A conversation about cardio

Recently I had a conversation with a friend while running. She was complaining to me about how sore her arms were after going to the gym for the first time in a long time. She said all treadmills were full so she decided to do some pull ups and push ups as a warm up, which then led to her doing a few reps of bicep curls.

I am amazed at how many fellow runners share that same disdain for strength training. Especially women. When I asked her what she did for preventing muscle imbalances, she frowned shaking her head she said she only cared about cardio workouts and running due to her desire to lose weight.

You can lose fat fast and forever without waking up at 5am to run, without exercising 6x/week, without feeling hungry all the time or cutting your favorite foods forever, and without expensive supplements.

You only need 3 things to lose fat: strength training, healthy nutrition & cardio.

Did you know some cardio machines over estimate the number of calories burned by up to 31% ? (Reported in Mens Health, Feb 2009) One research study found that when men and women did 6 hours of cardio every week for one year, they only lost 6 pounds total. (Reference:Obesity 15:1496-1512, 2007. Exercise Effect on Weight and Body Fat in Menand Women. Anne McTiernan*) When some people start a cardio program, they end up eating more, and may even gain weight because of this. (Reference: International Journal of Obesity 32: 177-184, 2008)

Strength training increases cardiovascular fitness, strengthens joints & bones, builds muscle, improves flexibility… and it also helps fat loss. More strength equals more muscle. Strength training builds muscle and prevents muscle loss so you don’t get skinny & fat in other places. Strength training prevents your metabolic rate from going down when you may not eat right because of an unforeseen event. This means more fat loss. Exercising positively influences your eating habits. You’ll stick to your healthy eating better if you do strength training, losing more fat.

You’ll get the best results doing a free weight routine of compound exercises. Free weights incorporate the stabilizing muscles that enable you to perform the movements you choose to make, and may be more effective in producing overall muscular strength. Free weight exercises tend to more closely match the movement patterns you're likely to need for specific sports.

Eat whole, unprocessed foods 90% of the time. Whole foods come as close as possible to their natural state: without added sugars, fats, sauces. Buy raw foods and cook them yourself. Protein is necessary to build, repair, and maintain muscle. Protein also satiates your hunger and has the highest thermic effect. Eat a whole protein source but make it lean. Veggies & fruits are usually low in calories, high in fiber, contain water and have tons of vitamins & minerals.

Fat doesn’t make you fat, bad nutrition & lack of exercise do. Healthy fats help fat loss. They satiate and slow down digestion. Drinking water is essential. Thirst can make you think you’re hungry. Avoid soda, alcohol and watch the sugar content in your fruit juice. Drink 2 cups water with each meal and sip water during your workout.
Eat Less Starchy Carbs. Eat Whole Carbs Only. Whole carbs promote fat loss and take longer to digest. Avoid white carbs. Brown rice, whole grain pasta, whole grain bread, oats, quinoa, spelt, and barley are examples of healthy whole carbs.

Frequent meals prevent hunger by keeping your blood sugar stable. Frequent smaller meals also decrease your stomach size over time, which means you’ll feel full sooner.

The downside to excessive cardio workouts is that it burns muscle along with the fat, and if you are not careful a lot more muscle than fat. Never do cardio only. Add cardio to speed up the fat loss you get from strength training & healthy nutrition.
Moderate Intensity. 60-70% of your max heart rate. Breathing heavier than at rest, not gasping. Your goal is fat loss, not exhaustion. If you can't keep a conversation, you are going too fast.
Bicycles/stationary bikes & rowing machines are great examples for cross trainers.

I love to run, it's a necessity for my existence. Unfortunately, it's not the sole solution to all our fitness needs.