Is it possible to get lean and lose body fat by resistance workouts only?

VividVegan
VividVegan Posts: 200 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Aside from watching your food/calorie intake and health of course. But what I mean is I've heard to get lean, a combo of cardio and resistance exercise is necessary. Is this true? Because that's how I've made progress so far (a combo of lifting weights, pushups, lunges, etc with cardio HIIT). However, I recently got a knee injury (not exercise related) and my running, sprinting, brisk walking, and biking is aweful and painful. I need to recover. BUT, I can still lift weights and do push ups and planks and a few other resistance exercises if I make sure not to let my knees bend. Can I still achieve my goal of getting leaner on resistance exercise without any cardio at all (besides slow walking on college campus)? I eat healthy and watch portion control. Drink around 3 liters of water per day and get 7 hours of sleep per day. My calorie intake is 1600. I'm 5'7 and 123-125 pounds. Am female and 24 years old. What do you think?

Replies

  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
    You could lose fat with no exercise of any kind.

    That said, there are lots of health and fitness benefits to both cardio and strength training. Take it easy, let your body heal, resume when you're better.
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    at your height and weight, are you trying to lose body fat? aside from weight loss, if your goal is to get strong and physically fit, you will have to exercise, and depending what kinda fitness style your goal is will determine what kinda exercises you should do. but you should heal any injuries first.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Your diet is going to determine your leanness and burning of body fat, not any one particular exercise. When you consume less energy (calories) than you expend, you burn fat to make up the deficit of energy.
  • VividVegan
    VividVegan Posts: 200 Member
    My goal is to lose body fat and gain muscle because I was originally very "skinny-fat". Not nearly as much now but I still have ways to go and now I'm unable to do cardio so it has made me worried since I was doing a combo of both. I basically want to get "solid". And possible lose a couple inches from my lower half.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    FeedMeFish wrote: »
    My goal is to lose body fat and gain muscle because I was originally very "skinny-fat". Not nearly as much now but I still have ways to go and now I'm unable to do cardio so it has made me worried since I was doing a combo of both. I basically want to get "solid". And possible lose a couple inches from my lower half.

    Lifting is how you build a solid body...I would recommend following a structured program for best results.
  • VividVegan
    VividVegan Posts: 200 Member
    edited April 2016
    @wolf, wouldn't diet alone just bring me back to square one? I used to be anorexic.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    edited April 2016
    You're at a low normal weight ALREADY (and have a history of ED). So yes, I'd recommend weight training to try to build the body you seem to crave. Don't lose any more weight. Eat RIGHT and lift. Stop eating at a deficit.
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
    You're at a low normal weight ALREADY (and have a history of ED). So yes, I'd recommend weight training to try to build the body you seem to crave. Don't lose any more weight. Eat RIGHT and lift. Stop eating at a deficit.

    and don't worry about nor being able to do any cardio until after your injury is head. just have some fun lifting, and eat a little more to fuel your growth. In a few months you can reevaluate where you are at.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    FeedMeFish wrote: »
    @wolf, wouldn't diet alone just bring me back to square one? I used to be anorexic.

    I didn't tell you to diet alone. I said that your diet is what is going to determine whether or not you're burning fat.

    Given your current weight and history, I'd just focus on eating around maintenance and lifting...it's called re-comp. It takes a very long time but you essentially will burn fat and build a little muscle at the same time. I've been re-comping for three years...I've lost 2-3% BF and put on about 5 Lbs of muscle in three years...it's basically a bi-product of eating right and getting your fitness on.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    FeedMeFish wrote: »
    My goal is to lose body fat and gain muscle because I was originally very "skinny-fat". Not nearly as much now but I still have ways to go and now I'm unable to do cardio so it has made me worried since I was doing a combo of both. I basically want to get "solid". And possible lose a couple inches from my lower half.

    Have a read of the recomp thread in the maintaining weight forum - it seems just what you want...

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat/p1

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