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Can I do too much cardio?

Old 07-27-2011, 08:34 AM
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Default Can I do too much cardio?

Hello, I'm a 19 year old male. I recently went from 340 pounds to 289 pounds as of this morning. The drop has been since March, though primarily it's been since May. I started exercising using a fitness bike, and I could hardly do a mile per day.

Now on medium tension I do 14 miles a day. I would like to eventually bump this up to 20. I also would like to start running. Even though I've lost a lot of weight and I've been dieting, I'm still impatient and want faster results.

So my question is, is more cardio unhealthy? Is it a good idea? etc. Altogether I say I do about.. 70 minutes of cardio a day, currently. Sometimes closer to 60 if I work faster.

A second question is, I lift weights (10 lb and 25 lb dumbells) and when I lift the 10s outward from my body (to my sides, both arms at the same time, and i stop a little above my shoulder, I don't know what it's called), it seems like it's not getting easier despite doing it for a good month now. I do 3 sets of 12. Any tips?
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Old 07-27-2011, 08:51 AM
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Welcome to FitDay!

It is possible to over train with anything. The main thing is not to get burnt out or injured.

I personally wouldn't do cardio everyday. As far as "is more cardio unhealthy?", if you have a crazy heart rate or something, it can be deadly depending on your intensity.

The exercise that you are doing with the dumbbells is for shoulders. You can make should defined but it's hard to make them very strong. The 10's would probably last you for quite some time, and you'll probably never need any where near the 25's for that evercise. There are many only exercises that you can use the 25's on so don't just let them collect dust!
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Old 07-27-2011, 09:06 AM
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If you are working out for X minutes and still losing weight keep doing that, but when you plateau you will have to switch it up and work out for X minutes + X more minutes... if that makes sense? About an hour to an hour and a half is a good time frame, I don't know many people that want to spend two plus hours on cardio alone.

As for shoulders (I think you're talking about lateral raises?) it takes time... if you can do the sets without having to rest you need to up the weight, if you need 30-1minute of rest in between sets then keep at it. You need a challenge when lifting, that being said good form and light weight is always better then bad form and heavy weight... keep pushing yourself and you'll get use to it. Try switching it up and doing some upright barbell rows, shoulder fly's, and incline presses for a few weeks and go back to the lateral raises to see improvements.

I know sometimes I get stuck doing one exercise for a few weeks and try and base my improvement off of that one exercise, but I just end up getting so familiar with that exercise it becomes easy and I'm not really "improving" even though it feels that way. I like to switch it up each week and then go back and see if I can lift more

Last edited by Urbanmule; 07-27-2011 at 09:10 AM.
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Old 07-27-2011, 09:43 AM
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Are you having to struggle to get the 12th rep? If not I would try the 25's for one or two reps then drop back down to the 10's till you hit failure (the goal here is to be in the 8 rep range). Optimally 4-6 reps build muscle mass, 8-10 for strength, and 12+ for endurance. Another option (without buying more dumbells) is to strap on some 2 pound ankle weights around your wrists so you can increase your resistance without jumping all the way to the 25's.
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Old 07-27-2011, 09:53 AM
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Thanks everybody. I just am really impatient and I feel like if I run in addition to biking I'll lose weight faster.

As for the lifting, my regiment is usually *tens* 12 hammer curls (12 each arm, 1 right arm 1 left arm 2 right arm, so on), 12 of the shoulder exercises (both arms at the same time). I take about a 30 second break, usually end up texting haha, then I do it again a total of 3 times for each exercise. I then do the same thing I did with hammer curls with bicep curls and instead of the shoulder exercise, i left the from myshoulders to above my head (done with both arms like the shoulder exercises). This is also done 3 times each. Then I try to do 3 sets of bicep curls with my 25s.
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Old 08-10-2011, 09:43 PM
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Hi Acdcslipnot

As long as you've got no heart/joint issues flaring up more cardio won't hurt you as such, especially the bike, running mmmm...

One problem with cardio is that it can really ramp up your hunger (does me anyway)as it uses different energy stores to muscle building and you can loose muscle mass with it too. Loosing muscle mass means loosing a calorie burner

My advice would be to change your weights. If you can get to a gym (preferably old school) you want to ditch the isolation exercises (lateral raises/curls etc.) and do big compound exercises squat/deadlift/bench press/bent over row/shoulder press/front pulldowns. Just a couple of sets, a weight that allows 8-10reps to near failure (can just finish your last rep). These exercises use all the big muscles of the body, build muscle and burn fat better by both building muscle and muscle needing more energy to 'exist' Just once or twice a week.

If you're at home, bodyweight/hindu squats, push ups, elephant walks, short fast walking/sprints intervals up stairs or a hill. You're looking for intensity of work out not duration.

Hope this helps.

Kev
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Old 08-11-2011, 02:38 AM
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Thumbs up I wouldn't run.....

I recently read that as an efficient way to burn fat is to do your cardio in the morning before eating because there is nothing else to burn but fat.

What I started to do is 3 times per week my cardio is walking up 7 flights of stairs 15 times.

FYI cardio should be when your heart rate is in the fat burning mode.

Running is killer on your body, it is much better to walk, and basically, you burn the same amount of calories.

If you are able to join a gym, it would be a great idea to start going and lifting weights, because in addition to burning fat, you want to build and maintain whatever muscle that you have now.

You may not see the muscle yet because there is fat on top of it, but it is there, and you need it.

Look at Mike's pics, especially the final pic, he looks great and hopefully in another 6 to 9 months you will start looking the same, keep up the good work.
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Old 08-12-2011, 09:24 AM
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Originally Posted by jackdup
FYI cardio should be when your heart rate is in the fat burning mode.

Running is killer on your body, it is much better to walk, and basically, you burn the same amount of calories.
Prove that please?

Last edited by Urbanmule; 08-12-2011 at 09:28 AM.
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Old 08-23-2011, 10:58 AM
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@urbanmule

It's actually true that walking and running for equal distance will burn equal amounts of fat. When you're walking (as in exercise, not strolling or window shopping), you don't need fast energy and the body preferentially burns fat. When you run, the body uses more sugar and less fat. The net result on fat loss is nearly identical.

However, running is much better for cardio than walking is. That's a given. It just depends on how much stress you are willing to put on your knees and hips. If you're still quite heavy, you're better off doing low impact work like biking, elliptical, swimming, rowing, walking lunges so you can spare your joints. Joint pain is no fun.
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Old 08-23-2011, 01:01 PM
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Yo may feel you are not getting the results quickly enough. My advice to you is remember you didn't put all this weight on in a few short months and it will take as long to take it off. Patience is the key if you continue to eat properly and do cardio you will see the results. You can overtrain and tax your body to the point of a "starvation mode" and tha is not where you want to put yourself. take it slow have patience and you will win the battle.
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