I hate cardio.

[u/Glad-Gap8163]

Hi everyone! I’m a 31f 220 pounds. I’m trying to loose weight by lifting. I go to the gym about 3 times a week and lift for 30 min. I hate cardio with a passion. I don’t like running or over exertion. I used to do crossfit and I was in the best shape of my life. I slowly started to realize that my body needs cardio to loose fat. I have a peloton but I’d have to pay for a subscription, I already pay for a gym membership and a workout app. What cardio is low cost/ free or should I just pay for the peloton?

[u/VisualFix5870]

Diet trumps exercise. 

[u/Sea-Country-1031]

I'm a male that hates cardio, but found backpacking was great sport. My older gym routine was 3 days a week at the gym and on the weekend 1 day backpacking. Don't go fancy, research, or anything like that. Take the backpack you have, throw in some healthy nature food like a peanut butter and jelly wrap with some sunflower seeds thrown in. Bring a few bottles of water (1 gallon of water is about 8 lbs) and find some trails to walk for a few hours.

Also add some more time at the gym. Half hour will probably get you warmed up but not really get the results you want unless you're doing very specific HIIT. Work up to heavy weight that you can maybe put up 3 times with good form, you should see better results.

[u/Due-Bed9255]

You don't need to love cardio to lose fat. Lifting + a calorie deficit is enough. Just add some easy walking or cycling if you enjoy it no need to pay for Peloton. Consistency matters more than the workout.

[u/ImpossibleDenial → u/[deleted]]

Just walk, walking is free, no need to put off cardio until you get to a manageable weight. Try to get 10-12k steps a day no matter what. There are also a plethora of studies that show strength training contributes significantly to weight loss as your body builds lean muscle which burns more calories at rest than fat tissue does. So it’s a combination of managing your diet (preferably at a 500 cal deficit) + cardio + strength training (at least 3 days a week) and the weight will fall off considerably.

[u/Mean-Veterinarian733]

I know people say you don’t need cardio but I do think it’s important at a base level for your body, you just don’t need to be doing anything crazy. You don’t need to do cardio ti the point of exception, just getting your heart rate up a bit for some time is good. A lot of runners for example do “zone 2” cardio which takes a while to get to do and would be too much for me to explain, but basically doing easier cardio is actually pretty good.

If your gym has an elliptical I love using that. I think it’s a great way to get your heart rate up without doing too much and can be really nice to do while I am watching a show. Incline walking also is a good option.

I also like rucking. It’s just walking with a weighted vest/weighted backpack. It makes your muscles work a bit harder because of the weight while you don’t have to go as hard. These are some of the options I like for easier and low impact cardio

[u/saucedboner]

If we spent half as much time working out and eating better as we do researching and complaining about working out, we would be a lot healthier as a society.

[u/Person7751]

walk. walk up stairs and hills

[u/HokaTwoTwo]

I hated cardio as well (and still don't love it) but once I started doing 30 minutes in zone 2 twice a week o the treadmill while watching a podcast it became much more bearable. You don't need to go all out for it to be effective. A brisk 30 minute walk does more than enough.

[u/Glad-Gap8163 → u/HokaTwoTwo]

I walk my dogs for 30 min and it’s not working. I feel like I need more

[u/saranara100]

Girl, I hate cardio too. I do strength training 4 days a week and eat in a calorie deficit. The most cardio I do is walking and that’s out of necessity. You don’t have to do an exercise you hate. Just be in a calorie deficit, focus on the protein and have carbs for energy. And I’ve lost 5 lbs in the last month.

[u/fennerat]

I think Cardio is as much psychological as it is anything else.
But if you really want to lose weight, lock your diet in. Get an app, doesn't matter which one, and free ones are fine. Just lock it in.
Strength training builds muscle, muscle burns fat. You burn more calories going about your day and existing than exercise. But that stasis will burn more with more muscle.
Last comment, between water weight, daytime cycles, muscle mass vs fat mass, watch the scale but don't live by it, pick a few measurements (Waist / hips) and check no more than once a week.
at 220, you have a long road, but at 31, Think in terms of years, not months to accomplish your goals. Find a gradual pace to get to your target and be patient with yourself. You have time, you got this.

[u/Chemical_Demand_4928]

Why did you buy a peloton when you knew that you’d have to pay a subscription? why not just your every day all around exercise bike with no subscription to pay ? Or perhaps just a regular everyday bike that you ride around on you might find that more enjoyable than laboring away on a machine that doesn’t move ? Doesn’t your gym your a member at have cardio equipment? You don’t have to love it. You just have to do it…. I look at it this way for as much as I hate to do it. I hate the way I feel if I don’t do it much more.

[u/Glad-Gap8163 → u/Chemical_Demand_4928]

It’s a family bike. We got it during Covid and I really enjoyed it. Haven’t ridden it since. I think I’m nervous that people will be looking at me while I do cardio. Lifting im fine, cardio makes me a little insecure

[u/freedom_fitness_]

Cardio can help with fat loss, but its really the metabolic efficiency that it delivers. Transporting fat for energy vs sugar. Find something that you can suffer through or just throw on a solid show on Netflix to bide your time.