Cardio? Or cardio and strength?

racheldell4956
racheldell4956 Posts: 10 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Many people have told me that when trying to lose a lot of weight, the best thing to do is to run a lot.. And not worry so much about strength training. But I've heard the exact opposite from other people.
I am 4'11 and 174 pounds. My goal weight is 130-140 pounds.. Hopefully by August of this year.
Can anyone please give me some advice?
I've been working really hard for the past couple of months and I've been a stable 174-176.

Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Both.

    Or whichever you enjoy and will do regularly
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    You want to lose weight? Calorie deficit
    You want to lose weight faster and eat more? Do cardio.
    You want a physique? Lift heavy
  • racheldell4956
    racheldell4956 Posts: 10 Member
    I eat 1400 calories a day, run for 30-40 minutes a day, and do the general weight lifting machines and crunches/push ups. But no progress
  • peaceout_aly
    peaceout_aly Posts: 2,018 Member
    I'm right around your height at 5'! My personal heaviest was 124 lbs. and I was eating whatever and not working out at all. From there, I cut calories (1,000 - 1,200 a day) and did a LOT of cardio. Although I lost weight, I ended up becoming way too skinny and was angry all the time and had little energy due to the lack of calories. I was "skinny" but not firm at all. I was 102 lbs. but my legs and stomach were flab and bones. In October, I started strength training (with moderate integrated cardio on upper body days) and have had amazing results. I'm eating 1,600 cals a day (1,400 is the goal and I've been eating back my exercise calories...closer to my "physique reveal" I will halt this habit...was supposed to stop today but I think getting my protein in is more important than staying under for cals) and working out for about an hour-and-a-half daily. I've gotten a firmer figure and appear more in shape than before when I weighed less. I'm currently at 114 lbs. I suggest getting down to a lower BMI and then beginning strength training routines.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    racheldell4956 wrote: »
    I eat 1400 calories a day, run for 30-40 minutes a day, and do the general weight lifting machines and crunches/push ups. But no progress

    Do you weigh everything you eat with scales?
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    edited March 2016
    2 things to consider: 1. What type of exercise do you enjoy doing? The best thing you can do is be consistent.
    2. As you get closer to goal strength training becomes more important (risk of muscle loss is higher). When you lose weight you want to try to minimize lean muscle mass loss. Strength training can help you do that.

    Ideally you do both things for overall fitness. You don't want to wait until you are AT goal. Start sooner and figure things out along the way. If you really like strength training already, then by all means do it. I've never read a post that said "I wished I had put strength training off until later," it's usually the reverse.
  • racheldell4956
    racheldell4956 Posts: 10 Member
    I do not. I attend high school, so lunch very hard to assume the calories. I don't eat a lot there, or anything I would consider greasy or bad, but I still don't know what I'm eating half the time there.

  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    racheldell4956 wrote: »
    I eat 1400 calories a day, run for 30-40 minutes a day, and do the general weight lifting machines and crunches/push ups. But no progress

    Do you use a food scale for your solid foods?
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    racheldell4956 wrote: »
    I do not. I attend high school, so lunch very hard to assume the calories. I don't eat a lot there, or anything I would consider greasy or bad, but I still don't know what I'm eating half the time there.
    How old are you?
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    racheldell4956 wrote: »
    I do not. I attend high school, so lunch very hard to assume the calories. I don't eat a lot there, or anything I would consider greasy or bad, but I still don't know what I'm eating half the time there.

    Then you're probably eating more than you think.
  • Jacob1020
    Jacob1020 Posts: 115 Member
    edited March 2016
    You can start out with Cardio such as running with you balanced eating plan. You could implement both at the same time but muscle is more dense needs little space and weighs more so even though you'll loose the weight you'll gain the muscle just don't get discourage and think you may have gained fat if you stand on the scales, itll be the muscle you could also consider upping or lowering anything you desire from you macronutrients to maintain a balance Hope it helps in any way. Cheers
  • racheldell4956
    racheldell4956 Posts: 10 Member
    I enjoy running the most. Generally I can get pretty lazy with strength training. It's slower, and I have a tendency to lose motivation doing it
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    edited March 2016
    racheldell4956 wrote: »
    I eat 1400 calories a day, run for 30-40 minutes a day, and do the general weight lifting machines and crunches/push ups. But no progress

    *nvm* My phone was slow to update the replies.
    You are probably eating more than 1400 calories.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    racheldell4956 wrote: »
    I eat 1400 calories a day, run for 30-40 minutes a day, and do the general weight lifting machines and crunches/push ups. But no progress

    Then you're actually eating more than 1400 calories per day.
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  • slong12041989
    slong12041989 Posts: 21 Member
    First of all, congrats on your journey to become healthier!!

    I agree that you're probably eating more calories than you think. If you weigh things out at home, eventually you'll be able to eye ball the things at school more. Also consider bringing a lunch if that's an option, then you can figure out your calories at home.

    I've also found meal planning and putting what I'd like to eat into MFP before I eat it can be helpful, that way if it's too much you can eat less of it or make a healthier choice.

    Good luck and hope you see some progress soon!
  • jjburger77
    jjburger77 Posts: 31 Member
    @racheldell4956...you are still so young my friend! :smile:

    Here's my advice that I would give myself 18 years ago. Eat better, lift weights, and do high intensity intervals.

    I do all of that now, and love my daily workouts. There is enough variety that I do not get bored unless I'm running for half-marathon training. That's a different story!

    Eating better now will start good habits for you as you get older. Your body will thank you when you are 35.

    Weight training helps build stronger bones and weight loss. You will also have amazing arms and legs, and gravity won't give you hello/goodbyes (that flab under your arm...it waves hello and goodbye).

    High Intensity Interval training (HIIT) is a calorie killer! It's fast, fun, and challenging all at the same time. I am a habitual lazy person, and HIIT keeps my mind very busy when I'm doing it. There is a lot of good information out there about what you could do.

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