What do you ladies do.....

[KelseyH]

Originally Posted by keen1981 Cardio is important!!!! She doesn't think so, or hers just isn't borning???

Her workouts are fast, intense, and interval based, so you are moving extremely quickly from one exercise to the next. There are small spurts of jumping jacks, running, hopping, etc., but nothing for more than literally a minute or two. Your heart rate is elevated for the entire workout (if you do it properly and don't lag) so you don't NEED cardio. Strength training burns fat faster, builds muscle, retrains your metabolism more effectively, whereas cardio (especially extended cardio - more than 30-45 minutes) tells your body to conserve resources (retain fat), slows your metabolism, and more often than not does not significantly build muscle.

Of course some cardio is better than sitting on the couch, but loads and loads of cardio is not good for your body. In the workout plans laid out in the book, there is room for you to incorporate cardio if you so desire, but it is not the foundation of her fitness program nor it is KEY to having a killer body. Rather, cardio encourages a "skinny fat" runner's body.

[savingmomof2boys]

I agree the cardio isn't needed. Actually, there are lots of studies out there that show you are better off not doing cardio for fat loss.

[keen1981]

Originally Posted by KelseyH Her workouts are fast, intense, and interval based, so you are moving extremely quickly from one exercise to the next. There are small spurts of jumping jacks, running, hopping, etc., but nothing for more than literally a minute or two. Your heart rate is elevated for the entire workout (if you do it properly and don't lag) so you don't NEED cardio. Strength training burns fat faster, builds muscle, retrains your metabolism more effectively, whereas cardio (especially extended cardio - more than 30-45 minutes) tells your body to conserve resources (retain fat), slows your metabolism, and more often than not does not significantly build muscle. Of course some cardio is better than sitting on the couch, but loads and loads of cardio is not good for your body. In the workout plans laid out in the book, there is room for you to incorporate cardio if you so desire, but it is not the foundation of her fitness program nor it is KEY to having a killer body. Rather, cardio encourages a "skinny fat" runner's body.

Lol. Guess I have the 'skinny fat' runners body.

I just ran a 1/2 marathon, 27.5 weeks pregnant. LOL!! No ones ever called me skinny fat. Hahaha.

Paired with yoga, I get abs, legs definition and amazing arms. My crossfit friends? Beef up and don't get smaller. My Bootcamp buddies, they look fabulous. They mix running/interval trainning.

My box (gym) friends are often converting to runners. Lol!!

Its Cali we all workout here! Just finding what works for your schedule and your BODY is key. No workout works for everyone. I'm actually really surprised at how beefed up my crossfit friends are. They can flip tires.. But never lose the bulk or bulge.

I like a happy medium and nothing feels better than running to the top
Of a mountain and swooshing down the other side. Running brings me to nature. I need nothing but human powered ambition.

[KelseyH]

Originally Posted by keen1981 Lol. Guess I have the 'skinny fat' runners body. I just ran a 1/2 marathon, 27.5 weeks pregnant. LOL!! No ones ever called me skinny fat. Hahaha. Paired with yoga, I get abs, legs definition and amazing arms. My crossfit friends? Beef up and don't get smaller. My Bootcamp buddies, they look fabulous. They mix running/interval trainning. My box (gym) friends are often converting to runners. Lol!! Its Cali we all workout here! Just finding what works for your schedule and your BODY is key. No workout works for everyone. I'm actually really surprised at how beefed up my crossfit friends are. They can flip tires.. But never lose the bulk or bulge. I like a happy medium and nothing feels better than running to the top Of a mountain and swooshing down the other side. Running brings me to nature. I need nothing but human powered ambition.

Like I said, tons of cardio is not good. Balanced with strength training (or in your case, yoga... Although I would never get a 6 pack from yoga) cardio isn't terrible. Just because YOU personally are not or don't define yourself as "skinny fat" doesn't mean excessive cardio doesn't encourage that body type. I'm glad you found something that works for you, but typically running + yoga =/= ripped.

I agree with you that Crossfit is not a balanced, intelligent fitness philosophy. More often than not it's a recipe for injury unless the Crossfit-er has a very good understanding of functional movement.

[savingmomof2boys]

Originally Posted by keen1981 Lol. Guess I have the 'skinny fat' runners body. I just ran a 1/2 marathon, 27.5 weeks pregnant. LOL!! No ones ever called me skinny fat. Hahaha. Paired with yoga, I get abs, legs definition and amazing arms. My crossfit friends? Beef up and don't get smaller. My Bootcamp buddies, they look fabulous. They mix running/interval trainning. My box (gym) friends are often converting to runners. Lol!! Its Cali we all workout here! Just finding what works for your schedule and your BODY is key. No workout works for everyone. I'm actually really surprised at how beefed up my crossfit friends are. They can flip tires.. But never lose the bulk or bulge. I like a happy medium and nothing feels better than running to the top Of a mountain and swooshing down the other side. Running brings me to nature. I need nothing but human powered ambition.

I don't think I would call a "runners body" skinny fat. To me "skinny fat" is someone who is slim but doesn't work out or eat healthy. There are people who just have a high metabolism and can eat what ever they want without putting on a ton of weight. But if they were to go get there body fat % accurately tested, they would probably come back with a high body fat %. Just because someone is skinny doesn't mean they are healthy and that is what I would consider "skinny fat".

I find a happy medium by running and lifting heavy. Running gives me cardio and burns calories and lifting gives me muscle definition.

I know lots of crossfit people who are built nicely but aren't bulky because they still cut down there body fat % with their eating habits.
Everyone is different and what works for one person may not work for another.

[hibiscus869]

I heard once that losing/maintaining weight is 70% what you eat, 30% exercise. I have always been willing to exercise, but I didn't watch what I ate. For a long time it didn't matter, I could eat whatever I wanted and stayed thin. But in my 30's I can tell my metabolism is not the same and I have to watch it way more. I still eat treats, but not nearly as often, and I really try to stay away from fried foods. I don't buy things I know I'll go nuts on which for me is mostly refined carbs- crackers and chips. Ice cream is not a temptation for me so I can have it around without eating it.

As far as exercise I feel like I've done everything- yoga, Turbo Jam, Turbo Fire, kick boxing, elliptical, stair stepper, running, cycling, etc. My favorite is Zumba by far. I wear hand-weights that strap on when I do it to add extra difficulty. When I get done doing most exercise I'm thrilled it's over, I'm always watching the clock. But when I get done with Zumba I'm sort of disappointed, I always want to do more. I just love it because I love to dance and that's basically what it is.

[JellEBeanDesigns]

I make running a game of how much this week and how many miles this month. I totally have skinny fat runners legs (or no fat at all on my legs) i also do the 30 day shred lifting and abs for a total of 12 minutes of that.

[mom2LBJ]

Cardio is good, running a few miles a day isnt going to give you chicken legs. Excessive long distance cardio is what causes the "runners body" since the body will use the muscle mass as a fuel source at a certain point. Running or doing cardio a few miles, on different days a week, isnt going to cause that. Its running, swimming, long distance endurance, non stop in one shot, 12, 13+ miles that makes the lean muscle build of a runner. Thus the reason why most people do weights first (gives your body a chance to use its normal fuel) then cardio (use fat/whats left), or cardio in the early morning on an empty stomach allows you to use fat storage first, then eat/fuel, and weights later.

[taximom]

Originally Posted by luvsviola I love the C25K app. It is the Couch to 5K program. It is stupid-proof. The app tells you when to run, and when to walk, and anyone can do it. You can zone out because it tells you what to do, and you can still play your music or Pandora in the background. I am doing MyFitnessPal.com and C25K and have lost 7 pounds in about 3 weeks.

This is what I'm doing and I love it.

[taximom]

What do your "crossfit" friends do that they don't seem to lose weight?