Is my cardio routine efficient for weight loss?

[servant52]

I do cardio about 3 days a week. My routine consists of Bike resistance for 45 minutes. I vary the speed throughout the 45min though. I go through 3 different cycles of speed. I start out at a level 8 resistance and go at the speed for about 5 minutes then I go up to 10 and do that speed for another 5 minutes then I bump it up to 12 and you can pretty much guess the pattern here. I do that about two more times and that completes my 45 minutes on the bike. Now I try to keep a vigorous pace throughout this workout.

Then I go and do the treadmill for another 30 minutes. I have the same routine with the treadmill only I start out running at the fastest pace I can manage while keeping my breathing under control. The fastest I can do right now is a 5.0 pace. My heart rate is around 166 at this pace and I can manage running at this pace for about 15min. Then I drop my pace down to 4.5 and run at that pace for about 5min. Then I continue to drop my pace about half a pace every 5 minutes until I literally reach a slow walking pace. I do this for about 30 minutes. So by the time I reach the 30 min mark I’m at a 2.5 waking pace.

So to total I average about 1.2 hours of cardio at the gym and then I do about a 2-3 mile hike with the hubby and my dog later in the morning.

Edit: I also used to go swimming for 45 minutes on Sundays but I sort of fell off from that. I may start that back up this weekend.

Edit: Okay since some of you aren’t getting it DESPITE me explaining it. I am ALSO working to eat at a caloric deficit. I’m looking to also do cardio to help ACCELERATE my weight loss. I am simply asking if coupled with a caloric deficit would utilizing my cardio routine be an EFFICIENT WAY TO BURN CALORIES WITHOUT the risk of over exerting myself.

I don’t want to not exercise all together. My goal is to exercise while also losing weight.

 

[dawn16]

@servant52 Depending on how big of a person you are and the intensity of the exercise, an hour of cardio will probably burn between 300-500 calories. A lb of fat is ~3500 calories of energy. If you are eating maintenance calories for a sedentary lifestyle and add that in to your routine 3 days a week with no extra food intake, you can expect to lose about an extra 1-2 lbs per month with that cardio.

 

[servant52]

@dawn16 I do more I lift 4 days a week but I just wanted to focus on my cardio. I’m pretty satisfied with my lifting routine.

 

[dawn16]

@servant52 Focus on cardio why?

For improving endurance and heart health? 3 hours/week of moderate to intense cardio is great.

For losing weight? It will be a beneficial but can’t replace a consistent calorie deficit. Eating a 500 calorie/day deficit (3500/week) will take 0 time, 0 energy, and net about 4lbs of weight loss per month.

 

[uzezi]

@servant52 If your lifting was satisfactory and your eating is sorted . You wouldn’t be doing excessive cardio

 

[curtswill]

@servant52 It is as long as your CICO checks out. It is not if it doesn’t

 

[servant52]

@curtswill Okay, thanks. I’m working on my calorie intake. Just wanting to make sure my cardio routine will compliment my diet as well. Don’t want to do too little cardio.

 

[dawn16]

@servant52 Cardio trains the heart and lung capacity

Kitchen habits lose weight

Do all the cardio you want if you’re in a caloric surplus you won’t lose weight

I wouldn’t even calculate cardio burned calories into my daily expenditure

 

[servant52]

@dawn16 You people are annoying. You have no idea what else I do outside of my cardio routine. Y’all just form ASSumptions and run with it instead of at the least asking what my over all goal is before spewing your ideas that don’t even relate to the topic.

Like dieting alone is really beneficial to over all health. If you’re not being active strengthening muscles and improving heart health you’re just going to look skinny and weak.

You improve one thing it benefits other aspects of the over all body. Y’all act like these body parts act independently or something. Such a weird over all biased mindset.

I bet many of you look weak and emaciated.

 

[theist03]

@servant52 You should work on taking and accepting criticism instead of acting so butthurt.

 

[servant52]

@theist03 I do take criticism. Just as everyone has a choice. I choose when and when not to accept it. I couldn’t care less whether you think I do or not. So ASSume whatever you want.

I’m still going to do what I think is best for myself and my personal goals. That’s all that matters. If you can’t respect that then what does that say for your character?

You choose to accept my criticism or not. Either way it’s your choice and I’m not going to argue you on that.

 

[theist03]

@servant52 If you want to do cardio for health reasons its a great plan. If you want to do it for it to lose fat its a waste of time. But its your life.

 

[savedat9]

@servant52 You asked the question. If it’s missing context it’s not our fault. It’s yours. People are answering your question. It doesn’t fit what you want and you keep changing the information needed to answer the question. Although in reality it doesn’t change anything. Your cardio won’t make much of a difference at all. If you like doing it. Great. Keep doing it. If not, then do something different. But being a prick to everyone who is answering the question you have certainly isn’t going to get you anywhere.

 

[reptilegirl]

@servant52 You asked if cardio is good for weight loss - it’s not.
Cardio is good for your cardiovascular health.
Weight lifting is good for building muscles that do eventually burn more calories.
Watching your diet and eating fewer calories than you burn is what will make you lose weight.

 

[theist03]

@servant52 You dont need cardio to lose weight. Its actually very inefficient cause your body wants to compensate for the calories you burn out through cardio. Best is to walk a lot and CICO.

 

[when1959]

@servant52 I lost like 50 pounds with literally 0 steady state cardio. When on like a mile run once or twice. I just lifted and ate super clean.

Do cardio for your heart but it honestly doesn’t help my weight loss much. I just get really hungry and binge.

 

[predrag]

@servant52 Cardiovascular fitness is great for the heart; what matters most is training your fork putdowns. Without or without energy expenditure, a caloric deficit facilitated by eating less is required for weight loss.

 

[servant52]

@predrag Thanks.

 

[rainbowbutterflies]

@servant52 If you want to lose weight, eat less. If you want to get in shape, lift weight. Cardio is for heart and lung health not for losing weight.

I heard a saying a few years back, “you can’t outrun your calories”.

 

[holly1211]

@rainbowbutterflies If you don’t eat more to compensate for the cardio, you can use it as a mild accelerant for weight loss. Running 5 miles 3x per week on top of a daily deficit of 500 calories should result in about 3-4lbs of additional weight loss over 8 weeks. Again, mild accelerant, but you also get the heart/lung benefits.