Can Cardio Make You Fat?

In an article on Yahoo! Health Jim Karas makes the argument that doing cardio can actually cause you to gain weight and at the same time waste the precious muscle that you have (he presents the idea that 60% of weight loss is fat (GREAT) but 40% is muscle (Not so great).  He brings up many valid points in that the true goal of weight loss is to increase your metabolism in order to constantly burn calories throughout the day (even at night).

And the most effective way to do this? Run? Nope, wrong.  Bike? Better, but wrong again. Well it can't be lifting that just makes you big and bulky.....but it doesn't have to and it is the best way to jump start your metabolism and start changing your body and losing the weight you want (not just numbers on scale).

It is true that muscle weighs more than fat and there is no denying that but it is also true that muscle is two thirds more metabolically active than fat (and it looks better).  From the article they explain that one pound of muscle burns six calories per pound per day and that one pound of fat burns only two calories a day.



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Specifically to women he talks about how losing much after 20 occurs much quicker and one of my favorite points he makes is that cardio doesn't do a lot to change your body other than hopefully make you smaller.  If you are a big pear shape and lose weight via cardio then you are a smaller pear shape after the fact (still congrats on the weight loss) but is that what you're really going for.

I suggest reading the article as he brings up many other great points as to how cardio can actually hurt you body and as always if you have questions looks us up on Facebook or email us at totalathletictherapy@gmail.com

Your Cardio Routine is Making You Fat