Does cardio actually help you lose weight?

[Anonymous]

I'm 5'4" and 150lbs (so just slightly overweight). I've been running for a few weeks now trying to train for a 5k, although I've been going very slowly this time because I got overuse injuries on both my knees shortly after I started initially. So I'm not worried that I haven't seen any weight loss yet. If it matters, I walk/run for about 30 minutes, 2-3 times a week - running as long as I can and only walking until I catch my breath.

I recently decided to go to the gym in between running days to cross-train - and also because I want to strength train my upper body. I discovered this machine called the arc trainer, which is something like a cross between an elliptical and a stair climber. Easy on the joints but burns lots of calories (around 700 an hour). I'm in love with it.

Anyway, what do you guys think? If I run 2-3 times a week, and use the arc trainer another 2-3 times a week (I only used it for 15 mins, which burned 170 calories, and then did arm exercises afterwards), can I expect results and if so, how soon? And if not, how should I modify my workouts?

If it matters, almost all of my extra weight is in my stomach and thighs. My hips aren't too bad.

Also, I've been using My Fitness Pal to help count calories, but it only allows me 1270 calories a day. Is that enough? I have a hard time sticking to it. I am prone to low blood sugar, so I can't really go hours without eating between meals.

[ak666]

I'm far from a fitness expert but I was one of those who kind of stayed trim and had a decent enough amount of bulk throughout my lifetime. It has a lot of married guys my age questioning, "WTF do you do?" And I'm like, "I dunno, lifting beer mugs, typing really fast?" (I did vert skateboarding all my life, maybe that was the primary contributor).

Anyway, to me I'd suggest when you run, run like the wind. You are being chased by a tiger, run as fast as possible until your lungs feel like they're going to explode. Then jog lightly and slow down to a walk to catch your breath, then do it again. Enjoy the pain.

And when you go to the gym, go big and heavy. Don't go for this kind of sissy arc trainer thing. Do the dead lifts, squats, bench presses, lat pulldowns, pull-ups, chin-ups, build power. Blast through some walls. You are an amazon, as deadly as your male counterparts. Destroy the world. Enjoy the pain.

When you are at home, do push-ups with every tight of grip from narrow (more arms) to wide (more chest). Try inclined push-ups with the aid of a chair. If your muscles don't feel like jello with no strength left whatsoever, it's time to train again. Do various types of crunches until you gasp and are unable to do a single additional rep. Carve that body. Enjoy the pain.

Anyway, if you do that for a while, I think you should be pretty good.

[akadatank44]

Couple things.

1. Weight loss is 80% diet. Track everything you put in your mouth. How much if a deficit did you use when you started my fitnesspal? When you excercise do you track that as well. You may want to eat more on the days you do hiit.

2. If you want a runners body thats finem but if you want lean muscle mass your not only gonna loos fat but lean muscle as well. I recommend you start lifting. It also helps with osteoporosis later in life which a lot of women get.

3. Are you wearing a heart rate monitor when you workout? I highly recommend one. Get into your zone when you run you wanna make sure you are pushing yourself. Running to the doughnut shop eating a one and running back ain't gonna do it lol

4. Its going to take time. Rome was not built in a day. You have to realize that. If you do start to lift. Stay off the scale. Measure yourself with tape. Waist, biceps, thighs whatever you want but that will be a better tool because a lot of time when you start a new excercise program you'll gain weight. And then your like fuck I gained 2 pounds I'll give up. Measure yourself. Try on old clothes that where snug before now may become loose.

[Mydnite]

Couple of general things about weight/fat loss. That is GREAT that you are doing all the exercising, but you have to realize that exercise is only about 1/4 of what will have you drop weight, while diet makes up the rest of it. It's really all about counting calories and burning them off and the deficit is what's gonna make the pounds come off.

As far as fat loss goes, you can't dictate what part of the body is gonna lose the fat, it doesn't matter if you do nothing but crunches all day, you will not lose your belly fat, you will just build up ab muscle underneath it that will only display once the fat is lost, and the best exercise style to do that is cardio, so it sounds like you're good to go with the arc trainer, it's just a matter of counting calories and getting a deficit.

[Xfitchick]

Cardio helps indeed (it must be low intensity) but you must do it for a minimum of 30 min (better is 1 hour) to start a good fat burning cycle. 1270 cal a day is very low, certainly if you are active. Main thing is that your intake is lower than your consumption. But fat burning is a slow process, so take your time. Also do not focuss on weight loss, but on a healthy fat/muscle ratio. You may burn fat, but gain muscle so your weight loss may be minimal, but you will look more toned.

[Xfitchick]

thanks

[dogbert444]

Losing weight is a calorie counting exercise. Sad, but true.

Cals ingested is more than burnt = weight gain.

Cals ingested is less than burnt = weight loss.

Big secret is a change in eating habits, like chosing wholewheat pasta instead of regular. Low fat products are esential. Avoid large quantities of fruit juice, which is full of fructose.

1270 cals is not enough. Three meals a day and don't skip any. It's a huge subject that I've spent 24 weeks learning. Result: lost about 30-35lbs in 18 months. Nice thing is, it's sustainable, whereas most fad diets aren't!

[JohnDoe3000]

Cardio helps lose weight, assuming you haven't been eating/drinking more calories than before. Dieting makes you lose weight much more quickly, although with exercise you also develop muscles so you're losing more fat than the scale would suggest.

[meatballs21]

I rode my bike at least 50km every weekend for a whole summer. I ate healthy lunches and dinners most days.

I went from 193lbs to 173lbs over the course of that summer.

[brewersfan01]

of course. cardio burns callories, so if you have a caloric defficit in your diet, and then you burn extra callories through cardio or physical activity, you will loose weight.

[Prettyapathetic]

Yes with a good diet