Cardio increases the stress hormone cortisol, can send your body into a catabolic state that breaks down tissue, creates microtears in muscle fibers that take forever to heal, can weaken the immune system, and more…

…but did you also know that too much cardio can be bad for your heart?

I’m often told “you never see a fat older runner.”

But when you look at ALL of the data and research, all you can say is:

“But aren’t runners skinny and healthier?”

A study in the Journal of Applied Physiology in 2011 studied the heart tissue structure and function of a group of older men – lifelong endurance athletes who regularly ran marathons and kept running past age 50 and beyond. The group in the study was age 56 +/- 6 years. What did the study find? There was a clear link between “endurance exercise and myocardial fibrosis.”

“Myocardial fibrosis” is the thickening of heart valves.

That’s “doctor speak” for a malfunctioning heart and impaired heart performance.

It seems backward, but it’s true. All that cardio isn’t necessarily GOOD for your heart.

Research in the European Heart Journal from 2011 showed that “endurance training may be associated with arrhythmogenic cardiac remodeling of the right ventricle” in endurance athletes.

A study in Circulation demonstrated how daily stead-state cardio routines resulted in heart muscle scaring and structural changes.

Again – I’d get it if “fat burning” cardio actually worked – but it doesn’t burn fat either.

You’re about to see the #1 reason why cardio is a waste of time. Plus, I’ll share with yo exercises that rev up your metabolism to keep you burning calories for up to 48 hours after your workout is over(they take just a few minutes per day too)…