Why Would One Even Want To Do Cardio?

A friend of mine asked me the following today:

"If it is all about calorie in, calorie out then why not just lower calories the same amount that you would burn by doing the cardio and therefore not have to do the cardio?"

I have to admit I was embarrassed not to know the scientific answer why.

One could also as: if it is all about calorie out, calorie in, then why not just eat all the carbs and fat that you want as long as you eat less calories that you burn?

But this answer has to do with macronutrients and there effect on the body (ie - insulin spike, nitrogen balance, etc) and how that effects the weight that will be chosen to burn

So what is the answer? does it matter?

If you start to take in a lot lower cals you're going to be losing muscle. You need to take in a higher amount of protein cals to keep your muscle and then do cardio to burn cals from fat.

Also, EVERYONE should do cardio for a healthy heart.

Diet has been shown to produce the greatest amount of weight loss over the short tem, but over the long term studies show that there is no significant difference. One also has to consider which method is easier to maintain...a strict diet or a good workout regimen

A couple of points though:

1) Your body needs nutrition
2) Exercise is good for more than just losing weight

Why not do both?

I'm obviously no expert. I'm sure there are compelling arguments on both sides.

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Originally Posted by StoneGRMI

If you start to take in a lot lower cals you're going to be losing muscle. You need to take in a higher amount of protein cals to keep your muscle and then do cardio to burn cals from fat.

Also, EVERYONE should do cardio for a healthy heart.

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To your first point, while it is true it doesnt really answer the question. You can have two situations:

A) Eat 1500 calories/day. 250gms protein
B) Eat 2000 calories/day. Burn 500 w/cardio. 250gms protein.

Does A or B burn more fat...why?

To your second point, I agree

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Originally Posted by co2boi

Diet has been shown to produce the greatest amount of weight loss over the short tem, but over the long term studies show that there is no significant difference. One also has to consider which method is easier to maintain...a strict diet or a good workout regimen

A couple of points though:

1) Your body needs nutrition
2) Exercise is good for more than just losing weight

Why not do both?

I'm obviously no expert. I'm sure there are compelling arguments on both sides.

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Right, there are definitely more benefits to doing both, but im trying to find if one will create a greater fat loss and the science behind it.

I def agree with you completely on the importance to both...so many benefits its pointless to pragmatically argue about it but I am just wanting to know a little science.

Thanks

When you keep your heartrate in the correct level during cardio, your body will burn primarly stored fat during its duration. IMO, as a result, you burn fat in a controlled way. This will allow you to have more room for flexibility or error in you caloric intake.

cardio has more benefits that just fat burning

your heart and lungs are a great reason to do cardio...

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Originally Posted by ImaGetBigger

cardio has more benefits that just fat burning

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Right, but im isolating the fat loss as the result to be looked at.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ImaGetBigger

cardio has more benefits that just fat burning

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exactly....one LARGE reason i do cardio is purely for my endurance for lifting

you don't HAVE to do cardio to lose weight, it will make it a faster process but if you're utilizing a HIT routine, that's basically like a cardio session

cardio will also increase your metabolism i believe in this situation:

A) Eat 1500 calories/day. 250gms protein
B) Eat 2000 calories/day. Burn 500 w/cardio. 250gms protein.
for me i do B when i have time but time is a luxury

I belive CARDIO revs up your matabolism and make macro's work better for you. your body's fire is burning hotter and use's the energy more efficintly and dosent pass the extra as easly. it speeds up every thing you body does! (a guy doing cardio eats and it gets into his system way faster than the guy thats not doing anything)

I don’t do cardio I admit... I just seem to believe that the days off should be days off... cardio is using the muscle that you trained yesterday as well, right?

I found this article today on fat loss and muscle maintenance. It's very comprehensive. I wish I would have found it long ago.

http://www.baye.com/articles/getting_lean.php

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Originally Posted by BWhitaker

To your first point, while it is true it doesnt really answer the question. You can have two situations:

A) Eat 1500 calories/day. 250gms protein
B) Eat 2000 calories/day. Burn 500 w/cardio. 250gms protein.

Does A or B burn more fat...why?

To your second point, I agree

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I would really like to no about this, why cant u just do (A) wouldnt u burn more off and still keep the same amount of muscle if u eat enough protien than (B)? Even though (A) would be much more painful on the stomach, Or is it all to do with how much muscle your body has and that u need to eat a good low amount of carbs to keep you at maintenance?

Yeah cardio will burn more calories because it raises your metabolism the entire day... and as was mentioned before, you can take those 500 calories in question and eat them, your body uses them for muscle building and then burns 500 calories from fat, whereas if you just didn't eat them, it wouldn't be as efficient.