Every time I go to the gym, I see the same crowd of overweight people grinding away in their spin classes and treadmill, StairMaster, and elliptical sessions.
Every day they’re there, sweating on the same machines–probably reserved and named by now–and they’re just as fat as they ever were. Some are even fatter than when they started.
After all this time do they really think anything is going to change or am I witnessing some twisted kind of Stockholm Syndrome between fleshy slaves and mechanical lords?
Jokes aside, the truth is these people are just following decades of bad exercise advice centered around long hours of cardio, which has produced millions of overtrained, overweight, underfit people addicted to burning calories instead of getting fit.
Now, you might be thinking I’m staunchly anti-cardio. I’m not. I do cardio regularly and as you’ll see, it has its benefits and uses.
When done properly, cardio can improve your health, help you lose fat faster, and even help you build muscle. But when done improperly, it can do the opposite: impair health, fail to help you lose weight, and negatively impact body composition.
So, in this podcast we’re going to break down how much cardio you should do, how to get the most bang for your (sweaty) buck, and how much cardio is too much and why.
Let’s start with how to determine if you should be doing cardio at all and if so, how much you should be doing.
Oh and if you like this episode want to be notified when new episodes go live, then head on over to iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube, Soundcloud, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or Google Play and subscribe.
Lastly, if you want to support the show, please drop a quick review of it over on iTunes. It really helps!
Time Stamps
4:55 – How much cardio should you do?
7:21 – Does cardio help you lose weight?
14:06 – How can you lose weight with cardio?
21:03 – How does cardio affect muscle building?
24:15 – Should you do cardio or weights first?
Mentioned on the Show:
The Easiest Cardio Workout You Can Do (That Actually Works)
Should You Do Cardio or Weightlifting First? What 20 Studies Say
What did you think of this episode? Have anything else to share? Let me know in the comments below!
+ Scientific References
- American College of Sports Medicine Position Stand. The Recommended Quantity and Quality of Exercise for Developing and Maintaining Cardiorespiratory and Muscular Fitness, and Flexibility in Healthy Adults - PubMed. (n.d.). Retrieved July 9, 2020, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9624661/
- Gergley, J. C. (2009). Comparison of two lower-body modes of endurance training on lower-body strength development while concurrently training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 23(3), 979–987. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181a0629d
- Stephen H Boutcher 1. (n.d.). High-intensity Intermittent Exercise and Fat Loss - PubMed. Retrieved July 9, 2020, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21113312/
- Trapp, E. G., Chisholm, D. J., Freund, J., & Boutcher, S. H. (2008). The effects of high-intensity intermittent exercise training on fat loss and fasting insulin levels of young women. International Journal of Obesity, 32(4), 684–691. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803781
- MacPherson, R. E. K., Hazell, T. J., Olver, T. D., Paterson, D. H., & Lemon, P. W. R. (2011). Run sprint interval training improves aerobic performance but not maximal cardiac output. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 43(1), 115–122. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181e5eacd
- Trapp, E. G., Chisholm, D. J., Freund, J., & Boutcher, S. H. (2008). The effects of high-intensity intermittent exercise training on fat loss and fasting insulin levels of young women. International Journal of Obesity, 32(4), 684–691. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0803781
- Treuth, M. S., Hunter, G. R., & Williams, M. (1996). Effects of exercise intensity on 24-h energy expenditure and substrate oxidation. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 28(9), 1138–1143. https://doi.org/10.1097/00005768-199609000-00009
- Tremblay, A., Simoneau, J. A., & Bouchard, C. (1994). Impact of exercise intensity on body fatness and skeletal muscle metabolism. Metabolism, 43(7), 814–818. https://doi.org/10.1016/0026-0495(94)90259-3
- Willis, L. H., Slentz, C. A., Bateman, L. A., Shields, A. T., Piner, L. W., Bales, C. W., Houmard, J. A., & Kraus, W. E. (2012). Effects of aerobic and/or resistance training on body mass and fat mass in overweight or obese adults. Journal of Applied Physiology, 113(12), 1831–1837. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.01370.2011
- Thomas, D. M., Bouchard, C., Church, T., Slentz, C., Kraus, W. E., Redman, L. M., Martin, C. K., Silva, A. M., Vossen, M., Westerterp, K., & Heymsfield, S. B. (2012). Why do individuals not lose more weight from an exercise intervention at a defined dose? an energy balance analysis. Obesity Reviews, 13(10), 835–847. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-789X.2012.01012.x
- Melanson, E. L., Keadle, S. K., Donnelly, J. E., Braun, B., & King, N. A. (2013). Resistance to exercise-induced weight loss: Compensatory behavioral adaptations. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 45(8), 1600–1609. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e31828ba942
- Sawyer, B. J., Bhammar, D. M., Angadi, S. S., Ryan, D. M., Ryder, J. R., Sussman, E. J., Bertmann, F. M. W., & Gaesser, G. A. (2015). Predictors of fat mass changes in response to aerobic exercise training in women. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 29(2), 297–304. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000000726
- Paffenbarger, R. S., Hyde, R., Wing, A. L., & Hsieh, C. C. (1986). Physical Activity, All-Cause Mortality, and Longevity of College Alumni. New England Journal of Medicine, 314(10), 605–613. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM198603063141003
- Quinn, T. J., Sprague, H. A., van Huss, W. D., & Olson, H. W. (1990). Caloric expenditure, life status, and disease in former male athletes and non-athletes. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 22(6), 742–746. https://doi.org/10.1249/00005768-199012000-00002
- Duca, L., Da Ponte, A., Cozzi, M., Carbone, A., Pomati, M., Nava, I., Cappellini, M. D., & Fiorelli, G. (2006). Changes in erythropoiesis, iron metabolism and oxidative stress after half-marathon. Internal and Emergency Medicine, 1(1), 30–34. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02934717
- Bos, D., Ikram, M. A., Elias-Smale, S. E., Krestin, G. P., Hofman, A., Witteman, J. C. M., Van Der Lugt, A., & Vernooij, M. W. (2011). Calcification in major vessel beds relates to vascular brain disease. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, 31(10), 2331–2337. https://doi.org/10.1161/ATVBAHA.111.232728
- Lluís Mont 1, David Tamborero, Roberto Elosua, Irma Molina, Blanca Coll-Vinent, Marta Sitges, Bárbara Vidal, Andrea Scalise, Alejandro Tejeira, Antonio Berruezo, Josep Brugada, G. (Grup I. de R. en F. A. I. (n.d.). Physical Activity, Height, and Left Atrial Size Are Independent Risk Factors for Lone Atrial Fibrillation in Middle-Aged Healthy Individuals - PubMed. Retrieved July 9, 2020, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18178694/
- Sposato, L. A., & Saposnik, G. (2013). Stroke rates vary substantially across cohorts of patients with atrial fi brillation Implications for practice. Europace, 6(9), 5–8. https://doi.org/10.1093/europace