Is Cardio A Good Way Of Slimming Down, Without Strength Training?
I used to workout faithfully six days a week. I did some cardio and also some strength training. I noticed my arms got bigger, and i hate it. I want to lose 20 pounds, but i don’t want to strength train. I do a lot of cardio, 50 minutes a day for five days and was wondering if just doing that will be OK.
you should be lifting some weights too because muscle burns more calories, and so adding muscle makes you burn more calories every day during your cardio.
Your cardio regimen is great, but strength training burns a lot more fat, while toning and building muscle. If you don’t want to be bulky, decrease the amount of weight you lift to no more than your own body weight maximum. Also vary the body part that you strength train so you’re not always doing arms. Good luck
Hi there!
Yes, cardio is a good way of slimming down even without strength training.
The reason that strength training is effective is because it builds muscle, which is a metabolic furnace that will burn extra calories 24 hours a day. By way of contrast, cardio will only burn extra calories during and immediately after exercising.
50 minutes of cardio at 1 training session should be sufficient. You do not say what you are doing. Obviously, it is mild cardio since the duration is so long.
The best mild cardio is brisk walking. “Brisk” means walking at a 4 mph pace. To lose fat, you should walk at that pace on a daily average of 3 to 6 miles. Walking three miles would take about 45 minutes, so your exercise may be the equivalent of walking a little over 3 miles five days a week.
As you can see, that’s borderline. You might want to go for 60 minutes six days a week, which would give you better results.
You do not have to do it all at once, either. It’s alright to break it into two 30-minute sessions. Addition, the best time to do it is before your first meal of the day.
Especially because you are not doing strength training, you must be very careful with your diet.
Eat a smaller meal about every three waking hours. Each meal should have sufficient protein (at least 15 grams per feeding for a female and at least 20 grams per feeding for a male), preferably from natural sources, such as organic meat, wild caught fish (not farmed), and organic/free-range eggs (but not dairy products). Drink plenty of water, preferably several quarts daily.
Avoid all unnatural (refined, processed) carbohydrates, in particular, anything made from grains or sugar. It’s best also to avoid beans and potatoes.
If you choose not to do strength training, only allow yourself up to 50 grams of carbs daily from natural sources such as (preferably organic) vegetables and low carb fruits such as berries.
If you do mild cardio and eat as suggested, you will have a sustainable program that will enable you to lose body fat and keep it off for good.
I hope this helps.
All my best wishes.