Cardio Bad for Fat Loss and Your Health?
I know that since I am a personal trainer some of my ideas about exercising for fat loss and health seem strange, backwards or down right wrong. People thought Columbus and Newton were crazy too. In 5-10 years this will be common knowledge, you’ll see.
You and I are inundated everyday with advice on how to eat right and workout correctly for whatever goal you are trying to accomplish. Don’t take this advice because it just might kill you.
Eat lots of complex carbs (ex. bread, pasta, etc.) and small amounts of protein and fat. Yeah sure if you want to be fat, get diabetes and die young from heart disease.
Lifting big weights will make you big. Only if you are genetically inclined to do so. For the rest of you, lifting big weights will help you lose fat, get toned and strengthen you bones. Who doesn’t want strong bones? Or a toned tight body for that matter?
If you want to get healthy and lose weight do long, steady, boring cardio and lots of it. This recommendation has been proven time and time again to be down right wrong and possibly even bad for your health. But still this is exactly what 90% of the population believes will work.
Let me explain.
Way back in 1968 Kenneth Cooper, MD wrote a little book called Aerobics. In this book Dr. Cooper claims that the more exercise (i.e. cardio) one does the better. This launched a fitness revolution. All of a sudden it was the gospel of millions that hours and hours of cardio were the key to longevity, vitality and a fitter physique.
If this was correct then why were all these athletes suffering from shriveled muscle tone, strange illnesses (Lance Armstrong Syndrome) and scrambled hormones? And why were cardio fanatics dying in their 50’s?
After doing some more research Dr. Cooper discovered that more in not better and could be worse. He now recommends no more than 30 minutes of cardio, 4 day a week. And this is coming from Mr Aerobics himself. But of course nobody knows of this.
But even the above recommendation can be too much. There is a point of diminished returns.
Also, it has been shown that our bodies aren’t even designed for that kind of punishment. Take note that the first person ever to run a marathon dropped dead shortly afterwards.
Here are some of the reasons why you should avoid long, steady state cardio:
1.) Cardio can damage your cells. A German study found that too much cardio can lead to DNA damage in cells. This in turn can lead to premature aging, cancer and organ failure.
Keep it in the orange. Avoid long steady state cardio.
2.) Cardio can cause major havoc to normal body processes. It has also been shown in studies that too much cardio can cause declines in testosterone (no ladies that is not a good thing), increases in cortisol (a muscle wasting hormone), hemolysis (destruction of red blood cells) and amenorrhea (failure to menstruate).
Hemolysis: don’t let it happen to you.
3.) Cardio can lead to illness. Too much cardio puts a strain on your immune system. This in turn makes it harder for you to fight of viruses. Running a marathon significantly raises your risk of coming down with pneumonia. I have had pneumonia. During the summer even. No fun.
Pneumonia. Takes your breath away.
4.) Cardio can lead to major diseases. The above mentioned and other hormonal in balances caused by too much cadrio can lead to odd diseases. Lance Armstong – Testicular Cancer. Steve Scott – Testicular Cancer. Scott Hamilton – Cystic Fibrosis. John Walker – Parkinson’s. Marty Liquori – Lymphatic Cancer. ’Nuff Said.
If he knew, would he still think it worth it. Make a donation.
5.) Cardio can severely decrease muscle tone. Too much cardio and not enough resistance training can lead to a wasting away of muscle tone. Muscle tone is very important to keep your body and you strong and healthy. Less muscle = lower metabolism = more fat. Also, I don’t believe that the emaciated runner look is in this year (and I don’t believe next year looks good either).
This is the body of a famous endurance athlete. Is this what you are looking for?
6.) Cardio leads to overuse injuries. Whenever you do a motion repeatedly you are bound to eventually suffer an overuse injury. And considering that long bout of cardio have you repeating the same motion thousands upon thousands of times, you do the math.
It’s called runner’s knee for a reason.
7.) Most people do cardio wrong. Most people do their long, slow, boring cardio at a moderately hard pace. This pace is too easy to cause improvement and too hard to recover from before the next bout of cardio. This pace has also been shown to actually decrease performance and has been dubbed “The Black Hole” by Stephen Seiler, PhD. If it is so bad why do so many people go at that pace. Because it is the best way to get the endorphins flowing. Endorphins = good feelings = more moderately hard cardio = addiction = (see 1-6 above). It’s like crack people and remember what Whitney said “Crack is Whack.”
Endorphins magnified 10,000x. If seeing that doesn’t get you to stop, I don’t know what will.
But if cardio is bad for you how to you get to benefits without the risks.
Two words; Interval Training. Interval training done for 20 minutes, just 1 to 3 times a week has been shown to be better than long steady state cardio for over all healthy and fat loss.
Questions? Comments? Think I am crazy and should be thrown in a padded cell? Let me know below. Leave a comment. If you don’t I will sick The Captain on you.
Your friend and trainer,
Paul
Posted by Paul | in Fitness, Weight Loss Strategies, Workouts | 12 Comments
BUT…it should also be noted that….no where….at no time….no one who has ever run a marathon in under three hours has EVER died of a heart attack…..no one…ever!!! VERNON
Actually that is not entirely true there Vernon. It actually does happen. Usually within a week following the over exertion, er I mean marathon. Look it up.
Hi paul. Im a personal trainer and i use intervals with all my fat loss clients. just wondering what ur views are on the other side of the black hole ie powerwalking for 40 mins and also your thought on fasted low intensity cardio. naturally i use both these methods in conjunction with resistance training. cheers, Del
Hi Del,
I don’t really recommend fasted anything for 2 reasons. 1. the possibility of passing out and 2. With little to no energy in your system you won’t really be able to give it your all.
As for low intensity cardio, I think it takes way too long for the results you get. Also, I have read numerous studies that show it can have absolutely NO effect on fat loss.
So except if the person had some sort of medical reason, I would always recommend intervals over low intensity anything.
Does that help?
Paul
Sorry, what a load of b.s. Paul.
Cardio if any is great for your respiratory system. It increases VO2 max, strengthens bones and joints, keeps the skin looking great and is a great way to keep fit.
When you say long steady state cardio, are you talking more than 40 mins or 60 mins? Generally, people do cardio for no less than 15 mins and no longer than 30 mins. For people doing, over 30 mins, yes that is a little drastic, but perhaps that is what they are training for. I think you need to be a little more specific next time, and perhaps add a few benefits instead of being so sinister throughout the examples in your article.
Cheers.
Hi Haley,
Sorry you didn’t like my article.
Where do you get your info?
I study this stuff and from what I have seen; long steady state cardio (LSSC) may increase vo2 max (intervals do), LSSC damages joints and bones (lift weights if you want to actually strengthen them), LSSC has BEEN SHOWN in numerous scientific studies to damage skin cells and cause premature aging and cardio is only one very small aspect of fitness (you only need to be able to run a mile to a mile and a half and if it take you longer than 12 minutes you fail).
Also, I was specific. The title says: Cardio Bad for Fatloss and Health.
And, if cardio is so great for you, why are so many cardio fanatics a mess physically?
hey paul,
I run for less than thirty minutes but I try to do high intensity and improve my 3 mile time everytime I run. How would this affect my body and lifting routine? I lift heavy when I can a standard 3 sets of 10-12 just under my max.
Hi Jaron,
Before I can answer your question I need to know what goals you are trying to achieve with your program.
I had a long explanation of why this article is terrible typed out, but it got deleted, so I’ll just say this instead.
No links to your sources for the “research” to back your claims, you ignorantly blame Lance Armstrong’s testicular cancer on his extensive cardio (this actually offended me with, to put it bluntly, how ignorant you are), and overall there is no good advice except the “interval training” part, with one caveat: you are already in shape, an athlete or need that kind of training!
Oh yeah, and the tone sounds very unprofessional. Especially with the “‘Nuff said.”
Feel free to e-mail me with any links to support your claims or if you want to discuss why you’re wrong.
Hi Jack,
Journal and research articles don’t have links you can access.
I am not that great with writing my resources and this article is too old for me to remember where I got the info.
Next time I will remember to add them in for you.
I did not ignorantly blame anything lots of M.D.’s claim that Lance’s cancer was caused by his excessive cycling. And that excessive cycling can lead to cancer.
I don’t make this stuff up for ha ha’s I am seriously trying to help people.
I know what works with my clients and I only recommend what I do to keep everyone fit and healthy.
And if you don’t like it, stop reading my site. Go somewhere where they share your opinions since you seem to think if someone says otherwise they are wrong. Why don’t you start your own blog. You seem to have have enough time on your hands if you can write such lengthy comment to tell others why you think they are wrong.
Also, anyone that knows me is laughing at your athlete comment. I use to be very fat and out of shape. And I hate sports. All the info I give in my blog is exactly what WILL help others who are serious about losing fat and getting healthier finally reach their goals. Instead of staying fat and out-of-shape trying to follow mainstream misinformation.
Just because something is common knowledge doesn’t make it correct.
P.S. You need a hug.
Thank you for sharing excellent information. Your web-site is so cool. I’m impressed by the details that you have on this website. It reveals how nicely you perceive this subject. Bookmarked this web page, will come back for more articles. You, my pal, ROCK! I found just the information I already searched everywhere and simply could not come across. What a great web-site.