newbie around here but I'm concerned about all these people that don't do any cardio because it's not necessary for cutting and how long you're going to live. Heart health is the most important thing medically or nutritionally for me....perhaps it's because i'm married to a woman 8 years younger and about to have my first child at 39 but I am doing what I can to be all-round healthy so that I can live, remain vital and youthful and be able to play with my kids for a long time

[lovingit]

I have a few things to say about this, but this is just my opinion/observation.

Cardio is not necessary for losing fat.

However, cardio can be helpful because it burns calories, and as we all know it's caloric deficit that causes fat loss. Cardio has health benefits outside of body composition that shouldn't be overlooked when someone mentions whether or not cardio is important.

Cardio is a great tool to use late in cutting stages when an individual is stalling out and doesn't want to cut calories lower via diet (i.e. don't do cardio until you stall out, then add it as a tool to get you over the sticking point).

That's my overall assessment.

Necessary, No.
Helpful, Yes.

These are my thoughts as well. I'm just going to follow you around and quote you from now on. lol

I personally am not into cardio because 1.) I don't enjoy it, 2.) people *think* they are burning way more calories with cardio than they actually are, 3.) people rely on cardio too much and diet not enough, 4.) I've made ridiculous progress with just diet and lifting alone