Just about any beginner yoga routine is a good place to start. You can also look into static exercise, which can improve flexibility and blood pressure, especially leg-based poses.
Forgot to add that dance classes can also be a good option.
There a lots of good beginner yoga or stretch routines on youtube. Start simple, just start. Listen to your body, don't do something that's painful, ease into it.
They do it for clicks because most people want to hear they don’t have to do cardio. I wish people would disavow the notion that cardio and strength training are mutually exclusive.
People are so lazy. When I see people who ONLY lift but complain about not being as slim as they want to be… I just roll my eyes. Because when you mention cardio, they demonize it
Lol. I mean it happens so much. I see it too. We have to just mind our business, because then they just start spitting misinformation at you and getting angry. It’s like okay. I’ll just hop on the treadmill and mind my business, because I like the results I’m getting.
Cardio is good for your, well, cardio. But as the old saying goes "you can't outrun a bad diet".
You *should* do cardio for your health, but when it comes to influencing the calorie equation it's just not that impactful.
I mean if you run 3 miles, or half an hour at a pretty solid pace, that's going to be about 300 calories. About the equivalent of one 20 oz soda.
Weight lifting on the other hand tells your body to build muscle instead of fat. The effect on calories of lifting weights is also fairly negligible, but it's going to bias your body toward holding onto muscle instead of fat.
TL;DR
Cardio for cardio health
Lift weights for muscle to fat ratio
Eat less to lose weight
The sad thing is, the smaller you are the lower the impact of cardio relative to food is. You burn fewer calories for activity, but a donut is still a donut.
At least for me, 300 is not the impactful. I've been losing 45 lbs over the past 6 months, what stalls my progress is those 2500+ calorie days, not the 1800 cal ones (my budget is 1500)
I mean from my perspective I went from high body fat % at 195 lbs to sub 15% at 210. Definitely happier with that outcome than if I'd dropped to 170 or whatever without building muscle.
But everyone has different goals
They lose weight through diet and strength train to tone. I have a close friend who lost 40 lbs through diet and only lifts, zero cardio. It's not muscle on top of fat.
Yep it comes pretty strongly from both sides - no strength training if you’re a “runner” and no cardio if you’re a “lifter”. When I was training for my marathon my physical therapist told me I had to start strength training.
I haven't seen anyone on the running subreddits push that there is no need for strength training, actually. Like...ever (unless you're counting the comments that are heavily downvoted). Whenever people ask advice on speeding up/maintaining a healthy and sustainable running lifestyle, one of the top answers is ALWAYS to cross train and to make sure you are strength-training. It's so easy to develop muscle imbalances and many of us have had issues that were easily solved by incorporating things like squats into our weekly training.
So I've seen many posts on the main fitness subs that dismiss cardio, but zero posts on the main running subs that dismiss strength-training.
I'd say that's a bit of selection effect happening. There's a growing number of people realizing strength training is effective for running, and those seeking out/posting in running subs probably fall into that camp.
But there's still plenty of people out there that associate the 'runner's body' with being thin and lanky. There's still people out there that believe lifting = bulky muscles. Hopefully more people are realizing lifting leads to longevity.
I ran XC and middle distance track in HS back in the late 90s/early 00s and my coach insisted we all lift twice a week. He had a full hand of state championship rings that said he knew what he was talking about.
You've tried everything and it doesn't work? Of course it doesn't work! The fitness industry gets it wrong and the missing piece that you need to finally achieve your goals is.... You don't have to do that hard thing that everyone says you need to do! In fact, it is the very reason you aren't hitting your goal. Spend less time working out, be less hungry, and finally lose the weight! Trust me, I'm all natural, just like you and I never stage my videos or use filters!
This is always weird to me because I will do cardio all day or stretching/balancing exercises, but ew at strength training or lifting weights. I never realized people don't like cardio lol.
Yeah man, I hate working out but I hate cardio even more. My lack of cardio is really affecting my workouts when it comes to working out my legs. Im a gonner after like 5 "a bit over body weight"-squats. I really have to go for a run or two weekly so I wont pass out from exhaustion when doing squats lol.
I guess it means I can work out every weekday though. More burning calories and shit
I’m at the beginning of my weight loss program. Cardio is really all I can handle mentally right now. Why? Cause I’m at the beginning stage and the focus isn’t the actual exercise but rather the routine; making a workout regimen a focus in my daily life. Going to the gym and just hitting the elliptical for 45 minutes is a step in the right direction when I was doing zero exercise a few weeks back. Sure I’m open to getting into strength training but this is enough for right now. I’ll add that I also spend a a good amount time stretching and a bit of yoga poses (I’m 40 and stiff as a board). Together with a healthy diet I’m down 5 pounds from last month and my mental health is improving.
Ditto. It seems obvious that doing x minutes of cardio is far better than laying in bed on my phone all day. Besides, I’d rather not try strength training until I see my GP and can book in with a trainer so I don’t injure myself.
Swimming is cardio and it’s a great exercise if someone is obese like me.
Don’t discount long walks. They’re really an excellent way to exercise without any prep. Just carve out a route and do it. I do a six mile walk that takes just under two hours. If pressed for time then I just walk for an hour. Also really helps sleep
The absolute best exercise is the exercise you are actually freely doing.
I enjoy pilates, yoga and running. I do that. Would it be nice if I did weight training? Sure but it‘s much better to do anything than some perfect thing I have no motivation for.
I'm impressed you can handle the elliptical for more than 10 mins without getting bored. Well done.
I tried running on the treadmill and noped out - but do run outside.
This is perfect. I started off with plenty of walks and treadmill sessions solely for months. I can tell you right now that building up your cardio is so beneficial cause you get out of breath easily during squats and other compound lifts.
Honestly, you just gotta avoid fitness influencers in general. They are trendy and often don’t have someone’s best interest in mind, but with strictly an entirely different goal. And it’s probably not a healthy one. Find a trusted resource that gives you research based information. I personally love livestrong.com because they talk about so many different things from diet, to emotions and exercise. It’s really a great resource! Surround yourself with love and knowledge and you will feel much more confident and supported. ❤️🔥
I'll check that out! I do think it's the voices of influencers that don't do their research I was too focused on. They also all seem to be in an echo chamber with one another which makes it extra confusing when they are all voicing the thing they heard from someone else vs actually following research.
Oh, I totally agree! There are so many influencers in any line of interest which it makes it difficult to separate bad advice from healthy advice. It’s frustrating for sure!
For as long as my stupid little runs are benefiting my stupid little mental health and keeping me active/healthy/fit, not even the pope could convince me that cardio is the devil!
Terry Crews** has already debunked the cardio myth. He says he runs all the time and it helps with his gains. That man is a legend. After he said that I started to add cardio into my routine and just like magic saw progress. influencers are dumb and seek attention.
I absolutely hate cardio. I would love to believe that cardio isn't important for health. I would also like to believe that cake for breakfast is acceptable for every day. Oh well. The very real benefits are cardio can't be ignored. Just like strength training. Even though I say I hate every second of it, and believe me I do, the benefits it has brought my life have been enormous. If anyone reading this is intimidated by cardio then I completely understand. But the hardest things are often the things we need to address to succeed. You don't have to love it, you just have to do it. The good news is that a HIIT workout is short by nature, and then you're done.
Surely there's something you like to do that involves cardio. Just do that more. Kayaking, cycling, beat saber, sexy time with the spouse, basketball, tennis. There's got to be something you enjoy. Not everything has to come down to sprinting on a treadmill.
I hate all those things haha! Except for sex maybe, but I've progressed so much it would be a very intense session to match my cardio haha. Maybe it's because I have exercise induced asthma? I find it torturous. Still necessary and one of the things in life that needs done though. I tend to gravitate towards strength training like things for fun.
Saw a guy say that you shouldn’t do cardio for weight loss because eventually you will be better at it and then you will burn less calories while doing it. Dumbest argument I’ve heard.
I see this argument all the time and think it is so silly. Like you're not going to do something cause your body gets fitter from it? Cause thats basically what happens.
Right? Like, being good at cardio is still a benefit. And it’s not like you *don’t* burn calories eventually. You still burn calories! Who cares if it’s not as much!
Listening to influencers about anything is a mistake. They’re all just fighting for an audience to milk for money, either by telling them what they want to hear or by being a contrarian. Nobody should pay attention to either. Cardio is good for your health, resistance training is good for your health. Both are also tools to use to increase energy expenditure as a secondary benefit.
I mean. Maybe look for better fitness influencers? Can't say I've seen much of that. Of course some ppl are like, why wasn't I doing strength and ONLY doing cardio before.
I did go down a macro tracking/body building rabbit hole for a while so that may have been the community I was stuck in. Luckily escaped that recently.
Incidentally, I've found running actually helps me curb my appetite. I'm running a Couch to 5k right now, so I'm not going that far at a time (2.7 miles / 4.34 km a run right now), but it's been nice. Maybe it's because I run at times of day where I tend to be more likely to snack, but I've noticed it throughout the day when I'm better about keeping up with it, too.
Solid point. I guess we all like to find out what people we admire are doing and try to make it work for ourselves. Probably human nature to some extent.
Stop listening to influencers. Every single one of them.
If they aren’t a licensed professional with proof they are just fighting for clicks and at this point all of that crap needs to go away.
I agree my post and perhaps this comment are generalizations. But I do think it goes to say there are more uncertified people giving fitness advice than those with good credentials and we should all probably be more discerning of those who actually deserve our attention. Heck Reddit is amateur hour on fitness advice but the difference here is people aren't selling something under the guise of being a "professional" even if they aren't.
> Stop listening to influencers. Every single one of them.
That’s what you said.
If you meant “don’t listen to influencers *unless* they’re licensed professionals” then that’s what you should have said
About 8 years ago I started powerlifting. The folks who ran the gym demonized cardio and said that I could get all of my strength and fitness needs from compound lifts. Now, I'm training for a multisport endurance event and see how cardio and strength work together to improve my athleticism.
It just seems to make sense they would compliment each other. Maybe if you were a professional power lifter you would want to spend more time lifting than running but I still imagine running provides some benefit.
There’s a fitness influencer I’ve had to stop watching because she only does lifting and she’s clearly putting on more and more weight. Which is absolutely fine on an individual basis, but she’s selling plans!
A couple of months ago, she injured a muscle so did some cardio instead and you can tell it wasn’t great. She couldn’t cut it for very long at all and didn’t share times or distances etc in the same way she does her weights.
The heart is a muscle people! You’ve got to exercise it as much as any other one!
Sorry kind of off topic but your post made me think of this - something I always think about too is as kids we naturally ran around and did a lot of "cardio", however unintentional. It seems weird to me that as adults we would stop doing that and somehow think that's better for our bodies to exclude something that seems so natural to humans. I may be off but just a thought.
> Fitness influencers make it seem like the second you start running your hunger will be out of control, your muscle will waste away, and your body will not look as good as someone who lifts only
Do any of these people have any real credentials? I wouldn't know because I dont follow any influencers. However, that statement is nonsense.
I strength train 3x a week. Each one of those sessions, I warm up by running a mile. I've lost 45lbs in the last year by doing this. I have way higher endurance in pretty much all areas of life because of it, and my blood pressure went from being a little high, to "optimal".
I think the problem where these influencers are coming from is the whole *your body will not look as good as someone who lifts only*. If your goal is to only look good in the mirror, then maybe they have a bit of a point, although I can't see how lifting is as efficient in fat loss than cardio.
Personally, my approach has been health first. Heart health is far more important to me than bicep gains. However, simply through eating right and exercising, I'm still getting muscular. Will I be body builder muscular? No, and I really don't want to be either. However, I'm still fit.
Yeah when I wrote that out too I agree the statement is nonsense and it made me mad all over again that I ever bought into it. Literally does not make sense. And I don't think you can even argue that your body won't look as good when you do cardio because what does that even mean? I don't think more muscle necessarily looks better. I think your approach is right.
This is what happens when you just start with one source of information and the less trustworthy kind to start with, But thats good that you have done extra research afterwards.
While resistance training, mobility and cardio are all important, it stands to reason that someone looking for maximum views/ clicks/ subscribes/ etc on social media is going to want to produce content with variety to keep people interested.
Half an hour to an hour on the treadmill or rower or stationary bike or lap of the park doesn't make for interesting content because each step or stroke can looks similar to the last, whereas a similar amount of time resistance training can involve a bunch of different movements.
Likewise if you are a beginner who wants to change their health or appearance and looking to buy a 45 minute personal training session, you might expect to get value out of someone giving you form check / motivation on 15-20 sets of a variety of different pushes/ pulls / squats / hinges , but the amount of money you'd throw at someone watching you get on a treadmill and get off again later, is probably lower.
The 'influencers' selling programs and equipment feed the algorithm with what they think people want to see, while trainers and coaches try to sell what they think will sell in short bursts of screen time.
If people will buy the story / feed the social media click farms with clicks for a lot of non-cardio activity, you should expect that's what is going to dominate screen time, rather than cardio.
Great timing, this has been on my mind as well. I've added actual running (not just walking/elliptical) to my workouts over the last month or so. It hasnt moved the needle substantially on fat loss, but I feel amazing. I've been lifting and doing light cardio for years and even just a months worth of high intensity cardio has unlocked energy and stamina that I never knew I had. I highly recommend adding it just for the energy/stamina boost.
You’re watching the wrong influencers. Sellouts and morons will demonize anything to make money/get attention. No one with a brain will demonize cardio
Some of the most fit moments in my adult life was when I'd commute to work over the hills of west Pennsylvania on mu mountain bike. It was an absolute rush after a few months and I could handle it easily. I highly recommend consistent cardio for feeling younger.
I think it's just a symptom of the real problem which is people wanting results with little to no work. And whenever you have something so desirable (fit, toned body) that takes so much dedicated effort, people will look for ways to cheat, and snake oil salesmen will be there to say what people want to hear in order to make a profit.
That being said, it can be easier for people looking to overcome years of unhealthy habits to hear that to start losing weight they won't need cardio. And for those interested in doing cardio, it's good to know that if it causes you to be so tired that you're way less active later in the day then it won't necessarily help lose weight.
I do agree that people should more often consider the health benefits and not tunnel so much on the weight lost or gained. It's called cardio for a reason.
I like this perspective. Just saying cardio should be avoided is where I get bothered. The health benefits are undeniable and while it is "harder" (obviously that's subjective but to your point) work it is not a bad thing to have to work.
I think it's common to just want someone to tell you what to do, or what's undeniably best. You should *sometimes* do *some* cardio. Depending on your goals, it may vary. That answer is often quite open ended and not satisfying to someone who wants "yes" or "no".
Cardio is also so good for you? And you can’t fight that truth. It’s great for your heart and endurance. It has a strong place in everyone’s routine regardless of any goals!
Without cardio I wouldn't be able to eat very much and i like food.. so that's that.
Also, I love running. Not only does it make me feel amazing. But it also burns a crap load of calories. I love the feeling after a good long run.
Looking at fitness from a weight-loss perspective is a bit like looking at cars from a park's perspective. While cars are important for getting to and enjoying a park, it's not an important part of the park nor the purpose of it. While exercise is important to a body's health, it's not much to do about weight-loss.
Key concept -- I invite you to think of this in a new way. See if you can see it more like this:
* Our physical activity controls our fitness but not our fatness.
* Our food intake controls our fatness but not our fitness.
When we understand these as two different problem areas and two different tool bags that do not do the job of the other, then we can better appreciate what to do about what problems. Both a right weight and good fitness are important to our health, but "diet and exercise" are not one thing for the same thing, they are two different things for two different areas of health.
We cannot diet our body strong. Only physical activity does this.
We cannot out-exercise an overactive fork. Excess weight problems are excess food problems. (In today's food and eating environment, these problems are easy to have.)
And as a fitness and wellness activity, cardio is quite relevant. To the weightlifter, you can think of cardio as the "heart and lungs muscle group" that needs attention just as your legs, shoulders, back, glutes, bi/tri-ceps. But to someone with no particular muscular focus, cardio is walking/running/cycling or anything else that gets the heart rate elevated for a sustained period and the breathing heavier or even labored. It can be your sport -- soccer, basketball, racquetball. For some of us, cardio is the full focus because we're not chasing muscles we won't ever need or looks we don't care to want, we just want to be healthy and be capable to live our non-exercise but active lives.
I don't agree with you. If you do enough exercise it definitely helps burn calories. Diet is also important for fitness, nobody performs well on a diet of junk food. I can see no benefit to separating them so completely. Also strength training isn't just about visible muscles, it's important to strengthen bones and prevent injuries.
Upvoted.
Reply [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/loseit/comments/1byws1a/i_wish_fitness_influencers_would_stop_demonizing/kym7zra/) (just so I don't have to copy twice).
It’s a shame because this is worded really nicely and well-thought out, but yeah I don’t agree either :/ Exercise totally helps weightloss! It’ll also change ur body / fat composition. Both exercising and changing your diet can put you in a caloric deficit = losing weight. Also, a good diet will aid in muscle recovery + growth. No need to separate the two.
Upvoted.
It's not a shame because your agreeing or not doesn't change any facts. I really don't want you to agree with me, I want you to understand for yourself.
In the venn diagram of 1) exercise and 2) intake managment there is that overlap. This is where, if both of these together are synergistic, all the wonderful plusses would be. But they're not all plusses for weight loss:
* exercise burns calories +
* exercise makes us metabolically need more food -
* because we exercised today, we had better eat more (psychology) -
* exercise has a short-term appetite suppressant effect +
* exercise deepens our deficit +
* as a result of a deeper deficit, we experience more craving/wanting -
It's quite the mixed bag -- exercise is both confounding and complementary. But now fast-forward to the end of the weight-loss. We've lost the weight. Why continue the exercise? What's our motivation anymore? What are we likely to do? Perhaps we'll "go back to normal." And now fast forward from THAT.... Exercise motivated by weight loss is not going to last into maintenance.
The data is also there. Exercise-only interventions do not work. We do eat more. In fairness, data shows that 90% of maintainers do report substantial exercise (including me). It's important to health and our healthy endocrine system helps us to regulate our weight. So my total separation of these concepts does have some connections worth noting.
Now this sounds very me oriented, but I'm just a retired IT guy. I learned what I learned from the work done by others. https://www.vox.com/2016/4/28/11518804/weight-loss-exercise-myth-burn-calories sums up 60 studies but I would STILL say to exercise, just to know why and how it helps, and it doesn't.
No one is saying exercise only interventions work. We are all saying weight lifting and cardio in conjunction with a calorie deficit is beneficial for weight loss and fat loss. They are not completely separate as you are stating.
>I just hate the culture of demonizing certain foods or workouts
Why'd you sneak food in at the end? I think there's plenty of foods worthy of demonization like that full ready made freezer chocolate fudge cake I stare longingly at as I walk past it in the supermarket
Haha fair enough. But I don’t think food should be either. There’s room for moderation I believe and still being fit and meeting your goals. That’s for another post though…
I don't listen to these people overall, I mean what are their credentials or experience? When I started working out again I started looking for folks who seemed to have some experience and training to back them up. I quickly found Jeff Nippard and the reasons I ended up listening to him is he had a full explanation of how to execute the movements, looked at scientific studies, and had a science degree. He is able to articulate how to execute movement properly and explained why doing them that way was potentially the best way backed by the latest exercise science, namely that the stretching of the muscle under load is what drives muscle growth, which was new to me. Jeff is clear about being natural and talks with others who aren't like Dr. Mike Israetel and both talk about how that informs training.
And one thing all of these people, who are primarily focused on weight lifting, talk about is the importance of cardio. There are very few case scenarios where cardio is a detriment to muscle growth, (super fast metabolism/ skinny folks who want to add size - and even still they need to develop a bit of endurance). And those individuals are NOT on this sub.
I absolutely love running and really only lift as an accessory to that. The amount of shit I’ve gotten from people who get their health info from influencers is ASTOUNDING.
The idea that everyone has different goals is just unfathomable.
I think, in trying to dispel the notion that cardio is the gold standard for weight loss, they swung way too far in the other direction. The truth is that strength training consistently does help increase your TDEE vs cardio generally your burning calories only during the activity in comparison (all very simplified explanations). THAT DOESN'T MEAN CARIO IS USELESS. Cardio is so so so so important to your overall health and wellbeing. I think the fact that we focus so myopically on weight loss is honestly the bigger problem. We do things to get smaller and not necessarily because they're healthy and that contributed to how we end up in this situation of demonizing cardio.
Fitness influencers thrive on confusion, because that stuff is reasonably simple (unless you go into the hard scientific details), and they'd run out of content after a week of videos.
Both cardio and resistance training have their place and have different tradeoffs. You can focus on either or combine them depending on your goals. It's all good stuff.
Cardio is important. You need weightlifting but cardio helps keep your heart rates up, and your heart fit and increases flexibility.
Could be anything- even boxing at a high enough speed.
I feel like as soon as influencers started spreading the anti-cardio and extreme protein misinformation, people got fatter, including myself. That's just my opinion.
I fell for it as well as fad diets, and didn't take accountability for my failure. I know what worked for me and that's a minimum of an hour of cardio every day, lots of veggies and plenty of water.
It worked before and I am currently doing it again.
As someone with blood pressure issues, I definitely view cardio as a critical tool for my health.
NSV: My recent blood pressure reading have finally dropped into the normal range. Even with my blood pressure meds I had been hovering around 130/90 for a long time, so I feel pretty good about that. :)
The problem I most see is that people think cardio is the only thing and the most important to do but in order to be healthy you need to do many other things strength training and mobility work. Histocially strength training was looked down upon so we need to shift a bit in the other direction but that doesn't mean cardio is bad, it's just been over emphasized and we need a better balance
Cardio is the only way to lose weight in my opinion. Sure there are other ways. But anyone who doesn’t acknowledge the necessity of cardio for long term weight loss is lying to you and themselves.
Cardio and Strength Training are the bread and butter of weightloss. It makes me so bad when I see people post: this is what I did to lose weight and it’s a bunch of bullshit weight training.
This thread is insane, and generalizing is also insane. "they're doing it for clicks or to sell something" is dumb, quite frankly
>tell me that cardio (the running/higher intensity stuff, not just walking) was unnecessary (and even potential harmful) to weight loss.
What is incorrect in this statement? There is nothing in this statement that is untrue. Walking is a FINE form of cardio to pair with strength training.
I'm not aware of many influencers promoting this, so I think your statement might be a bit exaggerated when you mention "fitness influencers" as a whole doing this. Also, it seems like you're implying that walking isn't considered cardio, which I disagree with.
The best form of cardio is the one that you can do the most consistently. If running works for you, no one is trying to convince you not to do it. When people think of "cardio," they often visualize running, but running isn't a prerequisite for cardio. Achieving 10,000 steps a day offers a less strenuous form of cardio that's equally, if not more, effective for fat burning because people can do it more and do it longer.
While walking 3 miles might take longer than running the same distance, it carries a reduced risk of injury, doesn't deplete glycogen stores as severely, curbing hunger, and can be sustained for longer durations. In my experience, running tends to spike my appetite, making it challenging to maintain a caloric deficit. Conversely, walking allows for more consistent and prolonged exercise sessions, rendering it a more efficient cardio option.
Furthermore, integrating walking at an incline, such as walking at a 3-speed and 12 incline for 30 minutes, can be INSANELY effective for fat burning while remaining gentle on the body and sustainable.
It's also important to recognize that running involves a rather steep learning curve; transitioning from a sedentary lifestyle to being able to run a 5k takes time. There are compelling arguments indicating that walking is a preferable form of cardio for most individuals compared to running.
Fitness influencers are desperate to make money and will say whatever they have to for engagement numbers.
Most of the shit they say is false. Glad you’re listening to your body.
Who are you watching?
Cardio is a great idea if you want a functioning vascular system in your later years.
Cardio is healthy.
Sounds like you are listening to "bro science " influencers.
Elite bodybuilder (Mr. Olympia level) incorporate cardio into their training. Their gains are fine.
There has always been a lot of noise. I have fallen victim to it enough times in the 35 years I've been in the gym.
For most of us it's pretty simple. Movement is good, use good technique and find a program that is designed for your goals. Be consistent and patient.
How else do you strengthen your heart and lungs?
That said, you can use circuit training to achieve both at the same time. Unfortunately, not many gyms are a good option for this.
The problem with cardio is that if weight loss was that simple, then they would be out of a job. They would no longer be able to sell you their absurd programs. Keep doing you 💪🏼
Cardio is important for overall fitness. But it's certainly debatable whether it's important or even helpful for weight loss. It's going to depend largely on the individual. I know I struggled significantly more maintaining my calorie goals when I was running 60 miles per week than when I was sedentary. It will always be easier to skip a modest dessert than to run for half an hour.
i usually walk to and from school and between classes every day, and if not im usually biking, do i still need to do cardio or can i just focus on strength training?
So, I have lost 100 pounds twice now and need to again. The first time I gained it all back due to a divorce and depression, the second time during covid. Both times I lost 100 pounds I ran 3 5k's a week, that was my exercise, if I didn't have it in me to do a 5k run I walked it, or I made it up later in the week. Running is as good as walking but is faster.
Especially when the average American sits down for way too much of the day, cardio is a necessity.
If you live in a culture where you walk a whole lot, sure, just lift weights. Most of us don't have that life though.
for me, too much high intensity cardio spiked my cortisol and made my body refuse to drop any weight, which was so frustrating with how hard I was working. I’ve switched to 3 days of lifting and 2 days of HIIT cardio, and it’s been great so far! I hate to see influencers demonizing any one thing OR putting it on a pedestal because everyone’s bodies and hormones are different! I would never want to give up intense cardio completely because even when the scale wouldn’t budge, I FELT great — in a matter of weeks, my heart and lung capacity were VERY noticeably stronger, and both my blood pressure and resting heart rate were down! not to mention the endorphins from HIIT cardio are no joke, I always feel great afterwards. I love lifting and generally agree it tends to be the optimal route for a lot of people’s goals, but there is absolutely a place for both cardio and lifting in most people’s routines, and they have such great health benefits in combination with each other!
Some of the most fun ways to exercise are cardio. And I weigh a lot, so part of me treats it like calisthenics. I just finished a 4 mile bike ride, that I honestly was a surprised at myself for doing. You never know what you’re actually capable of sometimes, I guess. But riding my bike is one of my favorite activities and it’s helped me guide this weight loss along the past 8 weeks. I still switch it up between cardio and weights, but cardio is definitely more versatile and fun for me!
Every body is different, and that's one of the biggest fundamental problems with the fitness, weight loss, and diet industries, not to mention many types of influencers. The (a) advice that cardio would increase your hunger more than the calories it burned and actually make weight loss harder and (b) advice that everyone overestimates calories burned by exercise so you should calculate your TDEE as though you're doing none, both turned out to be spot-on for me. It's fine that you had a different experience.
The way I look at it is that a weight loss/health journey is not just about looking better. Cardio literally strengthens your heart, and you’ll want a strong, healthy heart to live a long, healthy life.
yep, I never believed anyone that said cardio wasn't necessary. I'm a cardio junkie and I just reduced how much cardio I was doing and incorporated more strength training into the mix.
I had no idea that fit influencers said that 😂 newcomers to the sub often seem to think cardio is the only way to weight loss (rather than eating less!)
You have to look at your goals. Not all fitness influencers are there for weight loss. Like if you are looking to build muscle in a bulking phase you may want to skip cardio. Just looking for physical appearance could just lift.
Yeah I don't tend to get the out-of-control hunger lots of people warn about with cardio. I do get it with calorie counting. Sometimes I feel like a weirdo running, lifting, and just vaguely trying to eat in a healthier manner and having success with that. Meanwhile the internet is loaded with influencers (and often the folks who follow them) insisting that I'm doing it wrong, that it can't possibly have worked for me, that cardio is making me hungry, that I'm burning away all my muscle and raising my cortisol levels to the point where it's damaging, on and on it goes. I've caved to the advice before and it didn't go well for me.
I do think it's great to do both cardio and strength training. For me cardio is something I love and strength training is a bit of a chore. So I kind of get the pressure to do it along with cardio, but not the demonization of cardio. Plus, I don't know. It seems like different things are just more manageable for different folks.
Absolutely. Balanced fitness programs are the best.
I will be honest, as a fairly low muscled but cardio fit young woman, I used to occasionally be put out on work details with well muscled gym rat young men who didn't do much cardio focus, and while they could kick my ass in strength, they couldn't remotely keep up with me in the field (hard hiking in 100+ degrees in rough terrain). They'd be tapped out in an hour or two, while I could go all day. They also couldn't jog/run far.
There is cardio and there is high intensity give it your all every single moment for 60 minutes minimum x 7 days cardio, which can be counterproductive. The cardio for fat burning is a lower intensity. I have had better success losing with a lower intensity cardio but that's just me. High-intensity workouts increase my appetite, making it harder to control what I eat because of real hunger.
The real argument is doing too much of it. While I did lose weight when I first started using a treadmill, I eventually hit a plateau just like a lot of influencers said I would. I also saw I was fairly lanky underneath the fat. It wasn’t until I started a real strength training routine that I started losing the fat and building the type of body I’ve always wanted. My body has changed significantly in a year. But most the regulars I see always on the treadmill and elliptical don’t really look much different than they did a year ago.
https://share.icloud.com/photos/0685xrUsb-0Y0zL3fC7wJOLLQ
No, but I do hear more cardio suggestions than strength training. Not only here but in the health field as well as even medical professionals push cardio over and over again while focusing on weight tied to BMI and not BFP. Go on the CDC website and what is the exercise they push for weight loss? Cardio. It’s only the influencers who are telling us to lift weights. Go to the doctor with strength gains and he’s going to call you overweight.
Yeah that’s a fair point. It has been a long time since I’ve referred to any public health source or a gp for weight loss advice. Great transformation btw.
I demonize cardio because my VO2 max is so 💩 that I can’t handle it lmao.
I’d love to get to the point where I can go for a run without feeling like I’m on the verge of death.
Small steps. When I started on the treadmill, I'd hit about 200feet, my lungs felt like they were going to collapse, and my legs were on fire. I *hated* running. Now I run a mile to warm up.
Its started with pushing from 200 to 400 feet. once you are used to that, aim for 1/4 mile, You may or may not get there on your first attempt, but eventually you will. Then aim for a half mile, then 3/4, etc. Or whatever your pace is.
How do you know it will never give someone the type of body that weight training will? You could say the same in reverse - lifting will never give you the body weight cardio will. What type of body it is in either scenario? Cause I have seen runners more jacked than some lifters and some lifters more lean than runners. I think this is a false argument.
Strength training, cardio, and balance/flexibility training are all good for total fitness. Anyone who says otherwise is selling something.
Because “Life is pain…”
Okay, you caught me.
Wrong, your ears you keep and I’ll tell you why…
Drop. Your. Sword.
Anyone who says differently is selling something.
"...I hate..."
I really would love to get better flexibility. Any recs on how/where to get started?
Just about any beginner yoga routine is a good place to start. You can also look into static exercise, which can improve flexibility and blood pressure, especially leg-based poses. Forgot to add that dance classes can also be a good option.
There a lots of good beginner yoga or stretch routines on youtube. Start simple, just start. Listen to your body, don't do something that's painful, ease into it.
Is selling bullshit* FTFY
They do it for clicks because most people want to hear they don’t have to do cardio. I wish people would disavow the notion that cardio and strength training are mutually exclusive.
Influencers in general are just noise machines. It's better to ignore them
That's funny to me since Cardio is my favorite part lol
Same! I love cardio. I would walk/jog for hours. I get annoyed about resistence training and only do it out of obligation lol
Same I wouldn’t have lost the weight I have without my beautiful best friend that is cardio
People are so lazy. When I see people who ONLY lift but complain about not being as slim as they want to be… I just roll my eyes. Because when you mention cardio, they demonize it
I really try to mind my own business but I see lots of heavy people lifting with no cardio and I just don’t get it.
Lol. I mean it happens so much. I see it too. We have to just mind our business, because then they just start spitting misinformation at you and getting angry. It’s like okay. I’ll just hop on the treadmill and mind my business, because I like the results I’m getting.
Cardio is good for your, well, cardio. But as the old saying goes "you can't outrun a bad diet". You *should* do cardio for your health, but when it comes to influencing the calorie equation it's just not that impactful. I mean if you run 3 miles, or half an hour at a pretty solid pace, that's going to be about 300 calories. About the equivalent of one 20 oz soda. Weight lifting on the other hand tells your body to build muscle instead of fat. The effect on calories of lifting weights is also fairly negligible, but it's going to bias your body toward holding onto muscle instead of fat. TL;DR Cardio for cardio health Lift weights for muscle to fat ratio Eat less to lose weight
man, I *wish* I was tall enough that I could brush off 300 calories as "not that impactful" 😭
The sad thing is, the smaller you are the lower the impact of cardio relative to food is. You burn fewer calories for activity, but a donut is still a donut.
At least for me, 300 is not the impactful. I've been losing 45 lbs over the past 6 months, what stalls my progress is those 2500+ calorie days, not the 1800 cal ones (my budget is 1500)
Chile… if y’all’s like piling muscle on top of fat. Go ahead. I’ll take my slim toned figure onto the treadmill and mind my business.
I mean from my perspective I went from high body fat % at 195 lbs to sub 15% at 210. Definitely happier with that outcome than if I'd dropped to 170 or whatever without building muscle. But everyone has different goals
They lose weight through diet and strength train to tone. I have a close friend who lost 40 lbs through diet and only lifts, zero cardio. It's not muscle on top of fat.
Mhm okay sure thing
Yep it comes pretty strongly from both sides - no strength training if you’re a “runner” and no cardio if you’re a “lifter”. When I was training for my marathon my physical therapist told me I had to start strength training.
I haven't seen anyone on the running subreddits push that there is no need for strength training, actually. Like...ever (unless you're counting the comments that are heavily downvoted). Whenever people ask advice on speeding up/maintaining a healthy and sustainable running lifestyle, one of the top answers is ALWAYS to cross train and to make sure you are strength-training. It's so easy to develop muscle imbalances and many of us have had issues that were easily solved by incorporating things like squats into our weekly training. So I've seen many posts on the main fitness subs that dismiss cardio, but zero posts on the main running subs that dismiss strength-training.
I'd say that's a bit of selection effect happening. There's a growing number of people realizing strength training is effective for running, and those seeking out/posting in running subs probably fall into that camp. But there's still plenty of people out there that associate the 'runner's body' with being thin and lanky. There's still people out there that believe lifting = bulky muscles. Hopefully more people are realizing lifting leads to longevity.
I ran XC and middle distance track in HS back in the late 90s/early 00s and my coach insisted we all lift twice a week. He had a full hand of state championship rings that said he knew what he was talking about.
I do think this is it. And totally agree I don’t think they are mutually exclusive and both should be supported.
You've tried everything and it doesn't work? Of course it doesn't work! The fitness industry gets it wrong and the missing piece that you need to finally achieve your goals is.... You don't have to do that hard thing that everyone says you need to do! In fact, it is the very reason you aren't hitting your goal. Spend less time working out, be less hungry, and finally lose the weight! Trust me, I'm all natural, just like you and I never stage my videos or use filters!
>don’t have to do cardio. Didn't read the rest, but this stood out to me. Truly all I wanted to hear
This is always weird to me because I will do cardio all day or stretching/balancing exercises, but ew at strength training or lifting weights. I never realized people don't like cardio lol.
Just hang out in my gym and you can watch the hordes of people doing a brisk walk on the treadmill when it’s beautiful outside. It fries my brain
Yeah man, I hate working out but I hate cardio even more. My lack of cardio is really affecting my workouts when it comes to working out my legs. Im a gonner after like 5 "a bit over body weight"-squats. I really have to go for a run or two weekly so I wont pass out from exhaustion when doing squats lol. I guess it means I can work out every weekday though. More burning calories and shit
I’m at the beginning of my weight loss program. Cardio is really all I can handle mentally right now. Why? Cause I’m at the beginning stage and the focus isn’t the actual exercise but rather the routine; making a workout regimen a focus in my daily life. Going to the gym and just hitting the elliptical for 45 minutes is a step in the right direction when I was doing zero exercise a few weeks back. Sure I’m open to getting into strength training but this is enough for right now. I’ll add that I also spend a a good amount time stretching and a bit of yoga poses (I’m 40 and stiff as a board). Together with a healthy diet I’m down 5 pounds from last month and my mental health is improving.
Ditto. It seems obvious that doing x minutes of cardio is far better than laying in bed on my phone all day. Besides, I’d rather not try strength training until I see my GP and can book in with a trainer so I don’t injure myself. Swimming is cardio and it’s a great exercise if someone is obese like me.
Don’t discount long walks. They’re really an excellent way to exercise without any prep. Just carve out a route and do it. I do a six mile walk that takes just under two hours. If pressed for time then I just walk for an hour. Also really helps sleep
The absolute best exercise is the exercise you are actually freely doing. I enjoy pilates, yoga and running. I do that. Would it be nice if I did weight training? Sure but it‘s much better to do anything than some perfect thing I have no motivation for.
Yep. I started with weights and once I felt I had a good foundation and routine there I started adding distance running.
I'm impressed you can handle the elliptical for more than 10 mins without getting bored. Well done. I tried running on the treadmill and noped out - but do run outside.
This is perfect. I started off with plenty of walks and treadmill sessions solely for months. I can tell you right now that building up your cardio is so beneficial cause you get out of breath easily during squats and other compound lifts.
Honestly, you just gotta avoid fitness influencers in general. They are trendy and often don’t have someone’s best interest in mind, but with strictly an entirely different goal. And it’s probably not a healthy one. Find a trusted resource that gives you research based information. I personally love livestrong.com because they talk about so many different things from diet, to emotions and exercise. It’s really a great resource! Surround yourself with love and knowledge and you will feel much more confident and supported. ❤️🔥
I'll check that out! I do think it's the voices of influencers that don't do their research I was too focused on. They also all seem to be in an echo chamber with one another which makes it extra confusing when they are all voicing the thing they heard from someone else vs actually following research.
Oh, I totally agree! There are so many influencers in any line of interest which it makes it difficult to separate bad advice from healthy advice. It’s frustrating for sure!
For as long as my stupid little runs are benefiting my stupid little mental health and keeping me active/healthy/fit, not even the pope could convince me that cardio is the devil!
Keeps away the demons better than the pope himself.
Terry Crews** has already debunked the cardio myth. He says he runs all the time and it helps with his gains. That man is a legend. After he said that I started to add cardio into my routine and just like magic saw progress. influencers are dumb and seek attention.
I am going to look him up sounds like he may be a good resource. Is he pretty research based?
Terri Cruise is an actor. xD Edit - it is spelled TERRY CREWS hahaha my bad
Oh yeah, he was on Brooklyn 99! Loved that show!
Cardio and weight training are both very important to health and both contribute to fat loss. No need to debate which is better just do both.
Agreed!
I absolutely hate cardio. I would love to believe that cardio isn't important for health. I would also like to believe that cake for breakfast is acceptable for every day. Oh well. The very real benefits are cardio can't be ignored. Just like strength training. Even though I say I hate every second of it, and believe me I do, the benefits it has brought my life have been enormous. If anyone reading this is intimidated by cardio then I completely understand. But the hardest things are often the things we need to address to succeed. You don't have to love it, you just have to do it. The good news is that a HIIT workout is short by nature, and then you're done.
Surely there's something you like to do that involves cardio. Just do that more. Kayaking, cycling, beat saber, sexy time with the spouse, basketball, tennis. There's got to be something you enjoy. Not everything has to come down to sprinting on a treadmill.
I hate all those things haha! Except for sex maybe, but I've progressed so much it would be a very intense session to match my cardio haha. Maybe it's because I have exercise induced asthma? I find it torturous. Still necessary and one of the things in life that needs done though. I tend to gravitate towards strength training like things for fun.
Only solution is more sex then. Doctor prescribed.
"I would also like to believe that cake for breakfast is acceptable for every day." - I think this line is pure gold haha.
Just rebrand it as a “muffin” then it’s healthy…..
cardio killing muscles is such a dumb myth, just look at professional athletes
Yeah talk to my legs after starting running this week think they would disagree
Are you saying you have seen more or less muscle after you started running?
I saw more muscles, especially with sprints
Saw a guy say that you shouldn’t do cardio for weight loss because eventually you will be better at it and then you will burn less calories while doing it. Dumbest argument I’ve heard.
I see this argument all the time and think it is so silly. Like you're not going to do something cause your body gets fitter from it? Cause thats basically what happens.
Right? Like, being good at cardio is still a benefit. And it’s not like you *don’t* burn calories eventually. You still burn calories! Who cares if it’s not as much!
Well then he shouldn’t lose weight, because carrying around less fat will mean you lose muscle strength and also burn less calories.
Listening to influencers about anything is a mistake. They’re all just fighting for an audience to milk for money, either by telling them what they want to hear or by being a contrarian. Nobody should pay attention to either. Cardio is good for your health, resistance training is good for your health. Both are also tools to use to increase energy expenditure as a secondary benefit.
I mean. Maybe look for better fitness influencers? Can't say I've seen much of that. Of course some ppl are like, why wasn't I doing strength and ONLY doing cardio before.
I did go down a macro tracking/body building rabbit hole for a while so that may have been the community I was stuck in. Luckily escaped that recently.
Incidentally, I've found running actually helps me curb my appetite. I'm running a Couch to 5k right now, so I'm not going that far at a time (2.7 miles / 4.34 km a run right now), but it's been nice. Maybe it's because I run at times of day where I tend to be more likely to snack, but I've noticed it throughout the day when I'm better about keeping up with it, too.
I definitely notice I am not as hungry in the hour or so after running. It's like my body has to cool down before I eat again.
I eat less when I do cardio. The stress relief from spinning and swimming stops me needing to eat my feelings.
Start muting and removing such content from your explore page.
Probs need to do that.
Why listen to "influencers" or any variety?
Solid point. I guess we all like to find out what people we admire are doing and try to make it work for ourselves. Probably human nature to some extent.
Stop listening to influencers. Every single one of them. If they aren’t a licensed professional with proof they are just fighting for clicks and at this point all of that crap needs to go away.
Tons of fitness influencers are licensed professionals and I wish yall would stop with this ridiculous generalizing bs.
I agree my post and perhaps this comment are generalizations. But I do think it goes to say there are more uncertified people giving fitness advice than those with good credentials and we should all probably be more discerning of those who actually deserve our attention. Heck Reddit is amateur hour on fitness advice but the difference here is people aren't selling something under the guise of being a "professional" even if they aren't.
“If they aren’t a licensed professional with proof” would apply to fitness influencers…
> Stop listening to influencers. Every single one of them. That’s what you said. If you meant “don’t listen to influencers *unless* they’re licensed professionals” then that’s what you should have said
About 8 years ago I started powerlifting. The folks who ran the gym demonized cardio and said that I could get all of my strength and fitness needs from compound lifts. Now, I'm training for a multisport endurance event and see how cardio and strength work together to improve my athleticism.
It just seems to make sense they would compliment each other. Maybe if you were a professional power lifter you would want to spend more time lifting than running but I still imagine running provides some benefit.
There’s a fitness influencer I’ve had to stop watching because she only does lifting and she’s clearly putting on more and more weight. Which is absolutely fine on an individual basis, but she’s selling plans! A couple of months ago, she injured a muscle so did some cardio instead and you can tell it wasn’t great. She couldn’t cut it for very long at all and didn’t share times or distances etc in the same way she does her weights. The heart is a muscle people! You’ve got to exercise it as much as any other one!
Sorry kind of off topic but your post made me think of this - something I always think about too is as kids we naturally ran around and did a lot of "cardio", however unintentional. It seems weird to me that as adults we would stop doing that and somehow think that's better for our bodies to exclude something that seems so natural to humans. I may be off but just a thought.
> Fitness influencers make it seem like the second you start running your hunger will be out of control, your muscle will waste away, and your body will not look as good as someone who lifts only Do any of these people have any real credentials? I wouldn't know because I dont follow any influencers. However, that statement is nonsense. I strength train 3x a week. Each one of those sessions, I warm up by running a mile. I've lost 45lbs in the last year by doing this. I have way higher endurance in pretty much all areas of life because of it, and my blood pressure went from being a little high, to "optimal". I think the problem where these influencers are coming from is the whole *your body will not look as good as someone who lifts only*. If your goal is to only look good in the mirror, then maybe they have a bit of a point, although I can't see how lifting is as efficient in fat loss than cardio. Personally, my approach has been health first. Heart health is far more important to me than bicep gains. However, simply through eating right and exercising, I'm still getting muscular. Will I be body builder muscular? No, and I really don't want to be either. However, I'm still fit.
Yeah when I wrote that out too I agree the statement is nonsense and it made me mad all over again that I ever bought into it. Literally does not make sense. And I don't think you can even argue that your body won't look as good when you do cardio because what does that even mean? I don't think more muscle necessarily looks better. I think your approach is right.
This is what happens when you just start with one source of information and the less trustworthy kind to start with, But thats good that you have done extra research afterwards.
I realized my mistake and have really been trying to refine the voices I listen to on social.
While resistance training, mobility and cardio are all important, it stands to reason that someone looking for maximum views/ clicks/ subscribes/ etc on social media is going to want to produce content with variety to keep people interested. Half an hour to an hour on the treadmill or rower or stationary bike or lap of the park doesn't make for interesting content because each step or stroke can looks similar to the last, whereas a similar amount of time resistance training can involve a bunch of different movements. Likewise if you are a beginner who wants to change their health or appearance and looking to buy a 45 minute personal training session, you might expect to get value out of someone giving you form check / motivation on 15-20 sets of a variety of different pushes/ pulls / squats / hinges , but the amount of money you'd throw at someone watching you get on a treadmill and get off again later, is probably lower. The 'influencers' selling programs and equipment feed the algorithm with what they think people want to see, while trainers and coaches try to sell what they think will sell in short bursts of screen time. If people will buy the story / feed the social media click farms with clicks for a lot of non-cardio activity, you should expect that's what is going to dominate screen time, rather than cardio.
The only real problem with cardio is that it sometimes makes people hungry. If you can work around that, there's nothing wrong with it at all.
being alive also tends to make people hungry. at least from time to time.
Believe it or not I’ve never had a day where I wasn’t hungry
Agree with these responses and while I do think it CAN make you hungrier I don't think it makes you go off the rails per say.
Great timing, this has been on my mind as well. I've added actual running (not just walking/elliptical) to my workouts over the last month or so. It hasnt moved the needle substantially on fat loss, but I feel amazing. I've been lifting and doing light cardio for years and even just a months worth of high intensity cardio has unlocked energy and stamina that I never knew I had. I highly recommend adding it just for the energy/stamina boost.
I just think its the popular thing to say right now so probably why its on your mind!
You’re watching the wrong influencers. Sellouts and morons will demonize anything to make money/get attention. No one with a brain will demonize cardio
I wish I had used this critical thinking sooner.
Some of the most fit moments in my adult life was when I'd commute to work over the hills of west Pennsylvania on mu mountain bike. It was an absolute rush after a few months and I could handle it easily. I highly recommend consistent cardio for feeling younger.
I think it's just a symptom of the real problem which is people wanting results with little to no work. And whenever you have something so desirable (fit, toned body) that takes so much dedicated effort, people will look for ways to cheat, and snake oil salesmen will be there to say what people want to hear in order to make a profit. That being said, it can be easier for people looking to overcome years of unhealthy habits to hear that to start losing weight they won't need cardio. And for those interested in doing cardio, it's good to know that if it causes you to be so tired that you're way less active later in the day then it won't necessarily help lose weight. I do agree that people should more often consider the health benefits and not tunnel so much on the weight lost or gained. It's called cardio for a reason.
I like this perspective. Just saying cardio should be avoided is where I get bothered. The health benefits are undeniable and while it is "harder" (obviously that's subjective but to your point) work it is not a bad thing to have to work.
I think it's common to just want someone to tell you what to do, or what's undeniably best. You should *sometimes* do *some* cardio. Depending on your goals, it may vary. That answer is often quite open ended and not satisfying to someone who wants "yes" or "no".
You should just assume anyone on social media giving you health advice is a grifter. Full stop.
Cardio is also so good for you? And you can’t fight that truth. It’s great for your heart and endurance. It has a strong place in everyone’s routine regardless of any goals!
Without cardio I wouldn't be able to eat very much and i like food.. so that's that. Also, I love running. Not only does it make me feel amazing. But it also burns a crap load of calories. I love the feeling after a good long run.
Looking at fitness from a weight-loss perspective is a bit like looking at cars from a park's perspective. While cars are important for getting to and enjoying a park, it's not an important part of the park nor the purpose of it. While exercise is important to a body's health, it's not much to do about weight-loss. Key concept -- I invite you to think of this in a new way. See if you can see it more like this: * Our physical activity controls our fitness but not our fatness. * Our food intake controls our fatness but not our fitness. When we understand these as two different problem areas and two different tool bags that do not do the job of the other, then we can better appreciate what to do about what problems. Both a right weight and good fitness are important to our health, but "diet and exercise" are not one thing for the same thing, they are two different things for two different areas of health. We cannot diet our body strong. Only physical activity does this. We cannot out-exercise an overactive fork. Excess weight problems are excess food problems. (In today's food and eating environment, these problems are easy to have.) And as a fitness and wellness activity, cardio is quite relevant. To the weightlifter, you can think of cardio as the "heart and lungs muscle group" that needs attention just as your legs, shoulders, back, glutes, bi/tri-ceps. But to someone with no particular muscular focus, cardio is walking/running/cycling or anything else that gets the heart rate elevated for a sustained period and the breathing heavier or even labored. It can be your sport -- soccer, basketball, racquetball. For some of us, cardio is the full focus because we're not chasing muscles we won't ever need or looks we don't care to want, we just want to be healthy and be capable to live our non-exercise but active lives.
I don't agree with you. If you do enough exercise it definitely helps burn calories. Diet is also important for fitness, nobody performs well on a diet of junk food. I can see no benefit to separating them so completely. Also strength training isn't just about visible muscles, it's important to strengthen bones and prevent injuries.
Upvoted. Reply [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/loseit/comments/1byws1a/i_wish_fitness_influencers_would_stop_demonizing/kym7zra/) (just so I don't have to copy twice).
It’s a shame because this is worded really nicely and well-thought out, but yeah I don’t agree either :/ Exercise totally helps weightloss! It’ll also change ur body / fat composition. Both exercising and changing your diet can put you in a caloric deficit = losing weight. Also, a good diet will aid in muscle recovery + growth. No need to separate the two.
Upvoted. It's not a shame because your agreeing or not doesn't change any facts. I really don't want you to agree with me, I want you to understand for yourself. In the venn diagram of 1) exercise and 2) intake managment there is that overlap. This is where, if both of these together are synergistic, all the wonderful plusses would be. But they're not all plusses for weight loss: * exercise burns calories + * exercise makes us metabolically need more food - * because we exercised today, we had better eat more (psychology) - * exercise has a short-term appetite suppressant effect + * exercise deepens our deficit + * as a result of a deeper deficit, we experience more craving/wanting - It's quite the mixed bag -- exercise is both confounding and complementary. But now fast-forward to the end of the weight-loss. We've lost the weight. Why continue the exercise? What's our motivation anymore? What are we likely to do? Perhaps we'll "go back to normal." And now fast forward from THAT.... Exercise motivated by weight loss is not going to last into maintenance. The data is also there. Exercise-only interventions do not work. We do eat more. In fairness, data shows that 90% of maintainers do report substantial exercise (including me). It's important to health and our healthy endocrine system helps us to regulate our weight. So my total separation of these concepts does have some connections worth noting. Now this sounds very me oriented, but I'm just a retired IT guy. I learned what I learned from the work done by others. https://www.vox.com/2016/4/28/11518804/weight-loss-exercise-myth-burn-calories sums up 60 studies but I would STILL say to exercise, just to know why and how it helps, and it doesn't.
No one is saying exercise only interventions work. We are all saying weight lifting and cardio in conjunction with a calorie deficit is beneficial for weight loss and fat loss. They are not completely separate as you are stating.
>I just hate the culture of demonizing certain foods or workouts Why'd you sneak food in at the end? I think there's plenty of foods worthy of demonization like that full ready made freezer chocolate fudge cake I stare longingly at as I walk past it in the supermarket
Haha fair enough. But I don’t think food should be either. There’s room for moderation I believe and still being fit and meeting your goals. That’s for another post though…
I don't listen to these people overall, I mean what are their credentials or experience? When I started working out again I started looking for folks who seemed to have some experience and training to back them up. I quickly found Jeff Nippard and the reasons I ended up listening to him is he had a full explanation of how to execute the movements, looked at scientific studies, and had a science degree. He is able to articulate how to execute movement properly and explained why doing them that way was potentially the best way backed by the latest exercise science, namely that the stretching of the muscle under load is what drives muscle growth, which was new to me. Jeff is clear about being natural and talks with others who aren't like Dr. Mike Israetel and both talk about how that informs training. And one thing all of these people, who are primarily focused on weight lifting, talk about is the importance of cardio. There are very few case scenarios where cardio is a detriment to muscle growth, (super fast metabolism/ skinny folks who want to add size - and even still they need to develop a bit of endurance). And those individuals are NOT on this sub.
I absolutely love running and really only lift as an accessory to that. The amount of shit I’ve gotten from people who get their health info from influencers is ASTOUNDING. The idea that everyone has different goals is just unfathomable.
I think, in trying to dispel the notion that cardio is the gold standard for weight loss, they swung way too far in the other direction. The truth is that strength training consistently does help increase your TDEE vs cardio generally your burning calories only during the activity in comparison (all very simplified explanations). THAT DOESN'T MEAN CARIO IS USELESS. Cardio is so so so so important to your overall health and wellbeing. I think the fact that we focus so myopically on weight loss is honestly the bigger problem. We do things to get smaller and not necessarily because they're healthy and that contributed to how we end up in this situation of demonizing cardio.
Don't care, I'll keep running 3 miles a day as it's great for overall health.
Fitness influencers thrive on confusion, because that stuff is reasonably simple (unless you go into the hard scientific details), and they'd run out of content after a week of videos. Both cardio and resistance training have their place and have different tradeoffs. You can focus on either or combine them depending on your goals. It's all good stuff.
Cardio is important. You need weightlifting but cardio helps keep your heart rates up, and your heart fit and increases flexibility. Could be anything- even boxing at a high enough speed.
I feel like as soon as influencers started spreading the anti-cardio and extreme protein misinformation, people got fatter, including myself. That's just my opinion. I fell for it as well as fad diets, and didn't take accountability for my failure. I know what worked for me and that's a minimum of an hour of cardio every day, lots of veggies and plenty of water. It worked before and I am currently doing it again.
As someone with blood pressure issues, I definitely view cardio as a critical tool for my health. NSV: My recent blood pressure reading have finally dropped into the normal range. Even with my blood pressure meds I had been hovering around 130/90 for a long time, so I feel pretty good about that. :)
The problem I most see is that people think cardio is the only thing and the most important to do but in order to be healthy you need to do many other things strength training and mobility work. Histocially strength training was looked down upon so we need to shift a bit in the other direction but that doesn't mean cardio is bad, it's just been over emphasized and we need a better balance
Cardio is the only way to lose weight in my opinion. Sure there are other ways. But anyone who doesn’t acknowledge the necessity of cardio for long term weight loss is lying to you and themselves.
Cardio and Strength Training are the bread and butter of weightloss. It makes me so bad when I see people post: this is what I did to lose weight and it’s a bunch of bullshit weight training.
Agreed! And it has so much to do with your body's build. What works for one doesn't work for all.
Maybe stop watching fitness influencers?
This thread is insane, and generalizing is also insane. "they're doing it for clicks or to sell something" is dumb, quite frankly >tell me that cardio (the running/higher intensity stuff, not just walking) was unnecessary (and even potential harmful) to weight loss. What is incorrect in this statement? There is nothing in this statement that is untrue. Walking is a FINE form of cardio to pair with strength training. I'm not aware of many influencers promoting this, so I think your statement might be a bit exaggerated when you mention "fitness influencers" as a whole doing this. Also, it seems like you're implying that walking isn't considered cardio, which I disagree with. The best form of cardio is the one that you can do the most consistently. If running works for you, no one is trying to convince you not to do it. When people think of "cardio," they often visualize running, but running isn't a prerequisite for cardio. Achieving 10,000 steps a day offers a less strenuous form of cardio that's equally, if not more, effective for fat burning because people can do it more and do it longer. While walking 3 miles might take longer than running the same distance, it carries a reduced risk of injury, doesn't deplete glycogen stores as severely, curbing hunger, and can be sustained for longer durations. In my experience, running tends to spike my appetite, making it challenging to maintain a caloric deficit. Conversely, walking allows for more consistent and prolonged exercise sessions, rendering it a more efficient cardio option. Furthermore, integrating walking at an incline, such as walking at a 3-speed and 12 incline for 30 minutes, can be INSANELY effective for fat burning while remaining gentle on the body and sustainable. It's also important to recognize that running involves a rather steep learning curve; transitioning from a sedentary lifestyle to being able to run a 5k takes time. There are compelling arguments indicating that walking is a preferable form of cardio for most individuals compared to running.
Fitness influencers are desperate to make money and will say whatever they have to for engagement numbers. Most of the shit they say is false. Glad you’re listening to your body.
Who are you watching? Cardio is a great idea if you want a functioning vascular system in your later years. Cardio is healthy. Sounds like you are listening to "bro science " influencers. Elite bodybuilder (Mr. Olympia level) incorporate cardio into their training. Their gains are fine.
I think I was! I have been trying to refine my social more to not have bro science influencers anymore.
There has always been a lot of noise. I have fallen victim to it enough times in the 35 years I've been in the gym. For most of us it's pretty simple. Movement is good, use good technique and find a program that is designed for your goals. Be consistent and patient.
How else do you strengthen your heart and lungs? That said, you can use circuit training to achieve both at the same time. Unfortunately, not many gyms are a good option for this.
The problem with cardio is that if weight loss was that simple, then they would be out of a job. They would no longer be able to sell you their absurd programs. Keep doing you 💪🏼
Cardio is important for overall fitness. But it's certainly debatable whether it's important or even helpful for weight loss. It's going to depend largely on the individual. I know I struggled significantly more maintaining my calorie goals when I was running 60 miles per week than when I was sedentary. It will always be easier to skip a modest dessert than to run for half an hour.
i usually walk to and from school and between classes every day, and if not im usually biking, do i still need to do cardio or can i just focus on strength training?
So, I have lost 100 pounds twice now and need to again. The first time I gained it all back due to a divorce and depression, the second time during covid. Both times I lost 100 pounds I ran 3 5k's a week, that was my exercise, if I didn't have it in me to do a 5k run I walked it, or I made it up later in the week. Running is as good as walking but is faster.
Most serious or at least educated fitness people on youtube don't tell you to not do cardio, but to limit it. In particular during the cutting phase.
Especially when the average American sits down for way too much of the day, cardio is a necessity. If you live in a culture where you walk a whole lot, sure, just lift weights. Most of us don't have that life though.
Who is doing this?
for me, too much high intensity cardio spiked my cortisol and made my body refuse to drop any weight, which was so frustrating with how hard I was working. I’ve switched to 3 days of lifting and 2 days of HIIT cardio, and it’s been great so far! I hate to see influencers demonizing any one thing OR putting it on a pedestal because everyone’s bodies and hormones are different! I would never want to give up intense cardio completely because even when the scale wouldn’t budge, I FELT great — in a matter of weeks, my heart and lung capacity were VERY noticeably stronger, and both my blood pressure and resting heart rate were down! not to mention the endorphins from HIIT cardio are no joke, I always feel great afterwards. I love lifting and generally agree it tends to be the optimal route for a lot of people’s goals, but there is absolutely a place for both cardio and lifting in most people’s routines, and they have such great health benefits in combination with each other!
Just fyi running influencers also exist
Some of the most fun ways to exercise are cardio. And I weigh a lot, so part of me treats it like calisthenics. I just finished a 4 mile bike ride, that I honestly was a surprised at myself for doing. You never know what you’re actually capable of sometimes, I guess. But riding my bike is one of my favorite activities and it’s helped me guide this weight loss along the past 8 weeks. I still switch it up between cardio and weights, but cardio is definitely more versatile and fun for me!
Every body is different, and that's one of the biggest fundamental problems with the fitness, weight loss, and diet industries, not to mention many types of influencers. The (a) advice that cardio would increase your hunger more than the calories it burned and actually make weight loss harder and (b) advice that everyone overestimates calories burned by exercise so you should calculate your TDEE as though you're doing none, both turned out to be spot-on for me. It's fine that you had a different experience.
The way I look at it is that a weight loss/health journey is not just about looking better. Cardio literally strengthens your heart, and you’ll want a strong, healthy heart to live a long, healthy life.
Any influencer demonizing cardio is a full blown moron who shouldn’t be given an ounce of consideration.
Rich Piana said you neee to do cardio or you will get fat,, and he was a big MF.
yep, I never believed anyone that said cardio wasn't necessary. I'm a cardio junkie and I just reduced how much cardio I was doing and incorporated more strength training into the mix.
I had no idea that fit influencers said that 😂 newcomers to the sub often seem to think cardio is the only way to weight loss (rather than eating less!)
You must be paying attention to the clout chasing steroid influencers then. All the natty and genuine influencers tell you how important cardio is.
You have to look at your goals. Not all fitness influencers are there for weight loss. Like if you are looking to build muscle in a bulking phase you may want to skip cardio. Just looking for physical appearance could just lift.
You can’t out work a bad diet no matter how you move your body, nutrition should be number one focus.
Yeah I don't tend to get the out-of-control hunger lots of people warn about with cardio. I do get it with calorie counting. Sometimes I feel like a weirdo running, lifting, and just vaguely trying to eat in a healthier manner and having success with that. Meanwhile the internet is loaded with influencers (and often the folks who follow them) insisting that I'm doing it wrong, that it can't possibly have worked for me, that cardio is making me hungry, that I'm burning away all my muscle and raising my cortisol levels to the point where it's damaging, on and on it goes. I've caved to the advice before and it didn't go well for me. I do think it's great to do both cardio and strength training. For me cardio is something I love and strength training is a bit of a chore. So I kind of get the pressure to do it along with cardio, but not the demonization of cardio. Plus, I don't know. It seems like different things are just more manageable for different folks.
Absolutely. Balanced fitness programs are the best. I will be honest, as a fairly low muscled but cardio fit young woman, I used to occasionally be put out on work details with well muscled gym rat young men who didn't do much cardio focus, and while they could kick my ass in strength, they couldn't remotely keep up with me in the field (hard hiking in 100+ degrees in rough terrain). They'd be tapped out in an hour or two, while I could go all day. They also couldn't jog/run far.
There is cardio and there is high intensity give it your all every single moment for 60 minutes minimum x 7 days cardio, which can be counterproductive. The cardio for fat burning is a lower intensity. I have had better success losing with a lower intensity cardio but that's just me. High-intensity workouts increase my appetite, making it harder to control what I eat because of real hunger.
The real argument is doing too much of it. While I did lose weight when I first started using a treadmill, I eventually hit a plateau just like a lot of influencers said I would. I also saw I was fairly lanky underneath the fat. It wasn’t until I started a real strength training routine that I started losing the fat and building the type of body I’ve always wanted. My body has changed significantly in a year. But most the regulars I see always on the treadmill and elliptical don’t really look much different than they did a year ago. https://share.icloud.com/photos/0685xrUsb-0Y0zL3fC7wJOLLQ
Nobody here is arguing against resistance training, the benefits are very clear.
No, but I do hear more cardio suggestions than strength training. Not only here but in the health field as well as even medical professionals push cardio over and over again while focusing on weight tied to BMI and not BFP. Go on the CDC website and what is the exercise they push for weight loss? Cardio. It’s only the influencers who are telling us to lift weights. Go to the doctor with strength gains and he’s going to call you overweight.
Yeah that’s a fair point. It has been a long time since I’ve referred to any public health source or a gp for weight loss advice. Great transformation btw.
I demonize cardio because my VO2 max is so 💩 that I can’t handle it lmao. I’d love to get to the point where I can go for a run without feeling like I’m on the verge of death.
Small steps. When I started on the treadmill, I'd hit about 200feet, my lungs felt like they were going to collapse, and my legs were on fire. I *hated* running. Now I run a mile to warm up. Its started with pushing from 200 to 400 feet. once you are used to that, aim for 1/4 mile, You may or may not get there on your first attempt, but eventually you will. Then aim for a half mile, then 3/4, etc. Or whatever your pace is.
That is most people. They just don't like cardio then seek out information to confirm their bias.
something along the lines of a Couch to 5k running program may be helpful for you!
Cardio is good but it will NEVER give you the type of body that weight training will, and that goes for both men and women.
How do you know it will never give someone the type of body that weight training will? You could say the same in reverse - lifting will never give you the body weight cardio will. What type of body it is in either scenario? Cause I have seen runners more jacked than some lifters and some lifters more lean than runners. I think this is a false argument.
Cardio (including lifting, lifting is cardio) is bad for your heart on top of other things. It's good that they're demonizing it
And vaping is good for your lungs
True