How many Cardio sessions per week to cut effectively?

cooperspale · Tue, June 22nd, 2004, 09:59 PM

Hi guys,

I have a lot of early morning starts at work thesedays, which is making it very hard to do morning cardio... So really I'm looking to cut about 8-9% bf (I'm at 18% now) and I would like some opinions on this workout scheme:

Monday: 5:30pm weights - arms & back
Tuesday: 7:30am HIIT (bike 28 mins).
Wednesday: 5:30pm weights - chest & legs
Thursday: 7:00am 45 min RPM class
Friday: Orbit class - core strength (abs/lats/back).
Sat&Sun - nothing at all.

So in the end, I am getting only 2 cardio sessions a week - both are fairly full on. I'm eating around 1700 calories on a 20/40/40 diet, And I weigh 164 lbs.

Is this enough cardio?

I really can't start early any other day of the week, and weekends will probably never really be a regular workout option.

I could probably do a cardio session in the evening before dinner instead of a weight/orbit session.

opinions?

thanks

coop

JeremyLikness · Tue, June 22nd, 2004, 10:50 PM

A better question would be ... what strategy is best for cutting, or even: what should my nutrition plan be to cut.

Seriously, you can cut with zero cardio or you can cut with cardio every day. More cardio makes it easier because you don't have to go as low with calories, but the bottom line is that nutrition is the main factor you will manipulate, add weight training to prevent muscle loss and possibly gain, and then cardio is a factor to simply help you burn more calories which makes your nutrition a little more flexible.

Jeremy

cooperspale · Wed, June 23rd, 2004, 12:05 AM

So basically, If I stick to the above plan, things should work out - the calories and breakdown seem pretty good to me.

Procrastinate · Wed, June 23rd, 2004, 01:15 AM

What if I were to rephrase his question (since I'm wondering about this too):

"What is the most one can do in cardio exercise to facilitate weight loss?"

Skoorb · Wed, June 23rd, 2004, 08:45 AM

Jeremy's post saved me typing. I agree totally.

trainiac · Wed, June 23rd, 2004, 12:52 PM

I'd do a bit more cardio. DO you have more time on the weekends? Maybe you could add a session then. It will help cut faster, and it will also make you more healthy, which is important too.
---Clint
http://www.chicagopersonaltrainers.com

Bluestreak · Wed, June 23rd, 2004, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Procrastinate

"What is the most one can do in cardio exercise to facilitate weight loss?"

I've recently heard/read from more than one source (credibility of said sources could be questioned) that 200 minutes per week is a magic number. I personally think that's garbage... I have been dropping about 0.5-lb. of fat per week doing three sessions at 30~40 minutes, and that's with my calories about 300~400 above my BMR calc.

I think when you get into long, intensive bouts of cardio-centered activity, you're getting more into the realm of endurance training as opposed to lypolysis/hypertrophy, as most of us here are trying to achieve. While I want some cardiovascular endurance, I don't plan on taking on any endurance events other than... well... spending plenty of time horizontal wit' 'da ladies.

Procrastinate · Wed, June 23rd, 2004, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bluestreak

I've recently heard/read from more than one source (credibility of said sources could be questioned) that 200 minutes per week is a magic number. I personally think that's garbage... I have been dropping about 0.5-lb. of fat per week doing three sessions at 30~40 minutes, and that's with my calories about 300~400 above my BMR calc.

I think when you get into long, intensive bouts of cardio-centered activity, you're getting more into the realm of endurance training as opposed to lypolysis/hypertrophy, as most of us here are trying to achieve. While I want some cardiovascular endurance, I don't plan on taking on any endurance events other than... well... spending plenty of time horizontal wit' 'da ladies.

Well I'm just wondering if its worth it to keep going. I did 30 minutes of HIIT today and did is as hard as I could. Thing is though, I feel like I'd be up for another session, either right after or later in the day. But is it worth it?

(and YES YES i know nutrition is the much bigger issue - i'm taking care of that though)

Vinnys025 · Wed, June 23rd, 2004, 01:54 PM

I have been currently doing 5 days of cardio per week. 45 minuts per session at 70% Heart Rate first thing in the morning on an empty stomache and have been having great results so far with it. 225 minuts a week of cardio, plus I play softball (center field=alot of sprinting) 3 times per week. I also weight train 3 days per week.

My results so far have been right on par with what is optimal for max fat loss and muscle retention. I am loosing 2 lbs per week for the first 4 weeks. I started at 218, and i'm now down to 210!!!!!!!

Like Jeremy said, it will always come down to calories in vs calories out, but cardio can be a HUGE part of your fat loss program. I have tried the very little cardio approach with reduced calories, but the results werent coming quick enough. But since I started doing this cardio approach, the fat is now flying off. Its just what works for me, and it also might for you.

Bluestreak · Wed, June 23rd, 2004, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Procrastinate

Well I'm just wondering if its worth it to keep going. I did 30 minutes of HIIT today and did is as hard as I could. Thing is though, I feel like I'd be up for another session, either right after or later in the day. But is it worth it?

In my opinion, there comes a point of diminishing returns on cardiovascular time investment. In my wife's initial training program geared towards competitive figure shows, the trainer had her doing as much as 120 minutes of cardio per day in various ways. She started with 30 minutes of cardio in her first week of training and by the 13th week (just before competition) he had her doing two hours a day, split in two sessions. I thought this was overkill, but it did produce incredible results. But this came through a huge time investment that I believe could have been reduced by diet manipulation (and she had plenty of diet changes... the house smelled weird for three months with the shit she was cooking for contest prep) than by crazy amounts of cardio. Her trainer's explanation for the constant increase in cardio time was that it kept the body from finding homeostasis. This is true - I saw the changes occur... but 2~3 hours a day in the gym is excessive to me. Perhaps it was a result of the truncated timetable (she went from almost 30% BF to 15% in 13 weeks and though she didn't place against the muscular mutants who shouldn't have been competing in figure that she was on stage with, she looked like she belonged up there).

Skoorb · Wed, June 23rd, 2004, 02:34 PM

I've lost a lot of weight with it in my routine and without it in my routine. I'm currently enjoying cardio 5 times/week in the morning (enjoying isn't the word to use though). Not only is cardiovascular health an undeniably good thing to have, but whereas in the past I'd aim for 1700-1800 calories/day, now I get to go at 2000 and the weight comes off. Those extra 200-300 calories are worth quite a lot to me, and worth the pain in the morning.

In addition to the calories burned during the run I'd guess that the metabolic gains from my run are quite beneficial as well.

supirman · Wed, June 23rd, 2004, 03:35 PM

I do cardio 7 days/week. Nothing strenuous, but it seems quite effective.

PeteBDawg · Wed, June 23rd, 2004, 05:30 PM

If you're thinking about long-term lifestyle, and not just a sort of fitness binge, you should probably up it to three times a week if you can. Yeah, it won't have an awesome effect one way or another on your cutting, but it's real good for your heart. Three times a week is the general number for heart health.

And if you've spent any part of your life being a big dude, you want to take care of that ticker.

Vinnys025 · Wed, June 23rd, 2004, 07:08 PM

How come you guys are saying that cardio wont have a significant effect of fat loss? I find that my increased cardio (for me) is making all the difference in the world. I can eat my required protien to keep muscle and am also loosing fat (2 lbs a week)

seeDerekNow · Wed, June 23rd, 2004, 08:41 PM

I've been doing low-intesity cardio about 6 days a week @ 45~50min per session. It's helped me get over my plateau and really start losing that last little bit of fat left. Twice a week, I do two cardio sessions a day, once in the morning, and once in the evening after my ab routine. Getting good results so far.