How much is too much? Cardio, that is...
 

I searched this forum as I could swear I read about it lately but now I can't find it when I am looking for it.

How much cardio a day is "enough" before you are pretty much spinning your wheels and accomplishing nothing?

I am going to start strength training soon but right now I do cardio every day, usually 45 mins to an hour. Usually it's all walking either on my treadmill or around my neighborhood (outside is a little tougher with the incline hill, etc.). Plus I try to walk faster in case my neighbors see me and I don't want to look like a slacker!

I just started C25K this week (only did day 1) so right now that's only 30 minutes with more walking than jogging. But then I did a workout video afterwards to get in some more exercise that was about 45 minutes.

My total cardio a week ends up totaling about 6 hours average.

You can overexercise, but you certainly aren't there yet. As your level of fitness improves, you'll be able to achieve more during those same six hours. You'll go farther, faster.

If you're not a professional distance runner, any higher-intensity cardio over an hour is probably not helping. If you overtrain with cardio, your body could be cannibalizing your muscles for nutrition, especially if you're cutting calories. The stress can really mess up your hormones as well. You don't want that!

Ok awesome!! Thanks so much, both of you!! :)

I am definitely not at a size where I am super efficient or any type of athlete (lol!!!!) but I didn't want to be wasting my time either or hurting myself.

Back to the treadmill I will go!!