Cardio v. Weights

elleinaDanielle

Ok, I'm new to this fitness journey. My current goals are weight loss (around 25 lbs.), feeling better and having more energy.
Everytime I've joined a gym, I've ended up paying money to sleep in. I've been more successful at walking and running in the mornings (my dog is a spazz when she tries to run, so if she's with me I walk). BUT I haven't been seeing results as much as I'd like.

I keep hearing that weight training is where it's at. I always thought it was cardio. Who can teach me/ preach me?!

codehandle

I'm trying out http://stronglifts.com/5x5/ ... at 5:30am because I don't want to deal with gym rats ... it's basic strength training. You can buy stuff if you want, but the basic app is free. I like it because it starts you at as close to 0 lbs as it can and you start slowly. It's a 12 week starter program so you can try it or not.

NOTE: this is supposed to work great for girls too, it's not just a guy thing. You apparently have to do something more if you want to look like Arnold.

Canwehugnow

I can't teach/preach to you, as I'm just starting out, but I love lifting. I go to the gym, do my 30-40 mins cardo (elliptical, treadmill, arc trainer) and then I hit the weight area and I feel awesome afterwards. Plus, I've read somewhere that women that lift, burn 10% more calories the next day through their daily expenditures. (Your TDEE) I say mix it up...

slucki01

I do both. I walk (3.5mph) for at least an hour every morning with some friends and I generally end up walking 5-6 miles total per day. I also go to the gym and work with weights/equipment 3 times a week. I think both are important. btw, I've lost 30 lbs

Gray_Sare

I used to be a cardio bunny, no lies. After I had my baby I started weight training and it has changed my body in so many great ways. Don't get me wrong, cardio has its place in the form of HIIT (high intensity intervals) or LISS (low intensity steady state) but incorporating lifting has made the gym not only fun but more productive in terms of shredding fat and feeling better about myself.

Unknown

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ndj1979

if your goal is primarily fat loss then I would say a mixure of a lifting program like strong lifts, 5x5, etc, combined with cardio on off days, would be the best results...

oh and make sure to have one, one hundred percent rest day.

Robbnva

I lost 80lbs doing just cardio, I know others who lost the same doing both cardio and weights. The key to losing weight in my opinion is to just eat at a calorie deficit and it doesn't really matter what exercise you do (note this is my opinion).

Hollywood_Porky

Weights PLUS Cardio - you should do weights 3-5x per week and once/body part minus abs - you can do those upwards to 3x per week.

Cardio - do cardio at least 12 hours before weights on a weight day - or do cardio just after weights. Never do cardio right before weights as you will burn off energy that is required for weight training.

Check out a couple of books that I have (one is the female version, I have the male version):

http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738

http://www.amazon.com/Thinner-Leaner-Stronger-Building-Ultimate-ebook/dp/B0098PYV7Q/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1421872870&sr=1-4&keywords=michael+matthews+books

Also, for cardio, check out this book - and do zone training:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003ODHOJ0/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title

These are solid books.

hill8570

BFDeal wrote: »

Nutrition for weight loss. Lifting for body composition. Cardio for heart/lung/general health. That's the order I've always heard. It's not a VS thing though in my mind.

^^^THIS!

fallingtrees

The only thing I miss about my gym membership is swimming. But it's expensive, I have to drive 6 miles each way, it's a hassle...

Building muscle is supposed to help speed your metabolism, so your cardio burns improve. It also helps build your back, bones, and so on to help against ageing later. Muscle is denser than fat, so you end up skinnier at the same weight. And so on.

There's a bunch of bodyweight exercises on the internet. Some of the workouts are really quick, and intense, and you can get one done before work. No special equipment needed.

CarlydogsMom

Well, I lost my weight (75 lbs) mostly with permanent food/diet changes (not point of response, so no details) and walking/hiking. I then started a few other exercises like occasional jogs/elliptical, then later on mountain biking. I just started weight lifting (free weights, progressive loading, etc. with personal trainer) a few months ago, and I WISH I had started earlier. If only.

Highly recommend weights as primary exercise, with cardio on off-days if desired. When you lose those 25 pounds, remember, unless you have some sort of body resistance forms of exercise involved, you'll lose a mix of fat and muscle. With weight-lifting, your weight may not come off as quickly, but you can be pretty certain that most of it that DOES come off will be fat.

EDITED TO ADD: take a look at this MFP thread for female weight-lifting successes: community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1120789/females-only-lifting-weight-training-results/p1

M155y647

I do Body Pump at my gym and its a weight training class. I used to do a lot of cardio but then my body got used to it so obviously there were no changes to my body. I started weight training and what a difference it made. It really shaped and sculpted my body. If you keep doing the same exercises (cardio) over and over again, you're body will become kinda immune to it and therefore you won't see any changes until you change up your routine. You'll "shock" your body with the weight training and your body will respond differently and there's where you'll get your results.

Jerseygrrl

They are both "good for you."
Cardio has benefits outside of weight loss - regulating blood pressure, cardiovascular health, pulmonary health.
Weight training has benefits outside of weight loss - better balance as you age, bone strength for women.
You can lose weight without doing either - just eat at a deficit.
But, adding them both in, while eating at a reasonable deficit, will likely help you lose bodyfat quicker, and develop lean body mass. Muscle burns calories, so, if you build some more muscle, you'll burn more calories even if everything else remains static.
Start by finding out your TDEE and aim for 10 percent (conservative) to 20 percent (aggressive) fewer calories than that.
I really recommend trying out all sorts of exercise to find what works for you. Some people only do cardio. Some only do weight training. There really isn't a wrong answer. It's whatever you are going to stick with.

hmcbride68

BFDeal wrote: »

Nutrition for weight loss. Lifting for body composition. Cardio for heart/lung/general health. That's the order I've always heard. It's not a VS thing though in my mind.

That's a very good and simple way of looking at it. All three have crossover benefits into the other, but that's pretty much the focus of each one. Nutrition is essential for weight loss/gain and general health. Lifting is essential for increased strength and muscularity. Cardio, in both main variants (LISS and HIIT), is essential for improved pulmonary function

JoRocka

BFDeal wrote: »

Nutrition for weight loss. Lifting for body composition. Cardio for heart/lung/general health. That's the order I've always heard. It's not a VS thing though in my mind.

This.
there is no right or wrong answer- they all serve a purpose and outside of specific training goals (and the more specific- the further away you deviate)- a well rounded program will have an eliminate of ALL of those things.

elleinaDanielle

You guys are so helpful! Thank you... I'm going to have to look into weights I can do from home. I think I have a set of 8 lb. weights currently and that's IT.

spfldpam

Both are good for you and I do both. I do cardio every day I go to the gym. Usually 30 minutes on the elliptical machine and then weights/weight machines every other day. The days I don't do the weights I do another 20 minutes of cardio on the treadmill. I used to mix it up with aqua classes that were both cardio and some strength training but the gym I am a member of now doesn't have a pool.
Good luck!

_runnerbean_

No one mentioned this programme yet (I don't think). New rules of lifting for women is another popular book which is mainly a weight lifting programme for women. It has dietary advice in the j

JoRocka

elleinaDanielle wrote: »

You guys are so helpful! Thank you... I'm going to have to look into weights I can do from home. I think I have a set of 8 lb. weights currently and that's IT.

try these to get you started- resistance training is not exclusively weights only.
Body By You
Convict Conditioning
You are your own Gym

Best beginner workout- nerdfitness
Lovingfit by tati
zuzka light (youtube)
thedailyhiit.com

_runnerbean_

Sorry- phone went mad! Above should read book has dietary advice too.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

BFDeal wrote: »

Nutrition for weight loss. Lifting for body composition. Cardio for heart/lung/general health. That's the order I've always heard. It's not a VS thing though in my mind.

This, except I'd add that lifting is also good for general health and functional strength.

Lofteren

There are a lot of beginner programs out there (starting strength, stronglifts 5x5, Madcow's, New rules of lifting for women) but I would recommend stronglifts 5x5 to someone who has some fat to lose simply because it has higher volume with the major barbell lifts which will give you a lot more bang for your buck than other programs. You can add a little cardio in with this program and add that to having a clean, well balanced diet and get outstanding results.

999tigger

Its both, it doesnt have to be either or.

flatlndr

Nutrition, cardio and weights for me.

bigd66218

Cardio definitely if you need to drop major weight, weights twice a week(12-15 sets) of basic exercises to maintain muscle and core exercises to complement the two.