The 35 hours to lose 1 lb. of fat is VERY questionable to me. There are ~3500 calories in a lb. of fat. Walking or running 1 mile consumes at LEAST 100 calories but usually closer to 120 calories. So they are walking 1 hour miles?
Not all "cardio" is equal. I generally run 20 to 40 miles per week at 7:30/ mile pace. So my caloric burn is 120 calories per mile x 1 hour (8 miles) = 960 calories. So I could lose 1 pound of fat per 3.5 hours.
Someone walking 3mph (20 minute miles) on a treadmill would burn 300 to 360 calories in contrast. So that means they would lose 1 pound every ~10 hours. This is very doable for most people. This of course assumes they don't eat more.
Then the OP is very hand wavey about the idea that you have more muscle so your metabolic rate is so much higher. It's quite hard to build many pounds of lean muscle too!
Mentioned multiple time is the increase in hunger and consumption which often negates the burned calories.
I've never lost weight via cardio. I lost 30 lbs over 6 months without any exercise at all (too busy with school and would just forget to eat until the end of day.) 3 years later, I'm back up at the same weight. I worked out 5 days a week for 3 months (~1000 calories per day) and didn't lose any weight.
Completely anecdotal, but I think it's a good data point. I'm going to give the no cardio work out a shot.
Not all "cardio" is equal. I generally run 20 to 40 miles per week at 7:30/ mile pace. So my caloric burn is 120 calories per mile x 1 hour (8 miles) = 960 calories. So I could lose 1 pound of fat per 3.5 hours.
Someone walking 3mph (20 minute miles) on a treadmill would burn 300 to 360 calories in contrast. So that means they would lose 1 pound every ~10 hours. This is very doable for most people. This of course assumes they don't eat more.
Then the OP is very hand wavey about the idea that you have more muscle so your metabolic rate is so much higher. It's quite hard to build many pounds of lean muscle too!
An interesting section on individual metabolic rate differences: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basal_metabolic_rate#Causes_of_...