CARDIO V WEIGHTS debate….. That endless debate!
Lot of info so hope this makes sense. My take is this >>>>
Weight training and correct nutrition should be the foundation of every fat loss program.
Cardio should only be used as a trump card.
What do I mean by this?
**You should try to lose fat/weight whilst eating the greatest amount of calories you possibly can.**
This of course means still being in a calorie deficit but ….. NOT TOO LOW.
Example:
A person needs 2000 calories a day but only eating 1000 “because they want to lose weight”.
They’re also using cardio because they feel that gives them the best workout.
Imagine they plateau ……. How can they get out of the plateau?
They have nowhere to turn.
By cutting MORE calories?
By doing MORE cardio?
Complete recipe for disaster >>> going to 500 cals? Two hours of running instead of one?
= Shutting the body’s metabolism down due to lack of muscle and next to nothing calories.
>> Starvation Mode.
Imagine the flip side:
Someone needs 2000 calories a day and is weight training.
They’re eating 2000 calories, the most they can, while still losing weight. Then they plateau …… What can they do?
Use cardio as their trump card.
Add an extra session of cardio in at the weekend to burn off some extra calories whilst STILL eating and preserving muscle with their weight training.
I hope I’ve made sense (it does in my head)?
So I reinforce my first point: Weight Training and good nutrition MUST be the foundation of every fat loss program.
I think the confusion in society lies in this:
People get tired, sweaty, out of breath, red-faced when they do cardio.
They feel this is more effective than weight training which works the muscles but doesn’t seem as intense.
They did cardio before and the scales dropped dramatically.
Couldn’t this be that muscle was burned from cardio so the scales are lighter? Muscle is dense and heavy right?
So they were lighter BUT their metabolism was much slower as a result. And it goes back on eventually.
Most likely.
You must’ve heard me say that we are trying to forge a new way that breaks from the fitness industry (which is failing people) because it focuses largely on weight.
We focus on inches and how you’re feeling. I think these are most important on the list.
But our heads get bombarded with “weight, weight, weight” “You MUST be X weight to be happy”. etc. BALONEY!
Don’t me wrong, I love the feeling of cardio, especially the body weight stuff we do.
It definitely has it’s place. It helps me deal with stress, keeps my training fresh when needed, improves the heart and lungs.
But the preservation of lean muscle and eating well is the real secret to changing you body!
So, as I always say, do you very best to gradually lift heavier weights on the BIG exercises we do (safely).
It sends a CLEAR message to your body:
“This person keeps performing this, You need to adapt and adapt quickly to deal with it.”
Your body changes?
Last point: If you are losing inches, eating better, feeling great, sleeping better, more confidence etc but don’t have the rapid weight loss you had before ….. CELEBRATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You’re doing it properly.
Hope that adds value!
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