Stories about cutting back on cardio and losing weight

[Anonymous]

Hi! Would love to hear stories about cutting back on cardio and losing weight. I have a fairly vigorous workout schedule - 5-6 days per week (3 days strength training/running; 3 days swimming) but I’m not at the weight I’d like to be. I’ve recently been injured and am going to need to take a break from running.

Any stories on folks who have cut back on cardio but still made progress on weight?

[Anonymous]

I used to do cardio only but not as regularly as you. So I would lose weight, but when I stopped doing cardio it would come back in the form of fat. The only thing that has stopped this cycle is adding weight training. My trainer told me to limit cardio to warming up only. I was skeptical but it worked. I put on muscle and lost fat just by working out differently.

[Anonymous]

I had to take a six or eight week break a few years ago after a surgery, and I was worried about gaining weight. I was able to walk, so that helped, but I didn't do any other exercise during the recovery period. I cut back on what I was eating, which I think was easier than expected because I wasn't working out so I wasn't as hungry. Good luck! It will be fine.

[Anonymous]

You just have to make sure your diet is on point and cut the carbs back.

Cardio may result in some weight loss, but it doesn't really have a large effect on *fat* loss. For that you need to be eating in a calorie deficit and building strength. Focus on eating right and trying to any other form of exercise you can tolerate even if its just walking or stationary bike or some light yoga. Just need to keep up the movement.

[Anonymous]

I used to only do cardio and HIIT. I started weight lifting. I have built a lot of muscle. Muscle increases your BMR. I have lost about 20 pounds. I do intense cardio only once or twice a week now. I do walk on a walking pad during my work day to keep up movement but it is in zone 1 or at most zone 2, so I don’t count it as cardio.

[Anonymous]

I've weight trained for the last 28 years. Weight training alone makes it very difficult to cut and lose weight unless you are insanely strict about your macros and dietary intake. It is true that body builders will bulk and cut and do very little cardio, but they still do cardio and have to cut a ton of cals. When they aren't competing they turn into bloated beefcakes.

You don't need to go nuts with cardio, but you need it. I only got insanely shredded after adding in regular cardio on top of a serious weight training program. I would do a 5k everyday under 24 minutes in the morning. After work I'd go lift very heavy for about 75 minutes. Saturday and Sunday were fun days for exercise and would go do something like a bike ride or swimming.

The whole time having a pretty clean diet, no snacking, and no booze

[Anonymous]

I do cardio because it makes me feel good, but I've actually found that my appetite is much easier to handle when I'm not working out as much. There have been times where I've been more busy and just don't have time to workout but notice I lose weight because I'm just not hungry.

[Anonymous]

Cardio can increase appetite for some people. So when you cut back you should eat less because you won't be as hungry.

Not if you cut back and don't watch your diet you could gain weight. Really depend on they type of person you are- early maintain weight or gain weight easily.

[Anonymous]

I am a recovering cardio addict, but I have really tried to change my mindset to do 1/2 cardio, 1/2 weights these days. I personally think I look better than I ever did when I was doing an hour+ of cardio a day. Hardest for me is not hitting calorie targets on days I primarily lift weights, but I usually add in some walking for extra movement. I usually only spend 30-45 minutes working out each day now.

[Anonymous]

I do a mixture of cardio and strength training, and typically work out 5 days a week. When I hit a weight loss plateau, what often works is for me to cut out the cardio for a week. In fact that just happened. No weight loss for two weeks, then I dropped two days of cardio last week. Today I am down 3.5 pounds.

[Anonymous]

I don’t run at all and I’ve lost about 7 pounds in the last 8 weeks. Just adjust your calorie intake.

[Anonymous]

If you cut exercise you have to adjust diet.

No cardio, start intermittent fasting (skip breakfast).

[Anonymous]

There are a lot of folks who say that weight loss happens in the kitchen, not the gym. If cardio tends to make you hungrier, this could work out well for you.

Personally, I'm good at exercise but not good at dieting, so I have to keep up the exercise. But your results may vary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've weight trained for the last 28 years. Weight training alone makes it very difficult to cut and lose weight unless you are insanely strict about your macros and dietary intake. It is true that body builders will bulk and cut and do very little cardio, but they still do cardio and have to cut a ton of cals. When they aren't competing they turn into bloated beefcakes.

You don't need to go nuts with cardio, but you need it. I only got insanely shredded after adding in regular cardio on top of a serious weight training program. I would do a 5k everyday under 24 minutes in the morning. After work I'd go lift very heavy for about 75 minutes. Saturday and Sunday were fun days for exercise and would go do something like a bike ride or swimming.

The whole time having a pretty clean diet, no snacking, and no booze

NP are you a man or woman though? This matters.

[Anonymous]

Keep up weight training and doing some stretching or yoga or Pilates for mobility. If you watch your intake you should be fine and still be able to lose - cardio drives hunger in most people and typically leads to higher caloric intake, whereas weight training doesn’t so much and the muscle mass gain increases the resting metabolic rate.

Stay well, hydrate!