cardio.......how much is too much?

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dhcsim

Cathlete
At 10 a.m. I did the treadmill for 40 minutes and then the last 1/2 of Firm 1 (pushups,table work,pecs/bridge,outer/inner thigh and stomach). Well later on tonight I felt like getting on the treadmill again so I got on at 5:30 for 45 minutes. Is that too much cardio in one day? I know that the treadmill will get old if I do it solely for cardio every time, so I plan to do other things for cardio also. Just wanted to know. Thanks:D
 
Hi.

It all depends on the individual. I don't think I would do cardio for like 90 mins every day 6x per week or anything but a couple times a week of a long cardio work out (broken up or straight) probably isn't a bad thing. I mean look at runners...Carole, Sarah, Lori...when they are running longer distances they are certainly doing cardio for 90 mins and better at a shot! :)

HTH!
 
Can you be a little more specific? When you ask "too much", what are you referring to? What are your goals? When I understand this information, I can give you my opinion. :)

X
 
Hi There!

I loved my cardio and still do and Wendy is right (although I hate to admit it:+ ,we are having a fight right now):) When I would do my long runs, I would run for 80-110 mins depending on how long I went. There are others here that go longer though b/c they ran further then I did. But then you would notice that the next day they would only run 4 miles or something along those lines.
You can't go all out every day, my knees wouldn't be able to handle a 80 min run everyday, so I would switch things up and if it were step or kickboxing I was doing, I would only do one workout and call it a day, unless I did weights, but Im talking about cardio here.
Not to mention, that you will get burned out really fast. If you want to workout 3 x a week for longer then go for it, but take it a little easier on the other days, do a shorter cardio with weights.

Just listen to your body, it will tell you when it needs a rest.

Lori:)
 
Hey Lori,

Now that you are pregnant and going to be cutting back your mileage, maybe I can actually try to catch up to you!!! :p I have 9 months to work on this...I'm shooting for 2.5-3 miles today! I think I can I think I can I think I can!:+
 
OK! I'm here to settle the feud between Lori and Wendy, although it looks like they've actually AGREED on their answer! LOL

Like they said, I would not do a long cardio too many days in a row. To use their example, when trianing for a race like a marathon (full or half), you have your slowly add mileage (and time) each week, leading up to a LONG run once per week. Then, during the week, you do recovery runs and BANG...another LONG run a full week later.

Moral of the story is that you need to switch it up during the week. But I'd say you're doing fine as long as you don't go too hard for too many days in a row!

Gayle
 
Wendy you can try to catch up with me and you probably will, but just when you are least expecting it, I will zooooooooooooooooooooooom on by!!!!:7 :7 Don't underestimate the power of the Gidget! LOL

Lori:)
 
Maybe I just worded my post wrong. I like getting on the treadmill for 45 min. Sometimes I feel like getting on again at night. Maybe instead of getting on it again, I could do some other form of cardio. My goal is to look lean and tone. I know that clean eating is a major part of it, and I have been working on that. I feel like I still have pent up energy at the end of the day. I have a lot of weight to lose. I went up to 240 and am now at 218-220. My scale likes to tease.:( I think what helped me go down the most was cleaning up my eating. It was bad and also at night.:-( I am doing lower body w/ almost no weights because I have so much weight down there already. I am also hiking twice a week.

You ladies that run, my hat is off to you. I am sooo envious. I used to run all the time BK (before kids). When I get into the 150's I am going to start running again. I like my knees, so right now I'm not running.
 
> Wendy you can try to catch up with me and you probably will,
>but just when you are least expecting it, I will
>zooooooooooooooooooooooom on by!!!!:7 :7 Don't underestimate
>the power of the Gidget! LOL
>
> Lori:)

Oh I don't underestimate you Lori! I know you are one crazy lady and I know ANYTHING is possible when it comes to you! :7 :+ :7 :p
 
Heather,

Are you walking on the treadmill? If yes, you should be fine doing the treadmill in the AM and PM.

I would be concerned if you were running because of the high impact.
 
I think it depends on your goals. If your goal is endurance than probably you're OK w/90 minutes or so. If your goal is burning fat, I would stop at 50-60 minutes. I read somewhere a while back that women's bodies, b/c they're genetically designed to be able to maintain a fetus for 9 months, stop burning fat after about an hour or so of cardio.

Also, I've found in my personal experience that when I do too much cardio it effects muscle gain/loss. When I do cardio 45 minutes a day every day, my lifting workouts are much more difficult. I don't know if it's b/c I'm burning muscle instead of fat, or if it's b/c I'm using up all my energy on cardio so don't have any left for weight training but, for whatever the reason, overdoing cardio will effect your lifting.
 
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