Cardio vs Lifting

Need2Exerc1se

crystalstinson7 wrote: »

Which method will get you the fastest results? I'm so eager to see what y'all have to say!

What type of results? If you mean weight loss, then that comes down to calories, regardles of what type of exercise you do. Any type of regular exercise can increase your metabolic rate and help you lose faster.

If you mean something else, like endurance, muscle retention, body composistion, then the answer would vary. But your best bet is likely going to be both.

JenAndSome

Wedding dresses are expensive. Why on earth is she trying to drop 3 sizes in two months? Sounds like a lot of extra alteration cost and grounds for failure to me. She should just consistently do whatever exercise she is likely to stick with and not set unrealistic goals. Cardio is okay, but if she doesn't enjoy it, she's not going to change her mind just because it's what you have done and enjoy.

auddii

DopeItUp wrote: »

Having said that, I hate to be Debbie Downer but REAL TALK here for a second. If she's on MFP but can't be bothered to log her food or even make this very thread for herself, what do you think her chances at success really are? I know you are trying to be a good friend but as someone who has been down this road many times, you're probably wasting your time and/or may even hurt your relationship with her. The chances of her listening to you and/or actually dropping two dress sizes in three months seems very slim, knowing the full story now. I can honestly say that between all the friends and family and coworkers who have needed/asked for advice in the past few years, exactly zero of them have followed my advice or achieved anything. So I don't waste my time anymore.

Also going to agree with this. Spend the next month or so researching local seamstresses. Have a short list of places that can help let out her dress and try to help keep her stress low. She has to want this for herself.

Timshel_

You can discuss, research and read as much as you want, but the conclusion of most reputable people in the health industry is what many recommended - a combination of both depending on the person's goals. most importance is diet and whatever with continue to engage a person to consistent compliance. Hate cardio...do most strength training. Not into just building muscle...do more cardio. You can also find cardio activities that increase compliance, like hiking, biking, or sport (I play tennis and love it, as well as burn calories galore).

FitnessTrainer69

If I had to make a choice, I would go with lifting. I can add a physique with lifting and not with cardio. I lose weight with food only. I don't try to out work my diet.

Athos282

Personal experience with the whole thing is that long, steady cardio like hiking are great for generating high calorie burns. Strength training encourages fat loss rather than muscle loss, so it's best to do a composition of both. I strength train 3 days a week and do cardio 2-3 days a week. I also create a slight deficit through calorie reduction but you want to make sure to get plenty of protein in your diet to also help promote fat rather than muscle loss.

keithcw_the_first

usmcmp wrote: »

It really depends.

If you just care about the scale? Cardio.
If you care about losing mostly fat instead of fat and lean mass? Lifting.
For most people to get great results? Both.

This is the right answer.

sweetpea03b

For me, I saw the best/fastest results when I began NROLFW last year. I wished I had started sooner. Right now I'm training for a 1/2 Marathon so I'm doing more cardio but still making sure i'm getting lifting in. So, to specifically answer your question: if you're eating at a deficit and lifting, I believe you will be HAPPIER with your results than eating at a deficit and doing just cardio.

Metruis

I find cardio so seethingly boring... and well, I'm also pretty large, so it hurts my knees. I force myself to do 10-15 minutes on the elliptical every time I go to the gym, and I try to get 5 minutes on a rower (which if you do it right, HURTS EVERYWHERE), and at home I play DDR...

...but the reality is, I love lifting. I don't like the burn from cardio, but oh wow, I can lift until I'm about ready to pass out and love every minute of every ache. I can push myself until everything BURNS. And I don't have to run to an inhaler. And I see results. I still can't do a chin-up, but now I can pull myself up a couple of inches, and I can manage a deadhang... I couldn't before. I can do pushups, and I couldn't even do a knee pushup before. I have a defined blorp of muscle on my arm instead of just a blorp of fat. Just knowing that, once I'm done with the 15-20 minutes of cardio I subject myself to, I'll get to start lifting up heavy things... oh yeah.

Cardio, I can't do forever like some people can. But I can lift every day, if I cycle areas of my body. I try to squat every time I go to the gym, just because it's such a great full body exercise...

So, she should pick whichever one she likes best. The goal with exercise is more to preserve lean muscle mass. At least with lifting. Though I've come to the conclusion that it is possible to gain muscle on a deficit as long as you're jamming in enough protein... because I sure seem to be bulking up and losing inches...

Anyway, I would pick lifting over cardio any time. I love it.

callsitlikeiseeit

crystalstinson7 wrote: »

usmcmp wrote: »

If she's "not been very successful" in the past you need to find out her methods before and make sure she doesn't go that insane this time.

Unfortunately, she probably should have just started long ago and slowly lost the weight. If she does a crash diet for 3 months and lots of cardio she could reach her goal, plus she'll feel like crap on her special day.

I suggest she log her food accurate while doing a mix of cardio and strength training. She may not lose 2 dress sizes, but she'll make improvements and actually look healthy instead of sick on her wedding day.

I completely agree with you, but I don't see it happening. She's on MFP, but she doesn't log consistently. I've told her to get back to it. She could see where her eating is getting off track and logging her exercises--cardio or lifting--will make her feel accomplished.

And, to be honest, I'm not sure that she prefers lifting; I think she'd prefer doing neither! lol But ... oh, I don't know. I just want her to get good results. We started this weight loss journey together a year ago. I feel bad that she's still where we were when we started. I want her to be successful and happy. Especially since I am. It would be easier to share the joy, you know? Instead of feeling guilty or helpless.

I just thought I could, after reading some posts, give her better advice. You all have been great and I appreciate the input! It's kinda neat to see, after all the debate, that most of you say a combo of the two. I know I've heard a lot say one or the other is better and smack talk the other--"Cardio is the way to go. Lifting makes you bulky," or "Women, lift heavy! You won't bulk. Muscle burns fat. Cardio is the devil." I know I've been given some flak for preferring cardio, but, as some have said, that's what I enjoy and because I enjoy it, it's given me some good results. So while I asked for an either or answer, it's nice that I didn't get one! lol

Still curious about preferences, though, so keep letting me know!! Thanks!

i would go with cardio and calorie deficit, myself.

the thing is, if SHE isn't into (Whatever) she chooses... she won't be successful. For the first time in my life I'm consistently losing weight, because I've made a lifestyle change that is sustainable. wanting to help her is great (i have friends who i would LOVE to help) but if its only half hearted (not willing/consistent with logging/ not exercising consistently/ etc) then it's just going to end in frustration for both of you. my neighbor talks about wanting to lose weight all the time, and i go to the gym with her on occasion, but she doesnt log anything, and hasnt bothered to change how she eats - so shes not seeing results, whereas I am (but then i work out a LOT more than she does and eat a LOT less)

make sense?

AllanMisner

Duplicate post removed.

AllanMisner

Cardio and lifting are for two entirely different purposes. Cardio is to help you build cardiovascular health (strong heart and lungs). Lifting is for building strength and/or muscle mass. All of these are important health and fitness aspects and should be addressed based on your particular goals.

As a side-effect, you do burn calories doing both. Just like you do washing your hair, wiping your butt, and walking to the refrigerator for another snack. Cardio burns more calories per unit of time than weight lifting (EPOC is great but doesn’t come close to what you can do with moderate to intense cardio). But with this extra burn, and if you want to have energy to do it again a day or two later, you’re going to have to consume those calories back. With low intensity cardio (walking) the appetite is usually easier to control and the effort is easier to maintain on a higher calorie restriction (losing weight faster). But that is not the best approach if you care about health.

The reason people (myself included) lean toward weights is two fold:
1) maintaining muscle mass is important to coming to a better body composition after the weight loss. Losing muscle and fat will make you weigh less, but you will look better if you retain more muscle.
2) muscle mass and strength are extremely valuable to having a good lifestyle and a longer life. Most people over the age of 35 lose 1% of their muscle mass each year. Think about what that means when you’re over 65. I for one want to be able to wipe my own *kitten* when I’m 105. That’s not going to happen without a muscle maintenance (lifting) program.

If your friend wants to look her best for the wedding, she’ll focus on her diet (500 calorie deficit), lift heavy weights (compound movements), and use walking as her active recovery on her non-lifting days.

Capt_Apollo

your friend should make an account on here and track her calories.

GonzoMan530

Yes and no.

Cardio can improve overall heart health, breathing etc, yes, but lifting weights can and does do the same things.

I don't have a cardio routine, per se. Sometimes I do it. Sometimes I don't. I prefer weight training because I see results faster.

When I started, I was at about 300# or so - cardio all the time with a reflex bag. Got boring fast.

Ended up buying weights, benches, barbells, dumbbells. Did A LOT of reading on programs and after doing split routines for a few weeks, settled on stronglifts 5x5 - 3 days (recommended although I tend to do 4) a week of squats every workout, bench pressing, overhead pressing, deadlifts and barbell rows.

I am capable of lifting very heavy, but so I could take full advantage of the program, I started as directed, empty bars with the exception of deadlifts and rows because its not going to work empty.

Im into week 5. Stronger than I've ever been and lifting with better form, safely (thanks to a cage I traded for an Xbox)

Cardio will build better arteries, yes. So will straining your body and systems with weights. Gaining muscle mass accelerates your metabolism in a far superior manner than cardio because you actually build muscle when you're resting - it requires a lot of energy to do this and as a result, fat loss follows.

IF

you watch your calories and eat for strength.

My diet is very balanced, clean, save for cheat meals, which I engage in weekly to preserve sanity and to provide a jump start to my metabolism. I consume at a minimum of 150 grams of protein daily - mainly from chicken, egg whites, nuts and protein supplements, which aren't high on my list, but a necessary staple.

Many will say you can't build muscle and burn fat at the same time. They'd be wrong because I'm proof that you can.

Since late November, I've lost 65#, increased my overall muscle mass and cardiovascular fitness. Blood pressure, resting heart rate have dropped. Confidence and alertness has increased dramatically.

That's not to say I don't do cardio - sometimes I will hit a heavy bag, I walk my dog regularly, skate etc....but the majority of my success has come as a result of lifting weights. Combined with a solid, clean diet, I can execute all of this and not feel starved, weak or sick from cravings or anything else.

If interested, check out stronglifts.com - thus guy didn't invent the program, just wrote a lot about it and created apps for it that help track progress.

AllanMisner wrote: »

Cardio and lifting are for two entirely different purposes. Cardio is to help you build cardiovascular health (strong heart and lungs). Lifting is for building strength and/or muscle mass. All of these are important health and fitness aspects and should be addressed based on your particular goals.

As a side-effect, you do burn calories doing both. Just like you do washing your hair, wiping your butt, and walking to the refrigerator for another snack. Cardio burns more calories per unit of time than weight lifting (EPOC is great but doesn’t come close to what you can do with moderate to intense cardio). But with this extra burn, and if you want to have energy to do it again a day or two later, you’re going to have to consume those calories back. With low intensity cardio (walking) the appetite is usually easier to control and the effort is easier to maintain on a higher calorie restriction (losing weight faster). But that is not the best approach if you care about health.

The reason people (myself included) lean toward weights is two fold:
1) maintaining muscle mass is important to coming to a better body composition after the weight loss. Losing muscle and fat will make you weigh less, but you will look better if you retain more muscle.
2) muscle mass and strength are extremely valuable to having a good lifestyle and a longer life. Most people over the age of 35 lose 1% of their muscle mass each year. Think about what that means when you’re over 65. I for one want to be able to wipe my own *kitten* when I’m 105. That’s not going to happen without a muscle maintenance (lifting) program.

If your friend wants to look her best for the wedding, she’ll focus on her diet (500 calorie deficit), lift heavy weights (compound movements), and use walking as her active recovery on her non-lifting days.

jennifershoo

Lift fast = cardio