Walking. Walking legit was the best thing I started doing. Expending energy, enjoying the outside, mentally it helped me out so much, and negligible fatigue to manage.
@@zephyrfpv9871 one of my old employers keeps trying to get me into bike riding. She switched from running super marathons to biking. I think I'll stick to the walks though.
Cardio is for your heart. That's why it's called cardio. It's just as important as weight training. I'm tired of each side attacking each other. You need both.
What is essentially being said here is that Cardio is not essential to fat loss. You burn fat in your normal activities and reducing your daily calorie intake. Mike never said Cardio was bad for you. He's simply pointing out that it's not necessary for fat loss. And for those who are just starting out on their fitness journey it's really easy to get burned out if you've just exhausted yourself with your lifting program and then go do 30 minutes of what seems like mindless Cardio right after. His message is that fat loss comes from nutrition routine and not 4 hours on a treadmill every day. You can't outwork a poor diet.
It isall True, but some people do heavy training to gain muscles. After the training the drive home an feel nice fatigue. During training ( say deadlift and or benchpress and so one)they will burn also calorys during he period Afterwards. But there is an other benefit to do cardio , cardio on a low level. The Item is LDL or say bad cholesterol. Doing cardio ( or walking / bikeride) will clear the arteries. Its not all about weightloss. Even skinny people can have bad cholestorol . So there can be an extra reason to do cardo as well. Cardio with a moderest heart beat is better for the ldl.
A lot of people will do primarily cardio to lose weight, and they end up skinny fat, and that isn't healthy, either. You need a balance of cardio and resistance training. You can go back 2,500 years or more, and the Greeks were training pretty much the same way we do now, with cardio and resistance training. You need to build muscle to do more and lift more and be more functional, even for stability. You need cardio for your heart and nervous system, and your VO2. Healthy heart, lungs, brain, and muscles. You could lose fat/weight just by eating a healthy diet and doing any kind of exercise that creates a caloric deficit, but really you should have a balance. I've seen people just lose fat through nutrition, but I don't see that as good, either.
Heart attacks are mainly caused by high cholesterol, clogged arteries, and high blood pressure due to long term poor food choices. Lifting weights gets your heart rate up too! What u eat is super important that supports how u train.
But also, the inclusion of regular cardio sessions through the week that are at least moderate intensity only improve your overall health outcomes. Don't think of it as a way to lose fat only, it's simply just good for your life.
Absolutely Judge, specifically find something you enjoy and will stick to though. The issue is when people say "I must", "I should", "My mates said". Then you can get those health outcomes without even thinking about it. I love hitting the beach. ⛱ 🌊
This is bodybuilding. We don’t care about being healthy or alive; we care about proving banal facts such as the existence of thermodynamics, and dying at 43 of a coronary.
The wolf guy, I think it's the wolf guy I'm thinking of. Tall, olive skinned, beard; super good info but I find myself rewinding five times every minute. His voice is so hard to focus on. He has a weird cadence and a weird stutter or accent that I just can't attend to.
He's a rare combination of brains and brawn, a brawny guy can say they need something but dont have the skill or even imagination to make stuff and someone who has those skills might not know what the brawny guy needs, this guy can do both
300 pounds in April. Started doing keto, fasting, and lifting weights 3 times a week and walking, and I'm at 198 today starting to look muscular. Weight lifting has been crucial
@@IridescentW Lol might be pathetic but Id still be able to beat your ass buddy. Barely any loose skin at all. Life happens to people. Enjoy being a miserable cock sucker. You'll get what's coming to ya, loser.
@zBorderPatrol Cool story bro. I'm constantly teetering between "aw damn I gotta take care of myself" and "fuck it, I literally do not care if I wake up tomorrow" repeat for 2 decades and you're 370 at 28
@@IridescentW how do you neglect having empathy? Id rather be overweight than be you any day and I'm sure you feel the same way. You're on here commenting bullshit to someone's who trying to change and for some reason, you want to hurt them. think about that and whos more pathetic 😂 cant fix a rotten brain, its with you for life
The best thing I ever did on my physical training journey was to make sleep a top priority. For six months I’ve been working to get good at sleep. The results are truly amazing. EVERYTHING is better and easier.
Absolutely..sleep is the foundation of good health, muscle growth, weight loss, and appetite control. Too many people neglect their sleep these days. I also believe that daily fasting is a major factor in achieving good health. Good sleep makes fasting much easier because it regulates ghrelin, the hunger hormone. People who don't prioritize sleep have a very difficult time fasting or losing weight because of constant hunger and cravings that result from an increase in ghrelin. I wish you good health and great sleep.
@@kc0jhs1 my sleep hygiene includes getting atleast 30 to 60 minutes of sun exposure for my eyes during the day. Also, I make sure to have plenty of potassium during the day as well as magnesium during the night. I keep my bedroom as cold as possible as well as dark. I try to do a workout everyday that includes an hour of weight training. Having optimal vitamin d and testosterone has also played a role in good sleep for me. Hope this help. Almost forgot to mention that I use a loud fan in my bedroom within a couple feet from my head to drown out any potential noise that could wake me up.
@@kc0jhs1 just 7-9 hours per day (whatever feels right) and same bed/ wake up time everyday if possible. I’ve made it a priority, but I’m still working on being able to have a regular bed time. Anyway It feels so good to get enough sleep that I can’t ever think about running on less now
I went from 213lbs to 175lbs just by walking on an inclined treadmill for an hour a day while watching Netflix on my phone after lifting. It wasn’t that hard on me really. No fatigue or anything like that. Had more energy than ever. Of course, diet was the most important factor for success in that scenario, as always.
@@Neonknight77 around 3 mph, some times a bit less some times a bit more depending on energy levels. I work a physical job too atm so that helps a bit.
I think a lot of people turn to cardio because its just what they know. Really hard to mess up getting on a treadmill and walking. I was SO intimidated by the gym that I did home workouts for the longest time then when I was about 60 pounds lighter, I went to the gym and just got on the cardio equipment to build my comfort level in the gym. Then I slowly worked my way into the platform area doing compound lifts and FINALLY breached the "bro area" with the free weights. Now I walk in like I own the damn place. 💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽
First of all, I think that's spot on. So many people end up spinning wheels or doing needless stuff just sticking to what they are comfortable with. Secondly, big props for your journey and I'm really glad you're now in the weight room getting your swole on! - Dr. Mike
That's great. I used coaches to help ease me into it. I said one day, "so can we go into the big boys area today?" Yesterday I added 20 lbs to my deadlift on my own.
I work overnight security and I love how I'm going towards 13000 steps while listening to this 😅 I'll be enjoying yummies tonight, so more indoor walking awaits. Merry Christmas 🎄❤
I do mobile night patrol, I could walk around the neighborhood im posted at but I prefer to keep my kit not smelling too bad in the texas humidity lmao, plus I genuinely have to be mobile, the car jackers here have already tried breaking into my own personal car and I was only away for 2 minutes, my co worker posted to a specific house came out with his skorpion n scared em away lmao
I've been shedding noticeably more fat since I started running for 15 mins after my weight routines. I feel a lot better overall with the cardio included. You do literally have to find what works for you. If you're hating your workouts it's best to change it up rather than to quit all together.
@zacharia4061 ALL science started with anecdote . Nothing "cringe" about it What's "cringe" is not knowing the difference between "antidote " and "anecdote" and not being smart enough to do a simple Google search to find the correct spelling.
@@SuperSteelSteve it’s a RUclips comment and you understood what I was trying to say so why spell check when the goal of portraying the author of being cringe for using a personally story was conveyed successfully.
The one thing I’ve noticed is if I burn 500 calories during cardio, vs calories of just not eating, I feel better doing the cardio version because I’m still eating the same quantity of food . Cardio for me just means I can eat more food and still lose weight
You're 100% better off working out and eating your baseline calories than just caloric deficit and no cardio. Cardio strengthens your heart, and your body gets more efficient in managing 02 levels. Your body will thank you when you grow older. Weight lifting tones your body, but for longevity, cardio is top game.
Agreed. I'm little (5'2") so when I want to get really lean and dip below 110 lbs, I have to make the decision to either drop calories or add in a bit of cardio. I always choose the cardio, as my calories are already so low to begin with. I also find adding a bit of cardio helps suppress my appetite; not entirely sure why.
Cardio is for my mind. I just can't think on days I skip it. No other reason needed. Start of my day cardio (not early morning, nothing that cuts out sleep) is the only thing keeping my brain sane all day.
That is the whole point. Im 230lb solid muscle. I need lotta protein and other nutrients. I burn 450cal on stair master 4-5 times a week. And i can eat whatever i want still lose weight xD
most people will eat in a 500 calorie deficit but that is too steep for me I prefer to eat about 200 calories below maintenance and then make up the rest in exercise throughout the day I am now aiming for about 13k steps a day. I have this thing about not eating under 2,000 calories day I think the average about 2100 calories a day currently, the thought of dipping below 2000 calories makes me want to binge.
That’s me exactly. I like to eat, but if I just lift weights and eat like I do I tend to carry some belly fat. When I add some pretty light running in, I can eat like I like, to where I feel strong, but not have to drag around a little belly
@@a-terrible-fate532 I think the 500cal deficits are only for a specific audience, as a 5’3 girl with a maintenance of 1400cals or so I’d starve 😅
I love cardio and weight training both... I abused my body for years with over eating and no exercise...now that I'm getting better my body has absolutely amazed me with what it can do....I regret not doing the things I'm doing now... If anyone is wanting to get better.... start now...its hard at first, but it does get better.... you'll feel so much better ❤️
I have started going to the gym right after work (I’m a teacher so I work 7:30-3:30) and just picking up my kids at 5. I’m going a month strong with only 4 rest days and have been loving it.
Cardio, has always been my first passion before I even started lifting weights and in my time in the military I was able to learn more about myself in those grueling long distance runs. However, overtime, I learned that I needed a balance in my life with weight lifting and cardiovascular activities to achieve my goals as a pure athlete. Cardio or whatever fitness you desire should be fun and not forced. Shalom, hope everyone stay blessed!
Thing is, those disciplines are perfectly complementing each other. Especially if you're dealing with somewhat repetitive stress and beginning ligament troubles, free weights or any gym bro routine, really, will get rid of so, so many tiny boo-boos and bigger problems folks are struggling with. As a huge cardio lover, I'd still have to give lifting the point for "most important." You don't really suffer for having a (still potentially very decent) lifter's cardiovascular fitness, but doing lots of cardio and not strengthening your body with the bare minimum of weight exercises... that's something I'd never get back to, and a huge chunk of top-tier athletes agrees with that sentiment for a reason. I need cardio to maintain my weight, so that's a toss-up in my book. I could do just pure fasted deficit, but I'd also hate myself for having to eat half a regular restaurant meal's portion as the only real food per day. Let me grind out 1600 kcal on my bikes, as long as I get a huge plate, I can put away a deficit of 600-800 kcal... if I really needed or wanted to. I could probably do way better still if I didn't always revert to food-vacuum-cleaner mode once i smell my cardamom infused rice, but if it works, I guess it works.
I like adding easily removable carbs into my bulking diet, so when I start a cut I can just take them out of my diet. For example, for breakfast, I have added 2 pieces of toast with jelly which totals around 250 calories. Removing that plus my dessert and I am in a 500 calorie deficit. Add some extra walking, and the weight falls off.
It's perfect. In my case I remove the afternoon snack and add a 40m uphill walking. I love that simplicity and order: "Gym things" are clear and rewarding... the struggle is out there!
This is pretty much how/why I stick to a low-carb lifestyle. Folk who just slam SAD style balanced diets ALWAYS struggle with their caloric intake. If you just by default exist in a "carbs as needed' domain, you can more easily add/subtract them.
@@interspacer4277 gotta get that pump though bra. I’m downing 400 g carbs a day maintaining 10-12% bf. Everyone is different though. Hit your total calories, enough protein, fill in the rest. I just do better in the gym with more carbs and fat around 80g.
God I wish I saw this when I was doing my first fat loss phase. I ended up cutting calories to an all-time low, adding 45 mins of cardio after my weight-training ON TOP of a relatively physical job. Needless to say I lost a lot of weight, of which was partly MUSCLE mass that I very much would’ve liked to keep. Not only that, it made my cut so unbearably exhausting it made life unenjoyable. Now I’m glad I don’t have to waste time by doing endless cardio on my next minicut soon.
I just happened on this gentleman's youtube channel. I like his approach. Direct, non-judgemental, and informative. This video really helped me shape how I'm gonna proceed. Thank you!
🎉Oh my God this explains what have been struggling with for years. I've not been lazy I've been doing too much cardio and not had energy to do much housekeeping.
I love early morning runs ! Works for me. Went from 240 pounds down to a lean 190 in less than a year. If something works for you then keep doing it. Cardio is also extremely important for your cardiovascular health and I also find I crave a lot less junk foods. 😊
@@ryankernutt5390 Negligible, and it tends to make you more hungry as a result of the extra expenditure which can spell disaster if your diet isn't adequate. Cardio is important, but it's important for cardiovascular health, not weight loss
Information like this saved my fat loss a year ago. I was so set on starting weight lifting AND doing that Insanity cardio program AND losing 40lbs of weight simultaneously. WTF I totally bought all the Hollywood bs about getting up early/chicken and rice, too. I was convinced you needed to 'burn off' the fat and that the caloric deficit wouldn't be good enough. Thank God about one month into dieting I discovered Jeff Nippard and consequently RP (plus Geoffrey Verity Schofield) and have never felt better about my training.
Dr. Mike, you are underrated….3:20 “make up for it by being lazy” the depth of what you mean by that is epic…. probably went right over a lot of folks’ head
To clarify….if I understand that correctly, I think what you mean is if you do cardio in excess and cut calories in excess, then being lazy is potentially anabolic
Thanks Dr. Mike. Another one of your videos that I wished I had watched sooner. "Exercise fatigue" is so real! At the start of summer, I upped my 1.5 mile swim (3 x's per week) to 2 miles. I needed a nap and was useless the rest of the day. Going back to 1.5 miles, I no longer need a nap and spend the afternoon on home improvement project. Much more productive and more calories burnt. Thanks again !
The #1 thing is planned and structured diet, because the only way for your body to burn fat is to use it as energy. Basically, you need to eat below your energy maintenance level (in terms of calories) and your fat cells will be used to compensate the missing energy (calories). That's how your body works. There are other things to consider as well, such as hormonal status, diseases... but caloric deficit is a must. You have a lot of online diet planners and calculators: Next Level Diet for example (I am not an affiliate 😁). Losing/gaining weight is just a simple math, really...
Is it really a simple math though? Calories in depend on a lot of other factors, such as the bioavailability of the food, your digestive efficiency, etc. Calories out also depends on a lot of factors, such as your metabolism, activity level, genetics, etc. Also if you are building more muscle it would alter the equation. So, I wouldn't call it "simple" math, since we can never be sure of the parameters themselves.
@@conworldus8310 .......it is that simple. All you said are things to consider to make the most accurate number of calories you need to maintain or lose weight, but the result is the same... Calories in vs calories out.
I weight train 5 days a week. And three of those sessions after my weight trains I do 45 minute walk uphill on the treadmill. And it's definitely helped me leaning out while adding muscle
When I was 28 I lost 60 pounds after a bad divorce by just dieting, lifting and playing soccer once a week. Now that I'm 39 I added cardio just for heart health and longevity. The older I get the harder lifting has become with recovery.
Thanks for the info but as Dr. Mike said in the video I just like running. I not only do it for fat loss I also do it to increase my endurance, and improve my mood and mental health. Im almost 100% sure that Dr. Mike knows this because he is one of the most knowledgeable people I've seen on fitness and diet but there are a lot of other benefits to cardio other than fat loss. And all of those other reasons are why I like to do cardio.
I can relate to "over" cardio so much. I cycle to and from work 5 days a week which is at minimum 8 miles per day and I walk at minimum 10k steps a day. On a Wednesday at the gym I ran 1 mile on the treadmill which took 10 mins and Thursday I upped the pace and did a mile in 8 mins. Come Friday I was fucked and the cycling for work was gruelling and simple things like standing up felt like a gym session.
Hey Dr Mike. I'm 46 now, was slim and toned my entire life. I was a runner in my 20's (never ran at 5am fuck that), and did lots of yoga and calisthenics most my life. During covid I got lazy and began eating when bored and stressed. My weight gain was so quick, no joke. I just kept putting working out and dieting aside, and kept gaining weight. I ended up 240, after being 170-190 my entire life. Brutal. Now, here's what I'm doing and it's working great. I cut my calorie intake, cut sugar/fats/junk, upped protein intake and fiber, and do a push-pull-legs resistance workout program. I walk at night or light jog some nights 2-3 miles. My energy levels have gone up ,a few pounds have been shed slowly ...but it's happening. Anything you can recommend to up the loss quicker would be much appreciated.
Calories in calories out main fat loss will be by ur diet, my dad lost 33lbs in a month from just eating low calorie salmon rice and veggies. So that's the main thing, exercise will work too for strength and size but the main key is just consistency. I started new years with buying a dumbbell set and a bench to workout at home, on my I think 7th or 8th week and my shirts as starting to fit better thou one was too tight 😅 reaching my goals for the summer just gotta keep at it you'll eventually get the results u want
I’ve been lifting for 10 years. Fitness is my tool used for decompressing. I like the muscles, no doubt. Each has it’s result. I work at a desk; so I will start each workout with a moderate pace incline walk. I read my bible and this helps to get my heart going for a good workout. “Gets me in the zone”. I will mix in some long runs for the decompression effect of a long week or stresses in my life. I mix in weights in that mix. I look at it as medicine. Hard week=Run Walk before workout=pre workout Weight lifting=strength/mind discipline
The ONLY reason I do cardio is to avoid becoming a statistic at my job, and so I can actually do the work. Otherwise it's weightlifting all day, baby! I also knew this was not true because I once lost 33 pounds just making before food choices (way before I was into fitness).
I’m convinced everyone who disregards running as great exercise for fat loss or general weight loss is just bad at it and scared of getting better at it. Lift weights, go for runs, eat right and be active and the rest will work itself out.
@@Realism215-ku1cm the same could be said for literally any other exercise. Like any other exercise, warmup/cooldown is important and you should only work within what you’re physically capable of. There’s risk involved with every exercise. Piss poor excuse…
I totally agree. I have been an avid runner since my late teens and I am now in my mid 40's. I have never been overweight. I also have a lot of energy and I do chores and clean the house after a run. I eat a plant based diet. Running/cardio is good for stress relief and helps me sleep better. I stretch everyday and I have never had any injuries from running. Pushups and pull-ups everyday with some weight lifting 3 times a week. Cardio has a lot of benefits. I have always looked at running as an exercise in self discipline.
The rule of thumb is that the best workout is the one you'll stick with. Some people absolutely hate running. I hate what I call "idle running" and I just feel terrible doing it. If I'm running on a treadmill or street, then all I can think of is how bored I am, the chest pain, leg pain, knee pain, headache, etc. Put me in a sport, and I'll run for hours.
I have incorporated cardio training since a month or so, 45 minutes on the gym bike or squash. Best thing I've ever done. My stamina has become better and don't get fatigued as quickly when I do weight training or walking up the stairs. It improved my sleep tremendously and it gets rid of stress like nothing else. Maybe you shouldn't do cardio for fat loss, but for many other important reasons.
I work from home and recently started walking outside 3xweek for 1-1.5 hours as an enjoyable way to get my cardio in. I was surprised at the changes-I was already lean but now I'm shredded. Easy af
I can absolutely relate to that. Walking is really underestimated by most people, including people in the fitness industry. You can get some sun and fresh air, relax your mind a bit or listen to some podcast/audiobook, and burn a few hundred calories without noticing. It doesn´t add much fatigue and can really benefit you a lot. Only potential downside is the time. But it´s time well spent - especially when you are so stressed that you "don´t have time for that".
When we got our dog during covid we bought trackers to monitor the change in our walking. I'm still a gym rat but ive had 3 lower spinal operations and struggle with impact. We take our dog out on a brisk countryside walk for an hour, twice a day. We cover over 40 additional miles weekly, thousands of calories burnt. Its got so many benefits. I think at last look weve walked about 4000 miles we wouldn't have. Good pooch.
I love this video. I recently hit a plateau after losing 20 lbs I was doing the spin bike at home for an hour along with taebo and I course cut my calories and eat more clean. Now I can't get past the 20 lbs you're right once I do all that cardio I don't want to do much for the rest of the day. Thank you
My personal experience is: I lost a bit of fat with cardio... Then I got injured with strenght training, then I dieted and lost a ton of fat and developed a ton of muscle with strenght and resitance training.
Just so you know, some of us love cardio. And there are other reasons to go for an early morning run: peace, quiet, dog walking, letting your mind go (some of our best ideas come to us here). I am not one to run in the AM, though. Morning cardio is usually a swim with my crew a few times a week (and we work it hard!). Some of us love to compete and race and train for best performance. We don't look at it as cardio. It's training. We might not carry as much muscle bulk as you but we have functional strength to support the work we need or want to do. The muscles we have aren't for aesthetics, they're for functionality. And we eat more than most of the other people we know.
...if you have a team and you swim with them, with some of them even competing and love working out plus as you said you're fit... I don't think these comments are aimed at you.
I am an outlier and I know it but I also think that trainers and supposed experts who downplay the importance of cardio and even scoff at it are giving people something to point to as a reason to avoid even trying. If people don't get out of their comfort zone, they might never find a fitter way forward. Heck, if you give people tacit permission to avoid cardio, they might just avoid it without even trying. And they might be missing out on some really great stuff. @@jettom17
For me cardio is the way to warm up at the beginning of training. Also I'm sure that cardio has something to do with hormones in a positive way and stay healthy at the same time.
I just started the stepmill, walking 50 floors everyday. As someone who has neglected my aerobic fitness pretty much forever, it is absolutely kicking my ass. But I love it. I feel so much better. And I am burning fat and losing weight too. I don't know all the science stuff about weight loss, but this step mill walking is burning the weight off.
I think adding cardio would be good if you’re otherwise sedentary with an office job. Otherwise you’ll be starving yourself on 1700-ish calories and in my opinion would set you up for failure more than just doing some cardio.
I work for a moving company as a mover and I have been losing weight for 3.5 months now on 1500-1600 calories a day~. I just go high protein and I have been gaining muscle mass and strength by doing pull ups, push ups, dips and misc things like leg raises, calf raises and squatting (low weight, don't have access to barbell). If you have fat to burn, then your body can feed itself so long as you provide the nutrients you need on the side. Only when you have virtually no fat to lose will you ever be at risk of truly harming your own body (again, so long as you sustain through proper nutrition).
The 5am wake up and workout actually worked great for me. Sets up your day amazingly. You just go to sleep earlier and gradually shift your routine rather than going from 8am wake up to 5am overnight.
Exactly!! I called BS on this in the fist dang couple minutes. Only hard thing that makes running at 5am (before I work at 6:30am) is that toward winter the sunrise isn't until much later in the morning forcing me to adjust when I run. Running in the morning (3-4 miles outdoor) does not ruin me for the day and I typically do a fast paced walk in the evening to get a couple more miles with my kids. Cardio is a must!
@@ljshoreslokalHe's not saying cardio is bad or unnecessary, just that it literally doesn't matter if you're in a deficit either through diet or otherwise. If you have a great diet and weight train + have moderate, consistent activity, you'll lose weight. This is basically just a common sense video. His comment on "getting up at 5am" is only bad if you're finding yourself skipping/being inconsistent. (And he says that in the video) Like for me, there's no way I could do cardio in the am, I've been a night owl my entire life so it would be very difficult to change my sleep pattern. Making muscle gains, losing weight is 100% consistency for weeks/months. It's all about finding a way to keep up a deficit without burning out and sticking to it.
@@annk-cz1086 I'm on a morning plan as well and have great results and it's also EASY. You don't have time to think or make excuses, your day hasn't even started yet. It's a fun way to get the day going and by 8am you're at work and have already won for the day. "Having to go workout hard" is tough mentally. But if you can get that in before your brain is even fully functioning, it's super easy and you can focus really well.
The best explanation of the myth of doing cardio for fat loss of ever on RUclips. I live in a large European city and walking, including stairs, strength training at the gym 2x per week, and occasional bike or hike is the best. When I lived in the US, I can't tell you how many times I would see people driving to the gym and spending time just looking for the closest parking space and then working on an elliptical or treadmill. Since the 80's all the cardio, fat-free, and listening to the advice from your doctor, has made people fatter then ever before.
My favourite cardio is bike riding and I would advice any person that has passed the "walking" phase to buy a Mountain or a road bike. With every ride you can easily pass 750+ Kcal without the amount of perceived effort that you would have by running or swimming. It is way more fun; the distances and the new places you can get to, the views that you can find, the adrenaline that you get by descend hills and mountains, the dopamine release that you get finding new views and spots around your area...just too good IMO Anyone can roll for 1-2-3 hours at 20 km/h and get out 20/30/40+ kms out of town to discover new places while burning a tons of calories. Beside that compared to running, you won't have as much stress on your knees, back and calves; the improvement curve is not as steep and recovery is easy as you can basically ride everyday if you want. Look at those retired 60/70/80 years old badasses riding 50+ km every sunday, riding400+ kms every month, every season...cycling is a real recipe for longterm health without too much stress. Damn, if you want you can even mount your bike to the back of your car, plan a route, drive a bit out of town and enjoy new places and roads without any efforts!! Go riding guys and then come to me :)))
A calorie deficit is a calorie deficit. However you can choose healthier ways of doing it and choose ways that compliment your training and lifestyle better.
I have always lost weight the fastest when I did daily cardio (walking, running, or cycling). My diet was still the most important part in my weight loss, but cardio certainly expedited things.
Thinking “I could lose even more if I do more cardio on top of more activity” is what kept me in an intense cardio-burnout cycle for years. Finding moderately intense activities I really like and just doing that is easily the way to go, as opposed to doing really intense cardio machines and then next to nothing else. Kind of embarrassing how long it took for that to click…
Started at 195lbs in February, I did 30 minutes of cardio at 7mph running (about 3.5 miles in 30 minutes), weightlifting, cutting junk from my diet. In 6 weeks I went from 195 to 175, I look better and feel better than ever
I started my fitness journey by taking a walk around the block and doing keto and IF. I cut out all the sugar and fast food. Walking and keto worked great for me. Now, I’m in the gym 7 days a week. Recovering addict/alcoholic and in recovery from PTSD. Exercise, diet change, and the gym have saved my life.
I believe in air bike warmup and elliptical bike supremacy no pressure on knees like running constant knee flexion with no lockout for both, elliptical burns a ton of calories without too much effort/intensity, and a crazy quad pump to get your ready for heavy knee flexion leg days.
Elliptical calorie trackers are more off than any other cardio equipment . You really think your burning more calories gliding on that and hardly breathing compared to a stair master when your huffing and puffin .
@@shmo8958 Elliptical training should be measured with your heart rate over time for an accurate read on calories burned. Most people don't push hard enough to even get the benefits of eliptical training let alone burn any calories on it. It's my favorite machine, but most people use it poorly. Stair climber isn't hard either if you're just content at a specific level, too. Most cardio machines have some sort of mechanical aid that you wouldn't otherwise get in nature. Intensity is key.
I do a lot of walking and cardio but not because I believe it'll burn more fat than weight training. I do it simply because I enjoy it, and whatever you enjoy doing - you will find the time and energy to do consistently.
Move your body. Add muscle. Two of the best things you can do, regardless of how you do it. Lift weights, go for a walk, go for a hike, do some rock climbing, go fishing done a long stretch of woods to a river, swimming, anything that gamifies it and makes it more fun for you. That is the best way to lose weight for anybody. What you're talking about is setting up relationships with working out, which is exactly why it fails, which is a great point to bring up in your video. Thanks for this video.
For me, going from not much cardio to regular low intensity sessions makes me noticeably less hungry and more energetic,to the extent that it drives a much more noticeable deficit than the 100 calories I burn daily from ten minutes on the elliptical. Of course, as I get deeper into a deficit, I’ll go up to 20-30 minutes, but my point is, once you have your diet and training in order, adding in a little cardio is a much more palatable option than taking away food
Great video. For me I’ve effortlessly lost the most fat from tracking my steps cutting out junk as mentioned. I do steady state cardio to build endurance & aerobic capacity.
I feel that if you never perform cardio at moderate and high intensity levels you miss out on all the positive physiological adaptations that it generates. I would personally still include some cardio at higher intensities, even if it means my NEAT ends up being lower on that day. I would end up with a similar deficit but a fitter heart and lungs. And some extra endorphins! 😜
Exactly. That's what I was going to say as well. It's definitely better healthwise to have spent those calories improving your heart, lungs, & even mental effects than it would be to not do cardio.
I remember waking up at 0400 to be in formation by 0430 to run 6+ miles a day in the Marines. 15 years later i truly understand and respect Rest. You make and have made solid content.
I am a physician and I counsel patients that if you think about it , gastric bypass patients don't wake up the day after surgery and say, "Let's go to the gym!." They lose weight/fat because of calorie deficit, period. Granted, they lose muscle early on , until they CAN eventually do some weight training. That said, I still believe cardio has it's cardiac benefits, apart from weight loss. And, as others have said in the comments, for some of us doing early morning cardio has some benefits for us mentally and jumpstarts the day. So if that works for you, do what works for you.
I get what you’re saying. However two things, I find cardio suppresses my appetite and allows me to eat more. Secondly, there has been nothing better for my mental health then cardio. That said, it’s best for me. I get decently lean every summer MTB’ing nearly daily.
Dr Mike, I'd love to see you do an analysis on fasting. I've heard a lot about GH boosting and such from fasting and I went from 230 lbs to 170 lbs by using a calorie deficit and a 24 hour fast every 3rd day for a few months.
The discipline of getting up earlier has wider dividends than than just the fat loss journey. I get a lot more done in the day with that kind of schedule. Plus lifting wakes me up in a way that caffeine could never offer.
I mean... do you though? Kind of stands to reason that you just shuffle around your productivity window, I know I have tried all manners of allocating my time, and it always ends up way too close to draw any conclusions. I mean, if it's your magic hour, sure, that should do the trick
@@minhuang8848 Yes. It’s anecdotal, but I’m not a morning person and this works for me really well. It also gives me time before work to wind down from the workout and get into a happy place mentally.
I enjoy the added mental fortitude that comes with running when I don’t want to. When I get done, I feel more accomplished having done something I didn’t really want to do. And that discipline tends to bleed over into other facets of my life - i.e diet. Do what works for you.
I get up at 4AM and run a 5k at 5AM, every day. Been doing it for 3 years. Doing that, changing my diet, and doing weight training, enabled me to lose 30 pounds in about 3 months, and keep it off.
Can confirm! I lost like 20 lbs in 2020-2021 by just learning about calories and applying it by eating lower calories, I was still a couch potato back then and still managed to lose a significant amount of weight. Edit - I lost more weight after, like 40 lbs now and am pretty much at maintenance, but I ofcourse had to be a bit more active to get there.
Yea, exercise will never make up for eating 1k extra calories that most people in the west tend to consume every day. There simply aren't enough hours in the day or energy in our bodies for that to work. The only solution is moderation for sure.
This video really put things into perspective for me, i usually do 15-20k steps at work and on my lunch I hit the gym doing weights for an hour. Then when I’m home I do an insanity workout tape while being on a diet. Im gonna cut out the cardio at home since I’m hitting a lot steps at work 5 days a week. When i was doing that life style I felt drained and destroyed. When the weekend hit (my rest days) I just laid in bed and didn’t want to do anything. Thank you for your video.
Last year, I did so much cardio to get down to 10% bodyfat. It was 30 minutes of medium intensity on the rogue air bike in the morning, then 1 hour of walking at a fast pace. I lost so much muscle. Luckily, after I switched back to maintenance I rebuilt all that lost muscle within a month...but it put me back a ton. This year, I am doing 0 intentional cardio but I'm lifting 2x as much (3 days a week last year versus 6 days a week this year). As I lose weight, I am noticing that each pound is basically entirely fat and it's making a massive difference. I'm going to be a good 10 lbs heavier at the same bodyfat the way my cut is trending this year. I can't wait till June to see where I'm at.
It almost sounds like you crashed your endocrine system which excess cardio and a big calorie deficit will do. I don't typically lose any muscle doing cardio and I do 60 minutes of cardio at 140-150bpm avg. And I keep my calories a little under my normal maintenance with zero sugar and still manage to lose 1.5-2lbs of fat a week. I don't need to lift as much as most people due to being a metal worker, too. It sounds like you're on a healthy recomp right now which is great, but I would really press trying to lift on the side of doing high cardio next time, too. Add in plenty of protien in to negate the potential muscle loss as well. I won't ever say you will not lose muscle or ever gain it (unless you're on gear.), but this is a great way to keep the muscle on while aggressively cutting.
@@Xeil you bring up some good points, but I'll clarify so that there is no misunderstanding for anyone reading. I don't know enough about the endocrine system to say if mine had crashed, but theres more to my weightloss than the assumption I chose to do cardio over lifting so I'll clarify. 1. I had a long recomp & weightloss phase before entering into my cut. My metabolism was already spotty going into the full cut. I started at 35% bodyfat, got down to around 18% then jumped into the cut. 2. I lifted for 3 days a week because I could not train legs (broken foot). Had I not, I would have lifted 5-6 days a week. 3. Starting my cut this year at peak bulk I was around 15% bodyfat (versus 18% last year coming down from 35% before that). With considerably more muscle from a nice lean bulk. 4. I haven't recomped at all this cut. Recomping only works if you're a beginner/new to weights, you are obese/overweight, or on performance enhancing drugs. Recomping after the beginner stage is a waste of time, and I don't reccomend it. 5. I've been lifting since 17, and now I'm 33. Took a hiatus when I tore my labrum for a few years, so I know exactly how to split my macros for performance but I appreciate you letting me know I need to eat enough protein!
I went from 235 to 185 with pretty much zero exercise, just keto and intermittent fasting. When you only eat 2 meals a day the calorie deficit is legit. Now im lifting to build some muscle while still on keto. I know carvs arent bad and i incorporate them at the right times, but keto does wonders for my ADHD. I feel SO focused and can acctualy get shit done. My brain just works better burning ketones vs glucose.
I'm an "Night Owl", I do US shifts in EU (2PM - 1030PM). I'm most active and energized when it's dark and I sleep almost every day until 11AM. Everything before that absolutely wrecks my rhythm. And yes, I've tried getting up early, had normal shifts (8AM - 430PM), they told me that my body will get used to it. It didn't ... not even after 8 years. So I do cardio at home on a treadmill almost every day at around 8PM instead of my "Lunch break". I have my dinner at around 930PM and then I do weights at midnight. Every other regime simply does not work for me. Find your sweet spot and it will be easier.
35 pounds down, no cardio except walking every other day and strength training 4x a week + calorie deficit and I love it 😊. Seeing really nice body recomposition too. 35 pounds to go!
My father is losing some weight and I can telling him that the main ingredient for the plan is his food consumption. But he insists on the treadmill twice a day for one hour each session, only to drink a few beers after work.
Cycling, mountain biking, hiking, rucking, HIIT training, and plyometric circuits are the best calorie burners for me. Also great for boosting my mental well being as well.
This is the most satisfying video about the topic I could have ever watched. I am a supporter of the don't do cardio until you are 50 but be active. I believe that doing cardio is for cardio (heart health) and it makes sense consistency in training cardio if you want to improve lungs and heart. I remember spending a whole year running around my city 3 times a week and I could see improvements especially with lung capacity and overall endurance. Topic that was hoping could be addressed better was water to drink during the day (keeping track and increasing really does a lot) and quality of sleep.
yeah I have a distinct dislike of high intensity cardio workouts , and jogging/ running. Though I do walk 10-13k steps a day so that counts. No more hiit cardio workouts or other awful cardio workouts like that 🤮
I'm a top walker on Samsung health. I average around 30,000 steps a day. I can easily out eat my activity. So easily basically without any effort. It's all about diet and calorie restriction. Cut out the junk food.
i use samsung health on my phone to track my steps as well and I average 10-13k steps a day so a lot less than you but still a lot more then the majority of Americans
Mornings are for me. I’m up before the sun nearly every day if my life, no alarm, loaded with energy. Meanwhile, I avoid parties like the plague because I’m pretty much useless after 10pm.
Everything you said makes sense to me. I’m doing heavy cardio right now for the first time in over a decade because I’m tired of getting winded every time I play sports for 2 minutes.
I'm in a similar place right now, and I kinda did what mentions to start losing weight, but that was months ago and it makes sense. What is mentioned here is great as a starting point as he mentions it "don't go into this planning on waking up at 5 am to get this done" or words to that effect, that never has worked for me before...however once you're on a fitness journey, it can take you to strange places. After being easily winded just like you, I fixed my diet, was happy I started losing weight and kept building from there, with a focus on, like he mentions, keeping it sustainable for the long term. I'm in a spot where 2 hours of tennis training will kick my ass for a day...but not for 3 days as before, and I'm back to "mini" activity sessions of intense for me activity (also tennis, here at home with a training device) to help get those steps in/activity in, mentioned in this video. ...and dang it I might actually join the 5 am run club once a week. I can't believe it lol.
I have lost 140 lbs since April 2023. I started by walking at 5:30am and what this did was help me lose weight for a period of time and get me addicted to getting fit. I started to hit a bit of a wall, so I decided to jog in the morning and now I've been non-stop jogging 5 times a week for at least 6 months. Would never have thought I would like to do that.
As a fighter I can 💯% say heavy bag and shadow boxing with light weights are the best forms of cardio/fat loss you can get. It works your entire body, helps you work on your breathing, builds strength/muscle, coordination and it's also soooo fun 😂
@@jaimeim18 yer rope jumping is also amazing cardio. It doesn't target as many muscles (hits calves heavily) or teach body mechanics as well though. Just not as good cardio either in the long run, your calves will fail before your cardio fails when jumping rope. With bag work your cardio OR whole body will fail with exhaustion lol.
@@JonBlack413 Long period, steady-state cardio has no causal connection to longevity or any benefit for heart health. Contrarily, done too much, it can dangerous. The cyclist's heart is a thing.
Though I agree with everything in this video there are three primary reasons cardio helped me with fat loss that were not mentioned: 1. Cardio helped me get to a base level of fitness where I was able to enjoy being more active. It is easier to get to base fitness with variable intensity beyond just walking. 2. Cardio provided a release valve to cut extra calories as desired. Want to cut an extra 1000 calories this week… give me an hour. 3. Learning to love a cardio based sport has led me to a sustainable active lifestyle and healthy weight for 4 years now; something I never thought was possible.
On a psychological level, outdoor long distance running has been a great tool for fat loss for me over the years. That style of running exposes weaknesses in the body and more important than the calories burned during each run, it changes my brain/mind in ways that result in being more motivated to get leaner because long distance running is easier the leaner you are. That said I like a muscular and full look so it's a balance. I do moderate the number of miles per week and per session to stay strong and explosive but in terms of helping my mindset this is a necessary aspect of leaning up for me.
As someone who knows how long it takes to burn 400 calories, I find it easier to skip the nightly PBJ. But I also do a 4 mile walk every day, and if that adds to my deficit then that's a good thing. But relying on movement with no focus on diet to lose body fat is a fool's errand. Also, cardio makes me seriously hungry.
Yea, food is 99% of your weight loss mission. It is a lot easier to eat 1600~ calories than it is to do cardio for 2 hours straight... and that still wouldn't equal just moderating your diet.
4:44 MOST Americans, MOST westerners do not do demanding physical work. MOST of us are sedentary office workers who drive there so what do they do if no cardio. Furthermore I highly doubt that most physical jobs have the average guy sweating off any excess weight because of the facts that you're trying to accomplish tasks not simply working for the exercise of it. Here you like most workers will find a way to do it more efficiently thereby not having to tucker yourself out as much. Even where it is hard work it is rarely sustained cardio activity hence no real loss. Work smarter NOT harder? Continue.
I agree dont set yourself up for failure running very early. My friend always told me run at the part of your day your more motivated and free. Years later im still doing cardio 5 times a week.
I really like that this doctor mentions that there is no additional benefit to waking up early to run or workout. For years I was sleep deprived and couldn’t lose weight. I started working with a trainer who changed the workout schedule to a time that was too early for me. I was groggy during the first half of my hour workout and just felt like I was not getting the most out of it. I finally decided to start training on my own at a time that would work for me and I saw BETTER results than when I worked with a trainer. Sleep is key and I have prioritized that and my overall health is better now than when I was working out early in the morning.
![Twenty One Pilots - The Line (from Arcane Season 2) [Official Audio]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/XCz7WUotXs8/mqdefault.jpg)
Walking. Walking legit was the best thing I started doing. Expending energy, enjoying the outside, mentally it helped me out so much, and negligible fatigue to manage.
I'm changing my walking habits also especially on the weekends. Doing 30mins of walking also including chores/errands etc gets me around the 10k mark.
Try bike riding but be careful...it's highly addicting XD
@@zephyrfpv9871 one of my old employers keeps trying to get me into bike riding. She switched from running super marathons to biking. I think I'll stick to the walks though.
@@stenmin1234 You can do both XD
I might be wrong but I feel like you have to ride long in order to burn a fewer calories, but running does more
Cardio is for your heart. That's why it's called cardio. It's just as important as weight training. I'm tired of each side attacking each other. You need both.
What is essentially being said here is that Cardio is not essential to fat loss. You burn fat in your normal activities and reducing your daily calorie intake. Mike never said Cardio was bad for you. He's simply pointing out that it's not necessary for fat loss. And for those who are just starting out on their fitness journey it's really easy to get burned out if you've just exhausted yourself with your lifting program and then go do 30 minutes of what seems like mindless Cardio right after. His message is that fat loss comes from nutrition routine and not 4 hours on a treadmill every day. You can't outwork a poor diet.
It isall True, but some people do heavy training to gain muscles. After the training the drive home an feel nice fatigue. During training ( say deadlift and or benchpress and so one)they will burn also calorys during he period Afterwards. But there is an other benefit to do cardio , cardio on a low level.
The Item is LDL or say bad cholesterol. Doing cardio ( or walking / bikeride) will clear the arteries. Its not all about weightloss. Even skinny people can have bad cholestorol . So there can be an extra reason to do cardo as well. Cardio with a moderest heart beat is better for the ldl.
A lot of people will do primarily cardio to lose weight, and they end up skinny fat, and that isn't healthy, either. You need a balance of cardio and resistance training. You can go back 2,500 years or more, and the Greeks were training pretty much the same way we do now, with cardio and resistance training. You need to build muscle to do more and lift more and be more functional, even for stability. You need cardio for your heart and nervous system, and your VO2. Healthy heart, lungs, brain, and muscles. You could lose fat/weight just by eating a healthy diet and doing any kind of exercise that creates a caloric deficit, but really you should have a balance. I've seen people just lose fat through nutrition, but I don't see that as good, either.
Heart attacks are mainly caused by high cholesterol, clogged arteries, and high blood pressure due to long term poor food choices. Lifting weights gets your heart rate up too! What u eat is super important that supports how u train.
@@demoen87 what’s happening here is someone who is about building muscles is encouraging people to ignore the most important one.
But also, the inclusion of regular cardio sessions through the week that are at least moderate intensity only improve your overall health outcomes. Don't think of it as a way to lose fat only, it's simply just good for your life.
It totally is, and that's a great point. - Dr. Mike
👏👏👏
Absolutely Judge, specifically find something you enjoy and will stick to though. The issue is when people say "I must", "I should", "My mates said". Then you can get those health outcomes without even thinking about it. I love hitting the beach. ⛱ 🌊
This is bodybuilding. We don’t care about being healthy or alive; we care about proving banal facts such as the existence of thermodynamics, and dying at 43 of a coronary.
@@HkFinn83 Cause biceps is more important than the heart but ofc everyone knows that.
this mans voice is easily digestable. unlike voices of many other fitness & health "gurus"... plus points mikey!
The wolf guy, I think it's the wolf guy I'm thinking of. Tall, olive skinned, beard; super good info but I find myself rewinding five times every minute. His voice is so hard to focus on. He has a weird cadence and a weird stutter or accent that I just can't attend to.
Don't do Greg dirty like that 😂
He's a rare combination of brains and brawn, a brawny guy can say they need something but dont have the skill or even imagination to make stuff and someone who has those skills might not know what the brawny guy needs, this guy can do both
300 pounds in April. Started doing keto, fasting, and lifting weights 3 times a week and walking, and I'm at 198 today starting to look muscular. Weight lifting has been crucial
Congratulations friend! Was at 190 last summer. Currently at 160 now trying to gain muscle!
Good job man 😁
@@IridescentW Lol might be pathetic but Id still be able to beat your ass buddy. Barely any loose skin at all. Life happens to people. Enjoy being a miserable cock sucker. You'll get what's coming to ya, loser.
@zBorderPatrol
Cool story bro. I'm constantly teetering between "aw damn I gotta take care of myself" and "fuck it, I literally do not care if I wake up tomorrow" repeat for 2 decades and you're 370 at 28
@@IridescentW how do you neglect having empathy? Id rather be overweight than be you any day and I'm sure you feel the same way. You're on here commenting bullshit to someone's who trying to change and for some reason, you want to hurt them. think about that and whos more pathetic 😂 cant fix a rotten brain, its with you for life
The best thing I ever did on my physical training journey was to make sleep a top priority. For six months I’ve been working to get good at sleep. The results are truly amazing. EVERYTHING is better and easier.
Absolutely..sleep is the foundation of good health, muscle growth, weight loss, and appetite control. Too many people neglect their sleep these days. I also believe that daily fasting is a major factor in achieving good health. Good sleep makes fasting much easier because it regulates ghrelin, the hunger hormone. People who don't prioritize sleep have a very difficult time fasting or losing weight because of constant hunger and cravings that result from an increase in ghrelin. I wish you good health and great sleep.
We hear it all the time but I can see it in all my watch data trends. It’s undeniable.
What was your trick to sleep better?
@@kc0jhs1 my sleep hygiene includes getting atleast 30 to 60 minutes of sun exposure for my eyes during the day. Also, I make sure to have plenty of potassium during the day as well as magnesium during the night. I keep my bedroom as cold as possible as well as dark. I try to do a workout everyday that includes an hour of weight training. Having optimal vitamin d and testosterone has also played a role in good sleep for me. Hope this help. Almost forgot to mention that I use a loud fan in my bedroom within a couple feet from my head to drown out any potential noise that could wake me up.
@@kc0jhs1 just 7-9 hours per day (whatever feels right) and same bed/ wake up time everyday if possible. I’ve made it a priority, but I’m still working on being able to have a regular bed time. Anyway It feels so good to get enough sleep that I can’t ever think about running on less now
I went from 213lbs to 175lbs just by walking on an inclined treadmill for an hour a day while watching Netflix on my phone after lifting. It wasn’t that hard on me really. No fatigue or anything like that. Had more energy than ever. Of course, diet was the most important factor for success in that scenario, as always.
I’m doing this now! How long did it take to see results?
@@missynnifer it took only about a month to see clear results, but between 3-4 months from where I started to where I ended up.
Max Incline and what, 3 - 3.5 mph? 70% MHR?
@@Neonknight77 around 3 mph, some times a bit less some times a bit more depending on energy levels. I work a physical job too atm so that helps a bit.
You need cardio for your heart, it's the best thing for your heart. Makes zero sense not to do it
I think a lot of people turn to cardio because its just what they know. Really hard to mess up getting on a treadmill and walking. I was SO intimidated by the gym that I did home workouts for the longest time then when I was about 60 pounds lighter, I went to the gym and just got on the cardio equipment to build my comfort level in the gym. Then I slowly worked my way into the platform area doing compound lifts and FINALLY breached the "bro area" with the free weights. Now I walk in like I own the damn place. 💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽
🤣 nice!
First of all, I think that's spot on. So many people end up spinning wheels or doing needless stuff just sticking to what they are comfortable with. Secondly, big props for your journey and I'm really glad you're now in the weight room getting your swole on! - Dr. Mike
You used progressive overload to get over anxiety, that’s amazing!
@@yoeyyoey8937 lol she sure did!
That's great. I used coaches to help ease me into it. I said one day, "so can we go into the big boys area today?" Yesterday I added 20 lbs to my deadlift on my own.
I work overnight security and I love how I'm going towards 13000 steps while listening to this 😅 I'll be enjoying yummies tonight, so more indoor walking awaits. Merry Christmas 🎄❤
Same here
Same boat
I do mobile night patrol, I could walk around the neighborhood im posted at but I prefer to keep my kit not smelling too bad in the texas humidity lmao, plus I genuinely have to be mobile, the car jackers here have already tried breaking into my own personal car and I was only away for 2 minutes, my co worker posted to a specific house came out with his skorpion n scared em away lmao
Female security? Do you work at a day care?
I've been shedding noticeably more fat since I started running for 15 mins after my weight routines. I feel a lot better overall with the cardio included.
You do literally have to find what works for you. If you're hating your workouts it's best to change it up rather than to quit all together.
Antidotes=cringe
@zacharia4061
ALL science started with anecdote .
Nothing "cringe" about it
What's "cringe" is not knowing the difference between "antidote " and "anecdote" and not being smart enough to do a simple Google search to find the correct spelling.
@@SuperSteelSteve it’s a RUclips comment and you understood what I was trying to say so why spell check when the goal of portraying the author of being cringe for using a personally story was conveyed successfully.
@@zacharia4061
It wasn't misspelled, it was a completely different word.
Your not very bright.
Maybe stay off the internet
@@SuperSteelSteve ok and
The one thing I’ve noticed is if I burn 500 calories during cardio, vs calories of just not eating, I feel better doing the cardio version because I’m still eating the same quantity of food . Cardio for me just means I can eat more food and still lose weight
You're 100% better off working out and eating your baseline calories than just caloric deficit and no cardio. Cardio strengthens your heart, and your body gets more efficient in managing 02 levels. Your body will thank you when you grow older. Weight lifting tones your body, but for longevity, cardio is top game.
@@babatundeolowu but cardio reduces your weight set point by forcing your body to adapt
@@babatundeolowuseems everyone forgot about cardiovascular health.
Agreed. I'm little (5'2") so when I want to get really lean and dip below 110 lbs, I have to make the decision to either drop calories or add in a bit of cardio. I always choose the cardio, as my calories are already so low to begin with. I also find adding a bit of cardio helps suppress my appetite; not entirely sure why.
U just have to be careful when u r not working out.
Cardio is for my mind. I just can't think on days I skip it. No other reason needed. Start of my day cardio (not early morning, nothing that cuts out sleep) is the only thing keeping my brain sane all day.
I use cardio to create a deficit that enables me to take in more food/nutrients. I don’t like feeling hungry
That is the whole point. Im 230lb solid muscle. I need lotta protein and other nutrients. I burn 450cal on stair master 4-5 times a week. And i can eat whatever i want still lose weight xD
most people will eat in a 500 calorie deficit but that is too steep for me I prefer to eat about 200 calories below maintenance and then make up the rest in exercise throughout the day I am now aiming for about 13k steps a day. I have this thing about not eating under 2,000 calories day I think the average about 2100 calories a day currently, the thought of dipping below 2000 calories makes me want to binge.
That’s me exactly. I like to eat, but if I just lift weights and eat like I do I tend to carry some belly fat. When I add some pretty light running in, I can eat like I like, to where I feel strong, but not have to drag around a little belly
@@a-terrible-fate532 I think the 500cal deficits are only for a specific audience, as a 5’3 girl with a maintenance of 1400cals or so I’d starve 😅
Ha. I've started running every day on top of weights so I can eat more. Win win 🎉
I love cardio and weight training both... I abused my body for years with over eating and no exercise...now that I'm getting better my body has absolutely amazed me with what it can do....I regret not doing the things I'm doing now...
If anyone is wanting to get better.... start now...its hard at first, but it does get better.... you'll feel so much better ❤️
I have started going to the gym right after work (I’m a teacher so I work 7:30-3:30) and just picking up my kids at 5. I’m going a month strong with only 4 rest days and have been loving it.
Cardio, has always been my first passion before I even started lifting weights and in my time in the military I was able to learn more about myself in those grueling long distance runs. However, overtime, I learned that I needed a balance in my life with weight lifting and cardiovascular activities to achieve my goals as a pure athlete.
Cardio or whatever fitness you desire should be fun and not forced. Shalom, hope everyone stay blessed!
Thing is, those disciplines are perfectly complementing each other. Especially if you're dealing with somewhat repetitive stress and beginning ligament troubles, free weights or any gym bro routine, really, will get rid of so, so many tiny boo-boos and bigger problems folks are struggling with. As a huge cardio lover, I'd still have to give lifting the point for "most important." You don't really suffer for having a (still potentially very decent) lifter's cardiovascular fitness, but doing lots of cardio and not strengthening your body with the bare minimum of weight exercises... that's something I'd never get back to, and a huge chunk of top-tier athletes agrees with that sentiment for a reason.
I need cardio to maintain my weight, so that's a toss-up in my book. I could do just pure fasted deficit, but I'd also hate myself for having to eat half a regular restaurant meal's portion as the only real food per day. Let me grind out 1600 kcal on my bikes, as long as I get a huge plate, I can put away a deficit of 600-800 kcal... if I really needed or wanted to. I could probably do way better still if I didn't always revert to food-vacuum-cleaner mode once i smell my cardamom infused rice, but if it works, I guess it works.
I like adding easily removable carbs into my bulking diet, so when I start a cut I can just take them out of my diet. For example, for breakfast, I have added 2 pieces of toast with jelly which totals around 250 calories. Removing that plus my dessert and I am in a 500 calorie deficit. Add some extra walking, and the weight falls off.
Ok dog
It's perfect. In my case I remove the afternoon snack and add a 40m uphill walking. I love that simplicity and order: "Gym things" are clear and rewarding... the struggle is out there!
Very smart 💡
This is pretty much how/why I stick to a low-carb lifestyle. Folk who just slam SAD style balanced diets ALWAYS struggle with their caloric intake. If you just by default exist in a "carbs as needed' domain, you can more easily add/subtract them.
@@interspacer4277 gotta get that pump though bra. I’m downing 400 g carbs a day maintaining 10-12% bf. Everyone is different though. Hit your total calories, enough protein, fill in the rest. I just do better in the gym with more carbs and fat around 80g.
God I wish I saw this when I was doing my first fat loss phase. I ended up cutting calories to an all-time low, adding 45 mins of cardio after my weight-training ON TOP of a relatively physical job. Needless to say I lost a lot of weight, of which was partly MUSCLE mass that I very much would’ve liked to keep. Not only that, it made my cut so unbearably exhausting it made life unenjoyable. Now I’m glad I don’t have to waste time by doing endless cardio on my next minicut soon.
Arghhghgh. Man if I kept track of all the dumb shit I've done over the years, holy cow. You're here now, though, and in the know! - Dr. Mike
I probably should do cardio but I don't and do weights every day. Fat loss is just a calorie deficit which i do by tweaking the carbs down.
I just happened on this gentleman's youtube channel. I like his approach. Direct, non-judgemental, and informative. This video really helped me shape how I'm gonna proceed. Thank you!
🎉Oh my God this explains what have been struggling with for years. I've not been lazy I've been doing too much cardio and not had energy to do much housekeeping.
I love early morning runs !
Works for me.
Went from 240 pounds down to a lean 190 in less than a year.
If something works for you then keep doing it.
Cardio is also extremely important for your cardiovascular health and I also find I crave a lot less junk foods. 😊
Same here
Also it’s about the mood it sets for the rest of the day. You feel great and it puts you on this placebo where you feel like conquering the world
@@bill_the_butcherand cardio adds to the deficit…..
@@ryankernutt5390 Negligible, and it tends to make you more hungry as a result of the extra expenditure which can spell disaster if your diet isn't adequate. Cardio is important, but it's important for cardiovascular health, not weight loss
Same I used to hate it I actually love it even though I haven’t been doing it for weeks recently lol. But when I was doing it it feels so good
This guy is a body builder. All of his advice is about muscle growth. Cardio gets you good at cardio. Which is a good thing.
Cardio is basically around us-if you can walk that’s cardio. Bodybuilder or not.
He’s saying for fat loss in general cardio is not important. If your goal is cardio that’s different. Think you missed the point.
Information like this saved my fat loss a year ago. I was so set on starting weight lifting AND doing that Insanity cardio program AND losing 40lbs of weight simultaneously. WTF I totally bought all the Hollywood bs about getting up early/chicken and rice, too. I was convinced you needed to 'burn off' the fat and that the caloric deficit wouldn't be good enough. Thank God about one month into dieting I discovered Jeff Nippard and consequently RP (plus Geoffrey Verity Schofield) and have never felt better about my training.
Finally a short clip podcast I enjoy. After years someone makes a good jam packed one. Nice easy voice to listen to and you're very clear.
Dr. Mike, you are underrated….3:20 “make up for it by being lazy” the depth of what you mean by that is epic…. probably went right over a lot of folks’ head
To clarify….if I understand that correctly, I think what you mean is if you do cardio in excess and cut calories in excess, then being lazy is potentially anabolic
Thanks Dr. Mike. Another one of your videos that I wished I had watched sooner. "Exercise fatigue" is so real! At the start of summer, I upped my 1.5 mile swim (3 x's per week) to 2 miles. I needed a nap and was useless the rest of the day. Going back to 1.5 miles, I no longer need a nap and spend the afternoon on home improvement project. Much more productive and more calories burnt. Thanks again !
Getting a step tracker made me realize how little steps I get on a diet phase. Bumped up my steps and have been getting better results
Hell yeah. That's great!
Step trackers are AMAZING. Charly Joung talked me into one a few years back, and it's like the best thing that ever happened to me. - Dr. Mike
@@RenaissancePeriodization Hey Mike, any good suggestion for an app based step tracker?
The #1 thing is planned and structured diet, because the only way for your body to burn fat is to use it as energy. Basically, you need to eat below your energy maintenance level (in terms of calories) and your fat cells will be used to compensate the missing energy (calories). That's how your body works. There are other things to consider as well, such as hormonal status, diseases... but caloric deficit is a must. You have a lot of online diet planners and calculators: Next Level Diet for example (I am not an affiliate 😁). Losing/gaining weight is just a simple math, really...
Is it really a simple math though? Calories in depend on a lot of other factors, such as the bioavailability of the food, your digestive efficiency, etc. Calories out also depends on a lot of factors, such as your metabolism, activity level, genetics, etc. Also if you are building more muscle it would alter the equation. So, I wouldn't call it "simple" math, since we can never be sure of the parameters themselves.
I agree. Nutrition is simple.
If you measure & count macros you’ll be in a much better place.
Problem is it’s freaking hard to follow a diet lmfao.
It is simple. Calories burned is a hidden variable that you can estimate based on how much weight you are gaining/losing based on your current diet
@@conworldus8310 .......it is that simple. All you said are things to consider to make the most accurate number of calories you need to maintain or lose weight, but the result is the same... Calories in vs calories out.
i aid my calorie deficit with cardiio
I love early morning weight lifting with 30 mins of moderate cardio at the end.
He just said cardio after lifting limits growth response. Do you love it enough to loose half your gains or do you just lift for fun ?
@@macsattic7155 your thoughts and feelings are valid. Thanks for sharing.
I do the oposite, i do cardio for 30 min before weight lifting, i use it to warm up.
@xxn0cturn3xx I used to do exactly the same- cardio before weights. Both ways work for me.
I weight train 5 days a week. And three of those sessions after my weight trains I do 45 minute walk uphill on the treadmill. And it's definitely helped me leaning out while adding muscle
When I was 28 I lost 60 pounds after a bad divorce by just dieting, lifting and playing soccer once a week. Now that I'm 39 I added cardio just for heart health and longevity. The older I get the harder lifting has become with recovery.
Try calisthenics
Try TRT.
@@joshfisher6547 I don't want to get on it too soon because once you do it's hard to get off. I was going to wait until I'm closer to 50.
im 38 i train 6 days a week heavy weights recovery is fine, i can train everyday
@@promo130 well Ive been doing for 10 years straight. It takes a toll.
Thanks for the info but as Dr. Mike said in the video I just like running. I not only do it for fat loss I also do it to increase my endurance, and improve my mood and mental health.
Im almost 100% sure that Dr. Mike knows this because he is one of the most knowledgeable people I've seen on fitness and diet but there are a lot of other benefits to cardio other than fat loss. And all of those other reasons are why I like to do cardio.
I can relate to "over" cardio so much. I cycle to and from work 5 days a week which is at minimum 8 miles per day and I walk at minimum 10k steps a day. On a Wednesday at the gym I ran 1 mile on the treadmill which took 10 mins and Thursday I upped the pace and did a mile in 8 mins. Come Friday I was fucked and the cycling for work was gruelling and simple things like standing up felt like a gym session.
Hey Dr Mike. I'm 46 now, was slim and toned my entire life. I was a runner in my 20's (never ran at 5am fuck that), and did lots of yoga and calisthenics most my life.
During covid I got lazy and began eating when bored and stressed. My weight gain was so quick, no joke. I just kept putting working out and dieting aside, and kept gaining weight.
I ended up 240, after being 170-190 my entire life. Brutal. Now, here's what I'm doing and it's working great.
I cut my calorie intake, cut sugar/fats/junk, upped protein intake and fiber, and do a push-pull-legs resistance workout program. I walk at night or light jog some nights 2-3 miles.
My energy levels have gone up ,a few pounds have been shed slowly ...but it's happening. Anything you can recommend to up the loss quicker would be much appreciated.
Calories in calories out main fat loss will be by ur diet, my dad lost 33lbs in a month from just eating low calorie salmon rice and veggies. So that's the main thing, exercise will work too for strength and size but the main key is just consistency.
I started new years with buying a dumbbell set and a bench to workout at home, on my I think 7th or 8th week and my shirts as starting to fit better thou one was too tight 😅 reaching my goals for the summer just gotta keep at it you'll eventually get the results u want
I appreciate that brother. Thanks
@@TheGintama86
I’ve been lifting for 10 years. Fitness is my tool used for decompressing. I like the muscles, no doubt. Each has it’s result. I work at a desk; so I will start each workout with a moderate pace incline walk. I read my bible and this helps to get my heart going for a good workout. “Gets me in the zone”. I will mix in some long runs for the decompression effect of a long week or stresses in my life. I mix in weights in that mix.
I look at it as medicine.
Hard week=Run
Walk before workout=pre workout
Weight lifting=strength/mind discipline
The ONLY reason I do cardio is to avoid becoming a statistic at my job, and so I can actually do the work. Otherwise it's weightlifting all day, baby! I also knew this was not true because I once lost 33 pounds just making before food choices (way before I was into fitness).
I love early morning runs and early Saturday morning bike rides.
I’m convinced everyone who disregards running as great exercise for fat loss or general weight loss is just bad at it and scared of getting better at it. Lift weights, go for runs, eat right and be active and the rest will work itself out.
Running is not a good cardio workout because you might pull something if you don’t stretch then you can’t run anyway
@@Realism215-ku1cm the same could be said for literally any other exercise. Like any other exercise, warmup/cooldown is important and you should only work within what you’re physically capable of. There’s risk involved with every exercise. Piss poor excuse…
I totally agree. I have been an avid runner since my late teens and I am now in my mid 40's. I have never been overweight. I also have a lot of energy and I do chores and clean the house after a run. I eat a plant based diet. Running/cardio is good for stress relief and helps me sleep better. I stretch everyday and I have never had any injuries from running. Pushups and pull-ups everyday with some weight lifting 3 times a week. Cardio has a lot of benefits. I have always looked at running as an exercise in self discipline.
Another stupid comment
The rule of thumb is that the best workout is the one you'll stick with. Some people absolutely hate running. I hate what I call "idle running" and I just feel terrible doing it. If I'm running on a treadmill or street, then all I can think of is how bored I am, the chest pain, leg pain, knee pain, headache, etc. Put me in a sport, and I'll run for hours.
Honestly my in fitness priorities:
1) good Sleep
2) Food calories deficit
3) Exercises cardio + weight training.
I have incorporated cardio training since a month or so, 45 minutes on the gym bike or squash. Best thing I've ever done.
My stamina has become better and don't get fatigued as quickly when I do weight training or walking up the stairs. It improved my sleep tremendously and it gets rid of stress like nothing else.
Maybe you shouldn't do cardio for fat loss, but for many other important reasons.
I work from home and recently started walking outside 3xweek for 1-1.5 hours as an enjoyable way to get my cardio in. I was surprised at the changes-I was already lean but now I'm shredded. Easy af
I can absolutely relate to that. Walking is really underestimated by most people, including people in the fitness industry. You can get some sun and fresh air, relax your mind a bit or listen to some podcast/audiobook, and burn a few hundred calories without noticing. It doesn´t add much fatigue and can really benefit you a lot. Only potential downside is the time. But it´s time well spent - especially when you are so stressed that you "don´t have time for that".
walking for an hour you only burn 300 calories
@@promo130 But is it better to walk outside or on a treadmill ? Is there a difference ?
Is is better to walk outside or on a treadmill ? Is there a difference ? or same results ? same calories ?
@@promo130
Depends on your weight. Try walking uphill if you weigh 220+ lbs and see if it is only 300 calories.
When we got our dog during covid we bought trackers to monitor the change in our walking.
I'm still a gym rat but ive had 3 lower spinal operations and struggle with impact.
We take our dog out on a brisk countryside walk for an hour, twice a day.
We cover over 40 additional miles weekly, thousands of calories burnt. Its got so many benefits.
I think at last look weve walked about 4000 miles we wouldn't have.
Good pooch.
I love this video. I recently hit a plateau after losing 20 lbs I was doing the spin bike at home for an hour along with taebo and I course cut my calories and eat more clean. Now I can't get past the 20 lbs you're right once I do all that cardio I don't want to do much for the rest of the day. Thank you
You might have hit your natural healthy size
2 years ago, but eternal advice. I love the succinct, accurate, and candid guidance.
I like your channel. I've been working out since I was 11. I'm 43 now and still doing it. I can now forward your vids instead of explaining to people.
My personal experience is: I lost a bit of fat with cardio... Then I got injured with strenght training, then I dieted and lost a ton of fat and developed a ton of muscle with strenght and resitance training.
Just so you know, some of us love cardio. And there are other reasons to go for an early morning run: peace, quiet, dog walking, letting your mind go (some of our best ideas come to us here). I am not one to run in the AM, though. Morning cardio is usually a swim with my crew a few times a week (and we work it hard!). Some of us love to compete and race and train for best performance. We don't look at it as cardio. It's training. We might not carry as much muscle bulk as you but we have functional strength to support the work we need or want to do. The muscles we have aren't for aesthetics, they're for functionality. And we eat more than most of the other people we know.
...if you have a team and you swim with them, with some of them even competing and love working out plus as you said you're fit... I don't think these comments are aimed at you.
I am an outlier and I know it but I also think that trainers and supposed experts who downplay the importance of cardio and even scoff at it are giving people something to point to as a reason to avoid even trying. If people don't get out of their comfort zone, they might never find a fitter way forward. Heck, if you give people tacit permission to avoid cardio, they might just avoid it without even trying. And they might be missing out on some really great stuff.
@@jettom17
Thanks Mike. I needed this video. Recently increased my cardio by a lot to train for a 5k and was beginning to let my diet slip. This is why I subbed.
For me cardio is the way to warm up at the beginning of training. Also I'm sure that cardio has something to do with hormones in a positive way and stay healthy at the same time.
I just started the stepmill, walking 50 floors everyday. As someone who has neglected my aerobic fitness pretty much forever, it is absolutely kicking my ass. But I love it. I feel so much better. And I am burning fat and losing weight too. I don't know all the science stuff about weight loss, but this step mill walking is burning the weight off.
I think adding cardio would be good if you’re otherwise sedentary with an office job. Otherwise you’ll be starving yourself on 1700-ish calories and in my opinion would set you up for failure more than just doing some cardio.
Agreed! - Dr. Mike
I work for a moving company as a mover and I have been losing weight for 3.5 months now on 1500-1600 calories a day~. I just go high protein and I have been gaining muscle mass and strength by doing pull ups, push ups, dips and misc things like leg raises, calf raises and squatting (low weight, don't have access to barbell).
If you have fat to burn, then your body can feed itself so long as you provide the nutrients you need on the side. Only when you have virtually no fat to lose will you ever be at risk of truly harming your own body (again, so long as you sustain through proper nutrition).
Been on 1500-1800 calories super sustainable cutting is so easy
The 5am wake up and workout actually worked great for me. Sets up your day amazingly. You just go to sleep earlier and gradually shift your routine rather than going from 8am wake up to 5am overnight.
Exactly lol
Exactly!! I called BS on this in the fist dang couple minutes. Only hard thing that makes running at 5am (before I work at 6:30am) is that toward winter the sunrise isn't until much later in the morning forcing me to adjust when I run. Running in the morning (3-4 miles outdoor) does not ruin me for the day and I typically do a fast paced walk in the evening to get a couple more miles with my kids.
Cardio is a must!
@@ljshoreslokalHe's not saying cardio is bad or unnecessary, just that it literally doesn't matter if you're in a deficit either through diet or otherwise.
If you have a great diet and weight train + have moderate, consistent activity, you'll lose weight.
This is basically just a common sense video. His comment on "getting up at 5am" is only bad if you're finding yourself skipping/being inconsistent. (And he says that in the video) Like for me, there's no way I could do cardio in the am, I've been a night owl my entire life so it would be very difficult to change my sleep pattern.
Making muscle gains, losing weight is 100% consistency for weeks/months. It's all about finding a way to keep up a deficit without burning out and sticking to it.
I wake up at 3:50 AM, go to gym, start WO arround 4:40AM, and start work at 6AM. Crazy for SB, for me works very well😊
@@annk-cz1086 I'm on a morning plan as well and have great results and it's also EASY. You don't have time to think or make excuses, your day hasn't even started yet. It's a fun way to get the day going and by 8am you're at work and have already won for the day. "Having to go workout hard" is tough mentally. But if you can get that in before your brain is even fully functioning, it's super easy and you can focus really well.
I do cardio EVERYDAY, I lift EVERYDAY, I sleep EVERYDAY, I eat EVERYDAY = LIFESTYLE
Appreciated this video, nice to watch a simple genuine down to earth truthful video about someone’s journey that didn’t overcomplicate things.
The best explanation of the myth of doing cardio for fat loss of ever on RUclips. I live in a large European city and walking, including stairs, strength training at the gym 2x per week, and occasional bike or hike is the best. When I lived in the US, I can't tell you how many times I would see people driving to the gym and spending time just looking for the closest parking space and then working on an elliptical or treadmill. Since the 80's all the cardio, fat-free, and listening to the advice from your doctor, has made people fatter then ever before.
My favourite cardio is bike riding and I would advice any person that has passed the "walking" phase to buy a Mountain or a road bike. With every ride you can easily pass 750+ Kcal without the amount of perceived effort that you would have by running or swimming. It is way more fun; the distances and the new places you can get to, the views that you can find, the adrenaline that you get by descend hills and mountains, the dopamine release that you get finding new views and spots around your area...just too good IMO
Anyone can roll for 1-2-3 hours at 20 km/h and get out 20/30/40+ kms out of town to discover new places while burning a tons of calories.
Beside that compared to running, you won't have as much stress on your knees, back and calves; the improvement curve is not as steep and recovery is easy as you can basically ride everyday if you want. Look at those retired 60/70/80 years old badasses riding 50+ km every sunday, riding400+ kms every month, every season...cycling is a real recipe for longterm health without too much stress.
Damn, if you want you can even mount your bike to the back of your car, plan a route, drive a bit out of town and enjoy new places and roads without any efforts!! Go riding guys and then come to me :)))
What if you live in Kansas?
A calorie deficit is a calorie deficit. However you can choose healthier ways of doing it and choose ways that compliment your training and lifestyle better.
I have always lost weight the fastest when I did daily cardio (walking, running, or cycling). My diet was still the most important part in my weight loss, but cardio certainly expedited things.
Same here.
Thinking “I could lose even more if I do more cardio on top of more activity” is what kept me in an intense cardio-burnout cycle for years. Finding moderately intense activities I really like and just doing that is easily the way to go, as opposed to doing really intense cardio machines and then next to nothing else. Kind of embarrassing how long it took for that to click…
Started at 195lbs in February, I did 30 minutes of cardio at 7mph running (about 3.5 miles in 30 minutes), weightlifting, cutting junk from my diet. In 6 weeks I went from 195 to 175, I look better and feel better than ever
I started my fitness journey by taking a walk around the block and doing keto and IF. I cut out all the sugar and fast food. Walking and keto worked great for me. Now, I’m in the gym 7 days a week. Recovering addict/alcoholic and in recovery from PTSD. Exercise, diet change, and the gym have saved my life.
I believe in air bike warmup and elliptical bike supremacy no pressure on knees like running constant knee flexion with no lockout for both, elliptical burns a ton of calories without too much effort/intensity, and a crazy quad pump to get your ready for heavy knee flexion leg days.
Elliptical calorie trackers are more off than any other cardio equipment . You really think your burning more calories gliding on that and hardly breathing compared to a stair master when your huffing and puffin .
@@shmo8958 Elliptical training should be measured with your heart rate over time for an accurate read on calories burned. Most people don't push hard enough to even get the benefits of eliptical training let alone burn any calories on it. It's my favorite machine, but most people use it poorly. Stair climber isn't hard either if you're just content at a specific level, too. Most cardio machines have some sort of mechanical aid that you wouldn't otherwise get in nature. Intensity is key.
@@Xeil I hope heart rate has nothing to do with energy output because i have a really slow one , resting rate is 45 avg beats a min.
Life is to short to run through it.
I do a lot of walking and cardio but not because I believe it'll burn more fat than weight training. I do it simply because I enjoy it, and whatever you enjoy doing - you will find the time and energy to do consistently.
Move your body. Add muscle. Two of the best things you can do, regardless of how you do it. Lift weights, go for a walk, go for a hike, do some rock climbing, go fishing done a long stretch of woods to a river, swimming, anything that gamifies it and makes it more fun for you. That is the best way to lose weight for anybody. What you're talking about is setting up relationships with working out, which is exactly why it fails, which is a great point to bring up in your video. Thanks for this video.
For me, going from not much cardio to regular low intensity sessions makes me noticeably less hungry and more energetic,to the extent that it drives a much more noticeable deficit than the 100 calories I burn daily from ten minutes on the elliptical. Of course, as I get deeper into a deficit, I’ll go up to 20-30 minutes, but my point is, once you have your diet and training in order, adding in a little cardio is a much more palatable option than taking away food
Great video. For me I’ve effortlessly lost the most fat from tracking my steps cutting out junk as mentioned. I do steady state cardio to build endurance & aerobic capacity.
I feel that if you never perform cardio at moderate and high intensity levels you miss out on all the positive physiological adaptations that it generates. I would personally still include some cardio at higher intensities, even if it means my NEAT ends up being lower on that day. I would end up with a similar deficit but a fitter heart and lungs. And some extra endorphins! 😜
Exactly. That's what I was going to say as well. It's definitely better healthwise to have spent those calories improving your heart, lungs, & even mental effects than it would be to not do cardio.
I remember waking up at 0400 to be in formation by 0430 to run 6+ miles a day in the Marines. 15 years later i truly understand and respect Rest.
You make and have made solid content.
I am a physician and I counsel patients that if you think about it , gastric bypass patients don't wake up the day after surgery and say, "Let's go to the gym!." They lose weight/fat because of calorie deficit, period. Granted, they lose muscle early on , until they CAN eventually do some weight training. That said, I still believe cardio has it's cardiac benefits, apart from weight loss. And, as others have said in the comments, for some of us doing early morning cardio has some benefits for us mentally and jumpstarts the day. So if that works for you, do what works for you.
I get what you’re saying. However two things, I find cardio suppresses my appetite and allows me to eat more. Secondly, there has been nothing better for my mental health then cardio. That said, it’s best for me. I get decently lean every summer MTB’ing nearly daily.
Yea the cardio does something for the spirit it's a natural pickup
@@houndawg 💯
Dr Mike, I'd love to see you do an analysis on fasting. I've heard a lot about GH boosting and such from fasting and I went from 230 lbs to 170 lbs by using a calorie deficit and a 24 hour fast every 3rd day for a few months.
Dr. Mike probably uses 3-4 IUs of pharma GH a day. He ain't worried about minuscule GH pulses from fasting.
The discipline of getting up earlier has wider dividends than than just the fat loss journey. I get a lot more done in the day with that kind of schedule.
Plus lifting wakes me up in a way that caffeine could never offer.
I mean... do you though? Kind of stands to reason that you just shuffle around your productivity window, I know I have tried all manners of allocating my time, and it always ends up way too close to draw any conclusions. I mean, if it's your magic hour, sure, that should do the trick
@@minhuang8848 Yes. It’s anecdotal, but I’m not a morning person and this works for me really well. It also gives me time before work to wind down from the workout and get into a happy place mentally.
I enjoy the added mental fortitude that comes with running when I don’t want to. When I get done, I feel more accomplished having done something I didn’t really want to do. And that discipline tends to bleed over into other facets of my life - i.e diet. Do what works for you.
I get up at 4AM and run a 5k at 5AM, every day. Been doing it for 3 years. Doing that, changing my diet, and doing weight training, enabled me to lose 30 pounds in about 3 months, and keep it off.
Can confirm!
I lost like 20 lbs in 2020-2021 by just learning about calories and applying it by eating lower calories, I was still a couch potato back then and still managed to lose a significant amount of weight.
Edit - I lost more weight after, like 40 lbs now and am pretty much at maintenance, but I ofcourse had to be a bit more active to get there.
I lost 20 pounds just by eating less
Yea, exercise will never make up for eating 1k extra calories that most people in the west tend to consume every day. There simply aren't enough hours in the day or energy in our bodies for that to work.
The only solution is moderation for sure.
This video really put things into perspective for me, i usually do 15-20k steps at work and on my lunch I hit the gym doing weights for an hour. Then when I’m home I do an insanity workout tape while being on a diet. Im gonna cut out the cardio at home since I’m hitting a lot steps at work 5 days a week. When i was doing that life style I felt drained and destroyed. When the weekend hit (my rest days) I just laid in bed and didn’t want to do anything. Thank you for your video.
Last year, I did so much cardio to get down to 10% bodyfat.
It was 30 minutes of medium intensity on the rogue air bike in the morning, then 1 hour of walking at a fast pace. I lost so much muscle.
Luckily, after I switched back to maintenance I rebuilt all that lost muscle within a month...but it put me back a ton.
This year, I am doing 0 intentional cardio but I'm lifting 2x as much (3 days a week last year versus 6 days a week this year). As I lose weight, I am noticing that each pound is basically entirely fat and it's making a massive difference.
I'm going to be a good 10 lbs heavier at the same bodyfat the way my cut is trending this year. I can't wait till June to see where I'm at.
It almost sounds like you crashed your endocrine system which excess cardio and a big calorie deficit will do. I don't typically lose any muscle doing cardio and I do 60 minutes of cardio at 140-150bpm avg. And I keep my calories a little under my normal maintenance with zero sugar and still manage to lose 1.5-2lbs of fat a week. I don't need to lift as much as most people due to being a metal worker, too.
It sounds like you're on a healthy recomp right now which is great, but I would really press trying to lift on the side of doing high cardio next time, too. Add in plenty of protien in to negate the potential muscle loss as well. I won't ever say you will not lose muscle or ever gain it (unless you're on gear.), but this is a great way to keep the muscle on while aggressively cutting.
@@Xeil you bring up some good points, but I'll clarify so that there is no misunderstanding for anyone reading. I don't know enough about the endocrine system to say if mine had crashed, but theres more to my weightloss than the assumption I chose to do cardio over lifting so I'll clarify.
1. I had a long recomp & weightloss phase before entering into my cut. My metabolism was already spotty going into the full cut. I started at 35% bodyfat, got down to around 18% then jumped into the cut.
2. I lifted for 3 days a week because I could not train legs (broken foot). Had I not, I would have lifted 5-6 days a week.
3. Starting my cut this year at peak bulk I was around 15% bodyfat (versus 18% last year coming down from 35% before that). With considerably more muscle from a nice lean bulk.
4. I haven't recomped at all this cut. Recomping only works if you're a beginner/new to weights, you are obese/overweight, or on performance enhancing drugs. Recomping after the beginner stage is a waste of time, and I don't reccomend it.
5. I've been lifting since 17, and now I'm 33. Took a hiatus when I tore my labrum for a few years, so I know exactly how to split my macros for performance but I appreciate you letting me know I need to eat enough protein!
I went from 235 to 185 with pretty much zero exercise, just keto and intermittent fasting. When you only eat 2 meals a day the calorie deficit is legit. Now im lifting to build some muscle while still on keto. I know carvs arent bad and i incorporate them at the right times, but keto does wonders for my ADHD. I feel SO focused and can acctualy get shit done. My brain just works better burning ketones vs glucose.
I'm an "Night Owl", I do US shifts in EU (2PM - 1030PM). I'm most active and energized when it's dark and I sleep almost every day until 11AM. Everything before that absolutely wrecks my rhythm. And yes, I've tried getting up early, had normal shifts (8AM - 430PM), they told me that my body will get used to it. It didn't ... not even after 8 years.
So I do cardio at home on a treadmill almost every day at around 8PM instead of my "Lunch break". I have my dinner at around 930PM and then I do weights at midnight. Every other regime simply does not work for me.
Find your sweet spot and it will be easier.
35 pounds down, no cardio except walking every other day and strength training 4x a week + calorie deficit and I love it 😊. Seeing really nice body recomposition too. 35 pounds to go!
So you are doing cardio.
Great job
So cardio then 😅
As a factory manager who has trouble finishing sentences
what
ur words weigh heavy on my heart
@@ItchyPeenar 💀
Complete the sentence goddammit
Bro it's been a month! We're still waiting!@@abdulazizhawsah9884
My father is losing some weight and I can telling him that the main ingredient for the plan is his food consumption. But he insists on the treadmill twice a day for one hour each session, only to drink a few beers after work.
My kinda guy.
Cycling, mountain biking, hiking, rucking, HIIT training, and plyometric circuits are the best calorie burners for me. Also great for boosting my mental well being as well.
This is the most satisfying video about the topic I could have ever watched.
I am a supporter of the don't do cardio until you are 50 but be active. I believe that doing cardio is for cardio (heart health) and it makes sense consistency in training cardio if you want to improve lungs and heart. I remember spending a whole year running around my city 3 times a week and I could see improvements especially with lung capacity and overall endurance.
Topic that was hoping could be addressed better was water to drink during the day (keeping track and increasing really does a lot) and quality of sleep.
I enjoy these videos validating my hatred for cardio
Cardiovascular heatlth is more important then fat loss you don't have to be overweight to be experience heart problems
yeah I have a distinct dislike of high intensity cardio workouts , and jogging/ running. Though I do walk 10-13k steps a day so that counts. No more hiit cardio workouts or other awful cardio workouts like that 🤮
I'm a top walker on Samsung health. I average around 30,000 steps a day.
I can easily out eat my activity. So easily basically without any effort. It's all about diet and calorie restriction. Cut out the junk food.
What are you doing that gives you that many steps everyday? 🤣
@@paragon1782 walking
@@Hypno_Llama :0
i use samsung health on my phone to track my steps as well and I average 10-13k steps a day so a lot less than you but still a lot more then the majority of Americans
Mornings are for me. I’m up before the sun nearly every day if my life, no alarm, loaded with energy. Meanwhile, I avoid parties like the plague because I’m pretty much useless after 10pm.
Why not go to the party and leave at 10..enjoy life..you dont get points for being the fittest guy at the graveyard.
Everything you said makes sense to me. I’m doing heavy cardio right now for the first time in over a decade because I’m tired of getting winded every time I play sports for 2 minutes.
I'm in a similar place right now, and I kinda did what mentions to start losing weight, but that was months ago and it makes sense. What is mentioned here is great as a starting point as he mentions it "don't go into this planning on waking up at 5 am to get this done" or words to that effect, that never has worked for me before...however once you're on a fitness journey, it can take you to strange places. After being easily winded just like you, I fixed my diet, was happy I started losing weight and kept building from there, with a focus on, like he mentions, keeping it sustainable for the long term. I'm in a spot where 2 hours of tennis training will kick my ass for a day...but not for 3 days as before, and I'm back to "mini" activity sessions of intense for me activity (also tennis, here at home with a training device) to help get those steps in/activity in, mentioned in this video.
...and dang it I might actually join the 5 am run club once a week. I can't believe it lol.
I have lost 140 lbs since April 2023. I started by walking at 5:30am and what this did was help me lose weight for a period of time and get me addicted to getting fit. I started to hit a bit of a wall, so I decided to jog in the morning and now I've been non-stop jogging 5 times a week for at least 6 months. Would never have thought I would like to do that.
As a fighter I can 💯% say heavy bag and shadow boxing with light weights are the best forms of cardio/fat loss you can get. It works your entire body, helps you work on your breathing, builds strength/muscle, coordination and it's also soooo fun 😂
What about rope jumping?
@@jaimeim18 yer rope jumping is also amazing cardio. It doesn't target as many muscles (hits calves heavily) or teach body mechanics as well though. Just not as good cardio either in the long run, your calves will fail before your cardio fails when jumping rope. With bag work your cardio OR whole body will fail with exhaustion lol.
Might not need the cardio for fat loss, but need it for longevity and keeping a heavy heart
I think you probably meant "healthy heart" but "heavy heart" sounds metal as fuck! - Dr. Mike
@@RenaissancePeriodization haha yessirr! Thanks for catching the slip up
If by cardio, you mean steady state, low intensity work over medium to long periods of time, no - that is incorrect.
@@noimnotnice Explain?
@@JonBlack413 Long period, steady-state cardio has no causal connection to longevity or any benefit for heart health.
Contrarily, done too much, it can dangerous. The cyclist's heart is a thing.
“You’re not training for a marathon…”
It was at that moment that she realized this was not the video for her. 😬😂
Same, I was cycling like I was training for Tour De France like 1-2hrs a day
When I decided to transform, I started running; fast forward 3 months I’m in the gym twice a day 60 lbs lighter! you can do it!!
Though I agree with everything in this video there are three primary reasons cardio helped me with fat loss that were not mentioned:
1. Cardio helped me get to a base level of fitness where I was able to enjoy being more active. It is easier to get to base fitness with variable intensity beyond just walking.
2. Cardio provided a release valve to cut extra calories as desired. Want to cut an extra 1000 calories this week… give me an hour.
3. Learning to love a cardio based sport has led me to a sustainable active lifestyle and healthy weight for 4 years now; something I never thought was possible.
On a psychological level, outdoor long distance running has been a great tool for fat loss for me over the years. That style of running exposes weaknesses in the body and more important than the calories burned during each run, it changes my brain/mind in ways that result in being more motivated to get leaner because long distance running is easier the leaner you are. That said I like a muscular and full look so it's a balance. I do moderate the number of miles per week and per session to stay strong and explosive but in terms of helping my mindset this is a necessary aspect of leaning up for me.
As someone who knows how long it takes to burn 400 calories, I find it easier to skip the nightly PBJ. But I also do a 4 mile walk every day, and if that adds to my deficit then that's a good thing. But relying on movement with no focus on diet to lose body fat is a fool's errand. Also, cardio makes me seriously hungry.
Yea, food is 99% of your weight loss mission.
It is a lot easier to eat 1600~ calories than it is to do cardio for 2 hours straight... and that still wouldn't equal just moderating your diet.
4:44 MOST Americans, MOST westerners do not do demanding physical work. MOST of us are sedentary office workers who drive there so what do they do if no cardio. Furthermore I highly doubt that most physical jobs have the average guy sweating off any excess weight because of the facts that you're trying to accomplish tasks not simply working for the exercise of it. Here you like most workers will find a way to do it more efficiently thereby not having to tucker yourself out as much. Even where it is hard work it is rarely sustained cardio activity hence no real loss. Work smarter NOT harder? Continue.
I agree dont set yourself up for failure running very early. My friend always told me run at the part of your day your more motivated and free. Years later im still doing cardio 5 times a week.
I really like that this doctor mentions that there is no additional benefit to waking up early to run or workout. For years I was sleep deprived and couldn’t lose weight. I started working with a trainer who changed the workout schedule to a time that was too early for me. I was groggy during the first half of my hour workout and just felt like I was not getting the most out of it. I finally decided to start training on my own at a time that would work for me and I saw BETTER results than when I worked with a trainer. Sleep is key and I have prioritized that and my overall health is better now than when I was working out early in the morning.