For the millionth time...

sarantonio

I am going to ask questions that have been asked over and over and OVER again, because I'm still a little unsure, and I like to clarify. OK....

CARDIO= BAD / STRENGTH TRAINING(LIFTING)= GOOD?

I'm asking specifically if this is for weight loss of 20lbs or more, or should I get more bang for my buck calorie wise with cardio, and then when I get closer to body fat % goal then start decreasing cardio adding more strength?

LIFT HEAVY
Holy hell, this one gets me. First of all, can I start with my own body weight? And then how much do I increase? How many reps should I be doing? How often should I be doing this? Total body or do I split it up into muscle groups?

TDEE vs MFP CALC.
This is only for the question of what if I'm not consistent with my workouts? Some weeks I'm putting in 5-6 hours, others I'm only netting 2. Is it smarter for me to stick with MFP?

To anybody who helps me.... THANK YOU! I know all this has been beat half to death, but I just really want to clear it up, and I trust you guys (well... some of you)

prdavies1949

I have lost over 90lbs doing just cardio, running. I love it now. But I have been told that this only works if you have a huge amount to lose. IMO a mixture of cardio and weights is probably the best way for you to go.
Lifting heavy would involve a gym and free weights ( I think)
As far as TDEE v MFP goes I have used MFP and have been quite successful.
I am now going to sit back and watch for all of the other posts arguing for their favourite routines!

55in13

I am pro cardio, but I like running. I belong to a gym that is near my house and now that it is summer I can swing by there early, work out and then go to the office. But I prefer to run. All your replies will be flavored by preferences; that's mine...

Cardio works. I lost mostly fat, but I started at a BMI of 33+. I like that it is a dependable constant to plug into the equation, roughly 125 calories per mile run (probably a little low, but a good number to use). Now that I am getting pretty lean, I do need to hit the gym to tone up.

mazdauk

I'm not a "lift heavy" believer - my muscles are getting much stronger with cardio (DVD workouts which do include some ab toning etc., plus zumba - my legs especially show the benefits). I do have some wrist/ankle weights I use for some routines but even together they probabl lweigh less than most people's gym bags

I looked at the TDEE-20% option, but I ended up with a huge amount of calories and was scared it would lead to me skipping exercise - I know those lazt fat girl excuses (tired/hot/busy etc.) would come creeping back, so I upped my MFP calorie goal a little but continued to eat back exercise calories. I stalled for about 5 weeks then lost 2lb a week for the next three. I didn't have huge amounts to lose - it seemed huge to me, but others have three times that to lose - but now I just have 7lb to go.

ETA - someone is bound to say MFP/machines over-estimate calories burned and you need a HRM. All I can say is I've used MFP estimates and it has worked for me.

sarantonio

I'd really like to hear from those who DO lift.

55in13

I'd really like to hear from those who DO lift.

I hope you take this suggestion in the spirit it is given - trying to be helpful, not trying to pick on you...
Thread titles matter. When they clearly state what you are trying to get info/opinions on, you get more responses. Also, this particular topic would likely get more responses in Fitness than General.

Mokey41

I firmly believe in a combination of both. Cardio for your aerobic fitness and lifting for your muscle strength. I try to balance out 3 days of each (when I get time) although I really enjoy running and cycling far more than being stuck inside lifting.

jo_marnes

I've started lifting now and it is changing the shape of my body for the better. But, I lost all my weight with cardio before I did any resistance training :-/

Imo, you can't skip cardio. Do both. If your aim is to slim down nicely rather than going for a weight lifting goal, then that will work.

I'm currently doing NROLFW 3 times a week with 2 cardio sessions. Some of the NROLFW workouts also have HIIT (10-15 mins) included. Cardio is not just about weight loss..... it's cardiovascular fitness. Keep your heart healthy too.

JamieM8168

I lift! I do it because it helps me get tone, strong, I lost a ton of inches I never was able to doign cardio...

I don't waste my time doing hours of cardio a day. When I go to the gym, I do cardio for about 20 minutes max for a warmup and then finish it off with lifting/strength training

A lot of people split it up. You don't want to do the same muscle groups day after day as your body needs to rest.
I do 3 sets of 10 for some of my exercises but it all depends on what i'm doing on how many reps I do and the weight.

elisa123gal

I hear both on here... but i say lift heavy if nothing else is working for you... I want to lose my weight..so i do cardio and I want to lift along with that to shape up. but i don't buy into just lifting heavy. also..cardio is good for your heart. overall health should be a priority.

_chiaroscuro

I'd really like to hear from those who DO lift.

I lift. I chose to begin this along with cardio while trying to lose fat. It's honestly been slow going for me as far as the scale (I have health issues which contribute to this too, way it goes). But I'm very pleased with the improvements in how I look so far. Like last month for instance, I actually gained a few pounds but lost almost two inches off my waist, giving me, well, a waist again. And I love gaining strength. It's a great psychological boost I wasn't expecting which spilled over into other areas of my life than fitness. For that benefit alone I'd recommend it. I'd say if you've got the patience to do both while losing weight, do so. I hear many people saying they started lifting after they lost weight with cardio alone and wish they'd started sooner. But also important, do things you love. You won't stick with anything that makes you miserable.

ETA: Oops, forgot to add that I'm doing New Rules of Lifting for Women 2-3x/week and running/HIIT 1-3x/week depending on what I can fit into my schedule.

AlistairBernardNormal

I am far from an expert, and fairly new to any sort of routine, but I recently completed a half marathon, so the 6 months preceding this event were ALL CARDIO (running, biking – anything to help me build toward being able to move quickly for 2 hours.) It was great and did great things for my body.

In the two and a half weeks since, I’ve added in resistance training. I do the workouts on dailyhiit.com (they’re in my price range – FREE! (not an ad)) and some P90X, as well as the cardio and the difference has been AMAZING. I’ve already lost 1 inch off of my waist and 1.5 inches from my hips.

In my humblest of opinions, it pays to mix it up. It helps fight boredom, it works different muscle groups and it’s fun to challenge yourself in different ways.

Also, I’ve seen it posted so many times – and it’s true – anything is better than nothing. The key is to keep at it. You’ll get where you want to be.

GOOD LUCK!

rjmudlax13

This is what works for me. I am not an expert. This is just what I like and should be "taken with a grain of salt."

First of all, cardio is not bad. Cardio is great! I never understood the whole anti-cardio movement in this community. Also, lifting weights is great! I think everyone should incorporate resistance training into their workout routine.

To address the second part of your question, I'm not sure what you mean exactly. You are going to lose weight if you are in a calorie deficit whether you maintain that deficit from cardio, strength training, a combination of both, or just by diet alone. Also, I don't think you get more "bang for your buck" with cardio. Sure if you go by a heart rete monitor, cardio will show a bigger number per hour. However, when you lift weights, you burn calories afterwards as your body repairs the muscle fibers. So, you could potentially burn the same or more from a strength workout per hour.

Lifting heavy: To pick a weight for a particular exercise, do about 10-12 reps with a weight you think you can do that many with without it being too easy. For instance, the last 2-3 reps should be difficult, but not so difficult that you start cheating, and/or losing good form and posture to complete them. Once you have your weights figured out, do 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps. Stay on the lower side if you want a little more muscle power and the high side if you want a little more muscle endurance. I usually lift 2 to 3 days a week. I do 2 days of upper body and 1 day of lower. Sometimes, I break the upper body workouts into specific muscle groups such as chest, arms, shoulders, etc. or I do my whole upper body in one workout. I like to change it up every once in a while. There a lot of opinions on this subject, but it really comes down to personal preference and what kind of results you want. If you really want good advice, hire a certified trainer. That's what I did and it was a great decision.

Here is my typical workout schedule for a particular week:
Monday - Lift upper
Tuesday - Fast run (3 miles or less) or sprint training
Wednesday - Lift lower
Thursday - off
Friday - lift upper or interval cardio training
Saturday - Long run (5 miles or more)
Sunday - off/stretch

TDEE vs. MFP: I will let someone else get into that. All I have to say is do whatever helps you maintain a deficit.

ninerbuff

Resistance training is key. In fact, it's one of the main reasons our senior population is more fit now than before. Stronger muscles mean more chance to be involved in physical activity.
Cardio should be involved too, but it doesn't have to be long drawn out cardio of an hour or more. HIIT cardio has been shown to be more effective in overall body composition, then long steady state cardio.
But overall, when it comes to fat loss/weight loss it's going to come down to how much you eat.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

lessertess

Cardio=Good
Strength Training = Good
Cardio + Strength Training = Better and/or Best

Your going to get the best overall results by combining cardio with strength training. In reality weight loss is 80% diet. You can lose weight by just creating a caloric deficit. You won't get stronger or be toned. Cardio will burn calories and strengthen your heart and lungs and you will see improvements in your muscle tone. Strength Training will build/maintain muscle (which burns more calories) and shape your body.

Lift Heavy = Good

Be realistic. You're going to have to build up to it. If you haven't been lifting then starting with a large weight is likely to cause injury. Start light and learn proper form and as you get stronger add more weight. You WILL NOT GET BULKY.

clarkeje1

I agree with the above poster about the best option being a combo of strength and cardio. New rules of lifting for women says that cardio is important too

erickirb

Diet (deficit) for weight loss with or without exercise.
Cardio for heart health and endurance
Strength training for strength gains, increase bone density, lower BF% at every weight along with the weight loss journey, and muscle retention while in a caloric deficit

thesupremeforce

I don't tend to do cardio for more than half an hour at a time. Since I'm not training for any long runs, that seems fine to me. Honestly, I don't spend much more time than that lifting/resistance training either. Get in. Get out. Try to be efficient. Obviously, if the gym is crowded, it might take longer to do everything.

sarantonio

Awesome. Thank you guys. I only have one more question. Do we consider workout videos like 30DS strength training or cardio? An example of my week is


Mon- 3 mile run
Tues-Kickboxing (video)
Wed- Pilates
Thurs- 3 mile run
Fri- 30DS

I'm not very consistent with my workouts, I do something almost every day, but its rarely in any kind of order and its rare that I do the same routine 2x's in one week.

But I really don't know if that is considered "strength (or resistance) training. I feel like I should be lifting real weight. Is this any good? Or should I maybe change something? (Ive been stuck at 160ish for a month now, however to be fair, my eating has sucked big time lately)

wareagle8706

a Mix of cardio and strength training = BEST. Plus a balanced, healthy diet.

You don't have to start out lifting the heaviest weight possible. When people say heavy lifting they are defining it as: lift as much weight as you can for around 4-5 sets of 5-6 reps. If you are new to lifting the best way to start is by doing 3 sets of 12 reps. If you can do 15 reps you need to up the weight by about 5 pounds and try to get 12 reps. If the last 3 reps are not very difficult to complete you need to up your weight until you can complete 12 reps with the last three being very difficult to complete.

HIIT is the best form of cardio rather than steady state (running). You only need about 20 minutes 2 times a week of HIIT in order to get great results.

TDEE vs. MFP cals: this is your personal choice. You what you want. If you choose MFP cals then you have to eat back exercise cals. If you choose TDEE then you do not eat back exercise cals.

Hope this helps.

juliemouse83

I lift. I run to get ready for the occasional 5K (and still ask myself WHY every time, LOL), but the majority of my workouts are lifting.

I have been doing the StrongLifts 5x5 program since mid-February, with a three week break for medical reasons. My strength has increased, my measurements and weight have decreased, and I am wearing clothes I haven't been able to wear for years.

For cardio, I swim in the summer because I like it and always have done it. I also walk with my dogs year 'round, and if I am feeling especially hyper, I'll jump on the elliptical for a short bit, but I attribute most of my success to diet and strength training (and that is probably because I love lifting the most, LOL..)