5 Reasons I Broke Up With Cardio:

1️⃣ I used it for years as a way to earn or burn off my food.

2️⃣ it was always my first line of defense whenever I was “feeling fat” or guilty for the way I was eating.

3️⃣ it made me HUNGRY AF. Which, when you’re trying to relearn how to eat without counting anything or dieting, was not helpful. It’s also not helpful when you have a history with binge eating. Restriction + cardio = perfect recipe for a binge episode- at least in my experience.

4️⃣ I learned to dread it. I never actually enjoyed it- I just enjoyed what I thought I’d *look like* if I kept doing it.

5️⃣it reminds me of a time that I was obsessed with my body. I equated my worth based on how exhausted I could make myself, how sweaty I could get, and how many calories I could burn. In a sneaky way, it felt empowering but only because it made me feel like I was “being good” when I was doing it.

What I know now: “Cardio” is not inherently bad. It’s also not nearly as crucial to your exercise routine as diet culture would like you to think it is.

Cardio is A N Y T H I N G that gets your heart rate up and keeps it elevated. My “cardio” now pretty much entails lifting weights faster- and if you’re a member at @ironphoenix.strengthclub or a member inside The Confidence Collective, you know exactly what I’m talking about ?
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The only “traditional cardio” I incorporate inside my programming are sprints- hard af effort for short amounts of time. Lather, rinse, repeat.

The last time I ran consecutive miles in a row was almost one year ago for a fundraiser 5K, and I haven’t “went on a run” since. It doesn’t serve me or my goals. I used to think that I had to be a runner or do traditional cardio to be considered fit or athletic and it’s just not true.

I spend my time making sure I’m moving well (mobility), getting strong (lift heavy shit), moving fast (conditioning) and recovering well (leisure walks + sleeping + hydration + food).
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Figuring out why you’re doing what you’re doing is far more important than the thing itself.

But you will never find me on an elliptical as long as I live ?