To optimize body composition and physical fitness, it is often more effective to reduce excessive cardiovascular exercise volume in favor of more intense and better-recovered strength training sessions, while giving absolute priority to sleep and protein intake.

noli's read

Science largely validates the concept of 'recovery' as a pillar of muscular progress; a meta-analysis published in Sports Medicine confirms that excessive training volume without adequate rest can lead to overtraining and limit physiological adaptations. The idea that progressive overload (increasing intensity rather than duration) is superior for muscle tone is supported by numerous RCT studies on hypertrophy. The observation shared by the community regarding the reduction of cravings after limiting intense cardio is consistent with research on appetite regulation, where prolonged cardio can stimulate ghrelin, the hunger hormone. However, the advice to 'reduce cardio' must be nuanced: while it helps better manage energy for strength training, it is an exaggeration to eliminate it entirely, as cardio remains crucial for long-term cardiovascular health, as emphasized by the American College of Sports Medicine. Finally, the argument regarding the 'nervous system' is a wellness simplification, but it accurately reflects the importance of managing systemic stress. The community strongly converges toward this approach, viewing moderation not as laziness, but as a performance strategy.

the sources

1. 1Wang Z, Wang YT, Gao W, Zhong Y 2023
2. 2Bonnar D, Bartel K, Kakoschke N, Lang C 2018
3. 3Coleman CJ, McDonough DJ, Pope ZC, Pope CA 2022
4. 4López-Bueno R, Ahmadi M, Stamatakis E, Yang L, del Pozo Cruz B 2023
5. 5r/xxfitness