Many of us hit the treadmill with goals to melt away pounds, but are we on the right track? Surprisingly, cardio might not be the miracle worker for weight loss we once thought. This article peels back layers of gym lore, revealing how cardio really impacts your fitness journey and where it might be steering you wrong.
Misconceptions about Cardio
Many people believe that cardio is the best way to burn calories and lose weight, but it may not be as effective as commonly thought. In fact, excessive cardio can interfere with non-exercise physical activity thermogenesis (NEAT) and even hinder strength gains.
Cardio and calorie burn
Cardio exercises, such as running or cycling, are often touted for their ability to burn calories fast. People flock to aerobic exercise thinking it’s the magic component of weight management.
But here’s a twist: doing 30 minutes of strength training can burn just as many calories as a 30-minute jog at 70% maximum heart rate! Moreover, research suggests that you might not be getting the long-term calorie-burning benefits you expect from cardio workouts.
What most don’t realize is that hitting the treadmill could unintentionally lead to burning fewer calories throughout the day. Your body adapts by reducing energy output after intense endurance training sessions.
Also, pairing your cardio routine with a diet plan may not rev up your weight loss efforts any more than dieting alone would do. This surprising fact points to resistance training perhaps being a superior choice if fat loss is your goal since it doesn’t limit how much energy you expend afterward like cardiovascular activities might.
Effect on non-exercise physical activity thermogenesis (NEAT)
Many people don’t realize that after a cardio session, their daily movements might slow down. You could be less likely to take the stairs or walk to the store because your body wants to conserve energy.
This drop in non-exercise physical activity thermogenesis, or NEAT, means you’re burning fewer calories throughout the day. It’s an unexpected side-effect of cardiovascular exercise and can quietly undo some of your hard work.
Even without noticing it, many tend to slump into a comfy chair for longer periods after hitting the treadmill or cycling miles. As a result, overall energy expenditure takes a hit beyond just post-workout recovery time.
This reduction in lifestyle activities makes it harder for those committed to weight management through increased metabolic rate and physical activity. What seems like innocent sedentary behavior post-cardio can have surprising implications on everyday calorie burn and fitness goals.
Ineffectiveness for weight loss
Despite common beliefs, cardiovascular exercise on its own often falls short in the battle for weight loss. Research has repeatedly shown that hitting the treadmill or bike without changing eating habits leads to little scale movement.
In fact, a comprehensive meta-analysis involving over 1,800 overweight and obese people revealed aerobic training alone did not result in significant weight reduction.
Even when cardio is paired with caloric restriction, the impact on pounds shed might surprise you. Findings from various studies including one particular meta-analysis indicate that combining diet with aerobic activity doesn’t boost fat loss much more than dieting does by itself – there’s just a minuscule difference between those who add cardio to their weight management plan and those who solely focus on cutting calories.
This underscores an important message: for effective weight control, what you eat may be far more critical than how many miles you run or laps you swim.
Interference with strength gains
Cardio can interfere with strength gains, reducing the muscle growth effect size by 39% when combined with resistance training. This interference happens because different adaptations are needed for endurance activities and muscle building.
The conflict affects muscle fiber composition, activation speed, and gene/enzyme changes crucial for muscle hypertrophy.
These conflicting demands drive biological responses such as decreased mTOR activity and increased AMPK, which compromise results in both cardio and strength training. Understanding this interference is vital for optimizing workout routines to achieve desired fitness goals effectively.
Impact on Muscle Growth
Cardio can impact muscle growth by decreasing mTOR activity and increasing AMPK, affecting overall muscle development. To learn more about the impact of cardio on muscle growth, keep reading!
Decreased mTOR activity
Decreased mTOR activity, triggered by cardio, inhibits muscle protein synthesis and hypertrophy. This biological response impedes anabolic signaling, thwarting muscle recovery and strength gains.
Reduced mTOR activation leads to lower muscle fiber size and mass, limiting the full potential of muscle growth. When combined with resistance training, cardio reduces the effect size of muscle growth by 39%, underlining its interference.
Increased AMPK is another consequence of decreased mTOR activity caused by cardio. This hinders muscle growth as well; it acts as a brake on the body’s ability to build new muscles effectively.
Increased AMPK
Increased AMPK inhibits muscle growth, reducing the potential for muscle hypertrophy. When cardio is combined with resistance training, it can decrease the effect size of muscle growth by 39%.
Lower body cardio paired with lower body strength training has shown to have the most interference, while its impact on upper body exercise wasn’t specifically detailed. This demonstrates how increased AMPK resulting from cardiovascular exercise interferes with skeletal muscle adaptation and lowers the effectiveness of resistance training for muscle growth.
Effect on muscle growth
Increased AMPK and decreased mTOR activity from aerobic exercise can negatively impact muscle growth. Resistance exercise paired with excessive cardio reduces the size of the effect on muscle growth by 39%.
The interference effect compromises results in both strength and endurance training, causing conflicting body adaptations that affect muscle composition, activation speed, gene changes, and enzyme alterations.
Combined lower-body cardio with lower-body strength training results in the most interference.
Muscle hypertrophy is inhibited as increased AMPK restricts muscle growth. Additionally, decreased mTOR activity influences muscle protein synthesis and hence impacts overall muscle growth.
Debunking Common Beliefs
Forget the fat burning zone and fasted cardio – these common beliefs about cardio may not be as effective as you think. Learn why excessive cardio might not be the best approach for achieving your fitness goals.
Fat burning zone
Research indicates that the fat burning zone, often thought of as an optimal range for burning fat during cardio, is not necessarily the most effective for weight loss. It’s true that exercising at a lower intensity does encourage more fat utilization as fuel.
However, the total amount of calories burned is what ultimately determines fat loss. This means that engaging in higher-intensity workouts can still lead to significant fat burn due to the overall energy expenditure.
Engaging in workouts that push you into higher heart rate zones can be just as effective for shedding unwanted pounds as long as the calorie balance is maintained effectively. In fact, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) has been found to promote similar levels of fat loss compared to steady-state cardio and even has some advantages when it comes to boosting metabolic rate and enhancing overall body composition.
Fasted cardio
Transitioning from the concept of the “fat burning zone,” it’s important to debunk another common belief about cardio – fasted cardio. Contrary to popular belief, fasted cardio does not necessarily result in more weight or fat loss compared to fed exercise.
Scientific research has shown that there is no significant difference in weight and fat loss between fasted and fed exercise. In fact, energy expenditure during cardio may have a greater impact on fat loss than whether it is done in a fasted or fed state, as demonstrated by a 2017 meta-analysis which found similar results for weight and fat loss regardless of fasting status.
Excessive cardio
Transitioning from the potential pitfalls of fasted cardio, it’s important to also address the risks associated with excessive cardio. Long and intense aerobic sessions can elevate cortisol levels, which could lead to overtraining and negatively impact cardiovascular health.
Overexertion from prolonged or high-intensity cardio can strain the heart and potentially shorten lifespan.
Excessive running or other forms of prolonged aerobic activity are associated with an increased risk of injury and may not provide significant additional benefits for cardiovascular endurance compared to moderate amounts of exercise.
Conclusion
In conclusion, cardio impacts muscle growth and strength gains in ways not commonly discussed. The idea of a “fat burning zone” and fasted cardio may not be as effective for fat loss as previously believed.
Excessive cardio can also lead to a shorter lifespan, challenging the notion that more is better. It’s important to reconsider traditional beliefs about the role of cardio in weight loss and overall fitness.
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