Is weight loss possible without doing cardio activity? Many weight loss gurus and fitness experts say no, but in the Cardio-Free Diet, Jim Karas says you can.
The Cardio-Free Diet by Jim Karas is making waves in the diet community because he is challenging the advice we have been given time and time again for many years. He claims that doing cardio is not necessary for weight loss. His advice is to ditch the cardio and stop wasting your time being a slave to the treadmill.
The Cardio-Free Diet is a weight loss plan based on the idea that diet and resistance training will allow you to lose only fat and not muscle, which will increase your metabolism. Cardio activities burn muscle along with the fat, causing your metabolism to slow and making it ever more difficult to lose stubborn weight. He adds that strength training is also a heart-healthy activity.
Using the methods described in the Cardio-Free Diet, you’ll be able to change your body composition and lower your BMI, bringing it to a healthy level. By reducing your calories and strength training for weight loss, you will feel better and add years to your life.
The Problem with Cardio Exercises
Cardio is not going to help you lose weight. Karas says that “cardio can help you lose a little weight in the short run but truly does nothing when it comes to taking the weight off and keeping it off in the long run.” (17)
- Increases appetite
- Takes too much time
- Is not effective at weight loss
- Burns muscle along with the fat
- You’ll eat more because you worked out
- Leads to mindless eating, binge eating and weight gain
The Action Plan
Once you decide you are ready to diet and move into the action phase of weight loss, it’s time to apply the 60 minute rule. Not 60 minutes a day, but just 60 minutes of resistance training a week. The goal is to do 3 sets of 20 minute sessions with a day between for rest. The intensity will vary by individual, but your muscles need to fail to succeed at weight loss. If you can do a complete set of weight training without hesitation, it is probably too easy and you need to add more resistance to make it effective.
The Food Plan
The Cardio-Free Diet offers advice for meal planning as well. Karas recommends counting calories, eating a 100-calorie snack before and after your workouts, to always eat breakfast, never skip meals, skip fat-free foods, include calcium, increase fiber, avoid high-calorie drinks, eat 6 small meals per day, watch for hidden fat and add protein to every meal. These tips are essential for maintaining your energy and muscle mass.
Karas promises results in 2 weeks while following the Cardio-Free Diet plan. The book is easy to read, has separate meal plans for men and women, has very detailed pages about exactly what you should eat each day, weekly shopping lists, exercise logs and daily food diaries.
The Cardio-Free Diet goes against everything we have been told about effective exercise needed for weight loss, but Karas presents a sound plan with a healthy eating program that just might work.
