How much cardio is enough?

T

thea77

Cathlete
I'm hoping someone can offer me some advice.....How much cardio is enough for weight loss? Obviously, that is my primary fitness goal, but I'd also like some muscle tone. Not too interested in gaining muscle mass right now but if it happened it would be fine. I have about 10-15# I would like to lose, but am more concerned with what I feel like and how I feel in my clothes. Right now, I am getting back into running by doing a run/walk program for 30 min, but typically add some additional walking to make it a 45-60 minute session. I do this Mon, Wed and Fri. I would like to do a full body workout such as MM or ME on Tues and Thurs. Is this enough cardio? Or, should I add a shorter session on Tues and/or Thurs or maybe just one on Sat? I am also starting to work harder on my dietary habits. Any suggestions? :)

Thea
 
Everything I've read says you need to do about 45 to 50 minutes of cardio 5 to 6 days a week if you want to lose weight. For someone like me, who seriously does hate cardio, the news couldn't get much worse;( If someone has information to the contrary I will love you until I die.

Michele
 
I've heard those numbers before, too--I wonder if they take into account lifting weights, and how that might work with cardio to help you lose weight? Sorry--wish I could be more helpful instead of just adding to the question!
 
Interesting info, Michele. Right now I'm doing hour long cardios 3x a week + following a structured diet plan. I'm going to keep with this, if and when I plateau, I'll go to 5x.
 
to maintain weight, do cardio 3-4 times a week for at least a half an hour. To lose weight, do cardio 5-6 days a week for at least a half an hour. But if what you are doing now is more than what you have been doing, you will lose weight, no question! :) so I wouldn't worry about it too much if I were you. After a while your body will adjust to this routine, and then you may need to make some changes, but starting off I think that you will lose weight. And doing an extra day of cardio, like on Saturday, will help. As long as you have one day of rest. :)

*Leg work does get your heart rate up, but it is anaerobic work as opposed to aerobic activity.* That is what they all say, but honestly I do question that sometimes, particularly when I am doing endurance work and there isn't a huge build up of lactic acid (or burn) so you pretty much stay aerobic. When you lift heavy, I wouldn't consider it cardio though because there isn't much use of oxygen in the workout.

As far as dietary, just eat foods as close their natural state as possible and enjoy what you eat! :) Don't be afraid or feel guilty to eat taboo foods once in a while, either. :D HTH

Missy
 
Thanks for the helpful information and advice! I think I will continue my run/walk routine 3-4 days per week, and add MM, ME or MIS two other days per week (I have not currently been doing the weight workouts). Thanks again!!! :) :) :)
 
It depends on what you are doing. I did cardio 3x week followed by 1 hour weight training after 2 of the cardio days and lost weight (2 pants sizes in 3 months) however, I cleaned eat. If you know you are really not going to clean eat then up your cardio.

--Kimberly C


"Here's to your health, to every moment, every week and month that you wake up to the privilege of another breath - another chance to get it right!" Oprah
 
<<<If someone has information to the contrary I will love you until I die.


Oh, that is too cute.

I am of the unpopular opinion that it all depends. Your age, your body composition, your metabolism, how conditioned you are, etc.

I'll give you an example: I first started with FIRM Vol. 1 workouts 20 years ago (GASP!!!) I had never used weights before. I did this workout every day for 4 months (I paid $49.95 and was going to get my money's worth).

When I eventually worked up to doing the entire tape and moving up in weights, I lost 3 dress sizes in about 3 months. I ate MORE than I used to and still lost.

If you are familiar with FIRM workouts, you know that there is very little cardio.

I attribute my amazing results to the fact that I was young (20), had never exercised before (your body burns fewer calories as you get more fit) and my metabolism was faster than it is now.

So, I really don't think EVERYBODY needs to do 60 minutes of cardio 5-6 days per week, IF you are lifting weights.

Despite the health benefits of lifting weights, it is still not a popular fitness component for exercising women.
 
I agree 100% with MadnNatesmom!! I'm sure everyone wishes there was a number that we could put out there and say that this will do the trick, but there are so many variables to consider.

You've just got to start somewhere and then if that doesn't work...go back to the drawing board. You also have to consider how intense your workouts are and making sure that you are eating in a way that will compliment your efforts.



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(fitxme)
http://www.picturetrail.com/fitxme
 
One more thing about cardio...you can do an hour of brisk walking and that IS a cardio workout. Don't think that every cardio has to be high intensity. An hour of biking, roller blading, ice skating, snow shoeing, cross country skiing...etc. etc.

There is plenty of cardio type workouts to choose from. Mix it up. I love interval workouts like the IMAX's, Bootcamp and so forth and as much as I would prefer to do those types of cardio everyday, I also need less intense days of cardio to avoid injuries. This is where swimming comes in as a great cardio workout and AJOCK has posted some great water workouts on these forums, including the latest one for Cathe herself to help her work through this knee problem she's having.

So, if you're thinking there is just no way you can do more Cathe cardio in a week or run more miles...you do have other option's that are just as effective.

I subscribe to the theory that for weight loss you need to be doing cardio 5-6 days a week. For maintanence, 3-4 days per week. And no matter what your goal is for the present...it is always a good idea to be doing weight training at least 2-3 days a week.

Another option that hasn't been mentioned yet is to pay for the advice of a personal trainer to help you meet your goals.

:) :)
 
Oh, and eating! I think it was a fluke for me back then to eat MORE and still lose, because it ain't happening now!

It is much easier to forego that 400-calorie cream cheese-smeared bagel than to do one of Cathe's tapes.

Exercising in and of itself just doesn't burn that many calories.

I think it is a common mistake to think "Well, I can eat this because I exercise."

I absolutely agree about the lower intensity workouts. I'm one of the many intensity junkies here. But, I lost a lot of weight after my daughter was born simply by walking AND watching my food intake before I was ready for Cathes workouts.
 
I so agree with you on that MadnNatsmom. The older I get the less forgiving my body is to too much overindulgence of high calorie foods. There was a time I could eat half of a cheesecake or half a pan of lemon bars in one sitting and not blink an eye or have a care...not so at mid-40! It seems to me that no matter how much I exercise and stay fit, my metabolism is slowing down/changing and I've really noticed the difference just in the last two years.

And then there are my teen/preteen kids who eat like vacuum cleaners taking in anything and everything within reach! It's the cycle of life. :)

Now I have my mother/grandmother's appetite's...just give me bowl of minestrone because I don't like to feel too full! My mother used to say that all the time and we would laugh at her...yeah...look at me now. Must be something about 'middle age' that our digestive systems seem to mature right along with us!;-)
 
I think it's very individual - in my case (age 56) I pretty much have to do 6 days a week of cardio to keep my weight where I want it. This means a lot of high intensity, 5 days, and one long weekend walk (75+ minutes).

"It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt." Mark Twain ;-)
 
I believe it has to do with your body type more than anything. I am an endomorph and have to keep up with my cardio (at least 5 days a week) to just maintain.

Now, an ecto on the other hand probably doesn't want to do that much cardio.

Different strokes for different folks. My mantra is "every body is different". You really have to find what works for you. It's a process.
 
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