The biggest cardio myths

Cardio exercises are associated to faster and infallible weight loss, but that’s not the reality.

When we think about weight loss activities, what immediately comes to our mind are running, hiking, cycling or aerobics. There are several myths related to cardio that may be preventing you from losing weight effectively.

To lose weight, favors cardio

For many of us, cardio activities are synonymous with weight loss and weight-lifting activities are synonymous with huge muscles. Absolutely wrong. The importance of cardio exercises on our health and our physical form are undeniable, but they must always be combined with other types of training. By practicing only cardio, it will take you longer to lose weight than if you combine a strength training. Strength training builds lean muscle mass and increases metabolism, decreasing fat.

If you do too much cardio, you can eat whatever you want

Obviously, a myth. Exercise alone is not enough to lose weight. Combined with exercise, you need to reduce your calorie intake if you want to lose weight.

Running is one of the activities that makes you lose more weight

Not necessarily. Training for a marathon can even lessen fat burning. It happens when your body get used to this type of training, allowing better energy handling. As you train, your body will gradually burning fewer calories, so you can go further.

You burn more fat if you do not eat before exercise

Of course not. This myth does not persist much, but still worth demystify it. Cardio exercises require large energy reserves. If you do not eat before training, you probably will not be able to finish the session and still have energy reserves “stolen” from the muscles and not from fat stored in fat cells.

It is necessary to burn 500 calories at least

Forget this. Focus on intensity that you perform the exercise. If you practice it with high intensity, you will continue to burn calories even after exercise.