Looking for consistant advise on this one. If there is such a thing.
I am 170lbs. Recently lost 25 lbs. I have muscle under this layer of fat. I am despirately trying to get to it.
I was recently told by a couple of trainers in my gym that see me all time that I am doing too much cardio. I do 45min as a minimum and 60min as my goal 5 days a week in addition to my weight workout. (I just stopped my extra class in the eves M,W,F) (also now doing cardio AFTER my weights instead of before…can’t get in very first thing in am)
It was suggested that I do only 30 min. with only 1-2 days a week of 45min. My Cardio is always High Intensity. My average HR is 165 with bursts up to 180. I am 40. I am not new at this.
I have read alot about slow cardio…HIT…etc…low intensity says I should have a HR around 120 for 60min. I would be reading a mag. (like the other fools at the gym that get nowhere). If I am not sweating It can’t be working.
Also I believe as far a HR goes the more fit you are the less you can use your HR as a guide. Because they give % of HR for cardio and that would not be near enough for me.
SO I find it confusing. I know I have recently made progress…so you would think I should stick with that but I was killing myself and I don’t think I can keep that up. I was starting to get overtraing symptoms especially with my added pm workouts.
I know diet is key. I have seriously uped the protein. Staying away from bread, pasta…occ. brown rice 1/2 cup maybe 2-3 times a week. Lots of veggies, water, and chicken/tuna.
I take a fat burner, MVI, BCAA’s, creatine, and CLA.
Any advise would be greatly appreciated.
OH and most of my FAT (not that is matters) Is in my lower body (BAD BAD thighs)
i don’t know too much about cardio but it sounds like you are probably doing too much. Take a look in the physique clinic threads. There is a lot of info about losing weight. They seem to be recommending more low intensity cardio when on a restricted calorie diet. I would try longer duration but just at as a brisk walk.
perhaps mix it up. you’ll really only need to incorporate high intensity 20 mins twice a week, 30-45 mins low intensity the rest of the time but really get after it with the weights to help burn more cals
Brant…Thank You so much for those links very good info. Appreciate it.
Daneq, thank you for your suggestion. I did just started trying som 20min HIT last week…Hope it works much easier than what I have been doing.
Thanx again
Yea, your doing to much. Cardio has the element of diminishing returns. The more you do the less effective the additional work becomes. The more efficient a machine your body becomes, the less fuel it needs to do the job. This is great if you are into endurance sports, it sucks if you want to lose fat. I drop it to no more than 2 to 3 30 minute sessions a week.
Waterbury had some great information about training for fat loss in his last article. If his explanation is correct (which it usually is) his method will be far more effective than balls to the walls cardio.
How tall are you? If you are 6 foot plus, 170 is skinny as fuck and you should absolutely not try to lose any more weight. If you are under 5’8" you might have some descent muscle mass under there, but remember it’s just as important to maintain lean body mass as it is to lose fat.
And since diet is the key, how long have you been on a calorie restricted diet? Diet follows the same principle of diminishing returns. The longer you cut, the less the percent age of weight lost is fat. The longer you bulk, the less the percentage of weight gained is muscle.
So if you’ve been eating below maintenance for more than 3 or 4 months, maybe you should ease back into eating maintenance or slightly above for a month or 2. Your metabolism will go back to normal, and you’ll probably put on some muscle that will help with future weight loss. And, after you lose the weight, you will look better nekkid, which is the whole point.
If you want to run, that’s great, but I would keep it to 2 or 3 hours a week tops.
How anyone can do moderate intensity cardio for 45 minutes after a strenuous lifting session is beyond me (maybe for an Olympic or power lifter practicing technique).
Or do you mean later in the day?
Sounds like you need to keep ensuring your diet is spot on, put more effort into the lifting and less time doing cardio to me.
I also agree strongly with the diminishing returns, although usually that is more of an issue as you approach 10%BF and below.
I do high intensity steady state cardio on the elliptical machine for 30 minutes with more than 180 beats per minute. However, I can’t match that intensity for that long in biking and jogging. I suggest you give the elliptical machine a shot. It can really push your heart new heights. It also burns more calories faster.
What type of resistance workout do you perform? IMO, you should be working out 3-4x week with the weights. Preferably with a TBT format, emphasizing almost all compound movements to stimulate your metabolism. I’d reduce the cardio to 30-45 min, mod intensity 2-3x/week, and HIIT 2x/week. Your diet probably needs attention as well. Might be too low in calories, coupled with overtraining causing your metabolic “protective” mechanisms to kick in, elevatinig cortisol, et al, and depressing your overall metabolic rate.
From your post it would seem that you want to loose more weight to get to your muscle which means look cut. I am an avid cyclist and do quite a bit of weight training also. Currently you are putting your body in a catabolic state and destroying muscle.
Do you know your bodyfat %?
This is really key to accomplish your goal. I do over 20 hours a week even before race season starts but I have a diet that actually puts on weight now. My bodyfat is 13% currently and I am 177 lbs, come race season I will get to 170 and single digit bodyfat %.
It is a myth that cardio only burns fat/muscle. A previous post is correct that if doing endurance riding your body will learn to use fat as fuel but there are many other types of training such as power training which can tun your legs into tree trunks…trust me.
In your case I would look close at bodyfat % and if I am loosing weight but bodyfat is staying constant…your are destroying muscle.
Sorry,
Everyone has such great comments and advise and I am just now getting to this post.
Lets see if I can answer all the above.
The first that comes to mind is I am no 6’0 I wish…I am only 5’4. Hence the weight problem.
I do weights daily…I just started a split routine as I was doing my entire body 3 times a week with the crazy cardio. I do chest and arms, back and shoulder, and legs.
I cut my cardio back to 45 min. I do one HIT day of 20minutes and NO cardio on leg day…praise the LORD!
My fat% is 35% its all in my thighs!
I recently started the anabolic diet…have to be right back…
sorry, I am at work.
Anyhow I started the anabolic diet I am on day 5. I feel great! I think it is the increase in cals. But I do feel fat!
But I am going to give it at least 4 weeks I measured and weighed.