Should I be doing more cardio?
stephmph16
Posts: 114 Member
Hey all. I've been going to the gym about two months now, with a trainer once a week. We do lots of strength training, weights, squats, etc. I am loving it. I am getting more muscular and feel better about myself, but the scale isn't budging. I'm not too concerned because I know I'm getting more muscle. But I do have 15 lbs that I could do without. If I want to lose the weight, should I do more cardio?
I hope this isn't a stupid question, be gentle with me lol.
I hope this isn't a stupid question, be gentle with me lol.
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Replies
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There are no stupid questions...just stupid answers! You can certainly add some cardio as you see fit but you should also double down on making sure your nutrition is spot on first. I know when I get a little "loose" with my tracking I can stall very quickly.1
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Are you counting calories? you make no mention.1
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As much as I hate to say it, this time the shallow cliche is actually applicable.
If you want to "lose weight" you need to have a sustained calorie deficit. This can be achieved by restricting intake, or increasing calorie expenditure. Increasing expenditure can be accomplished by increasing activity of any type--including cardio. Cardio can benefit sometimes because, in general, your rate of calorie burn is higher when doing cardio.
However, to be sure you really need to "lose weight" it might be helpful to have your body fat tested so you know your body is changing the way you want it to.
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cardio can be a great tool in your desire to lose weight, but the bigger bang for your buck is being in calorie deficit. Sure cardio helps that but not as much as people think.
I would definitely recommend some cardio though, it has other benefits as well!
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Ir's not a stupid question at all! Muscles often retain water when you begin a new workout and weight-lifting in particular causes water retention for repair. Plus weight fluctuates, especially for women (hormones!) several pounds a day without the exercise factor.
Are you taking measurements? The scale is not the only measure and not always the best one.
What's your height and weight? If you're at a healthy weight for your height, the weight will come off very slowly (and should)--probably .5 pounds per week or less. You might try a weight trending app like Happy Scale (iPhone) or Libra (Android). If you weigh in daily, at the same time, they'll help you (after a month-ish) see the overall trend in your weightloss in spite of those dauly fluctuations. It'll give you a better perspective.
If you do need to tweak your intake, using a food scale for all solids (including all package foods like frozen meals, sliced bread and eggs) and measuring cups for liquids is the most accurate way to know what you're eating. With little to lose (under 25 pounds) a more precise deficit will be more beneficial.
Of course, as you keep lifting (and please keep in mind outside of "newbie gains" it is very difficult for women to build muscle in a caloric deficit) you may find the fat loss and increased definition gives you the look you want instead of the goal of weight loss.1 -
queenliz99 wrote: »Are you counting calories? you make no mention.
I was going to ask the same thing. Calories are king for weight loss.
Are you getting thinner? If yes, then the number on the scale should mean nothing especially if you're weight lifting.
There are quite a few posts that contain pictures of ladies who weighed less when they started weightlifting but look smaller after several months. They are recomping. One lady actually stayed the same weight before and after/during weight lifting but looked much thinner in her after photo.
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Sorry for the post and run, I went to the gym then got all the kids down for bed!
I'm counting calories, yes. I have a fitbit and I'm primarily using that right now (sorry MFP). According to fitbit I burn about 3000 cals a day, eat about 2300-2500 cals. I eat pretty clean. I weigh everything.
I have been taking measurements and that is where I'm seeing a difference (yay!) I'm down an inch in the hips. I am 5'11" and 178 lbs. I've been steady around 178-182 fluctuations the past two months, though I am seeing a little difference in the measurements. Hubby comments on my muscles, so that's nice.
I'm also nursing, not sure if that changes anything.
@cerise_noir I am a total lurker and have been seeing ladies posts about recomping, and I'm wondering if that's what I'm doing without meaning to. I keep thinking the scale needs to go to 165 (why that number, I don't know, seems healthy and fit) but in my mind I want to be 165 and muscular, not just thin.
I really appreciate all of your advice, thank you so much!0 -
What are your stats (height, weight, age)? I have a Fitbit, but I don't rely on it's calorie counting abilities. In fact I'm sure it over estimates.stephmph16 wrote: »queenliz99 wrote: »Are you counting calories? you make no mention.
Oh yes! I have a fitbit and I'm primarily using that right now (sorry MFP). According to fitbit I burn about 3000 cals a day, eat about 2300-2500 cals. I eat pretty clean.
Also cardio helps to increase your calorie burn, so if you want/need to burn more calories add it in. However, a big myth that people believe is cardio is for burning fat.....................and that's just not really true. Ideally, your calorie deficit is what's going to be the difference in weight loss.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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High impact cardio like running or well designed circuits is my favourite thing for calorie burn, but I do add in strength training so I can be nice and firm as well when I'm done.1
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It sounds like you just need to increase your deficit slightly. And obviously that can be done by decreasing your calorie intake by 100-200 a day or just hit some cardio. While most are right in that cardio has limited fat loss capabilities, it does provide great cardiovascular improvements as well as the extra deficit in your daily calorie intake. Nobody wants to be ripped and lean yet huff and puff after walking up a flight of stairs lol1
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@ninerbuff Sorry, I added more to my previous post above. 5'11", 178ish, 29 yo
@atjays lol to the last line, seriously!0 -
Lol, except competitive bodybuilders.It sounds like you just need to increase your deficit slightly. And obviously that can be done by decreasing your calorie intake by 100-200 a day or just hit some cardio. While most are right in that cardio has limited fat loss capabilities, it does provide great cardiovascular improvements as well as the extra deficit in your daily calorie intake. Nobody wants to be ripped and lean yet huff and puff after walking up a flight of stairs lol
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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So your BMR is about 1625. That means you're burning 1375 calories through regular daily activity and exercise if your TDEE is 3000.stephmph16 wrote: »@ninerbuff Sorry, I added more to my previous post above. 5'11", 178ish, 29 yo
@atjays lol to the last line, seriously!
That number sounds high unless you're really active throughout the whole day.
Try reducing your calories by 200 a day and see what happens.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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So your BMR is about 1625. That means you're burning 1375 calories through regular daily activity and exercise if your TDEE is 3000.stephmph16 wrote: »@ninerbuff Sorry, I added more to my previous post above. 5'11", 178ish, 29 yo
@atjays lol to the last line, seriously!
That number sounds high unless you're really active throughout the whole day.
Try reducing your calories by 200 a day and see what happens.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Thanks Niner. Any idea if that could be inflated somehow? If it helps, I have three very young children and I am on my feet constantly. I work out 6 days a week for about an hour; lots of squats and dragging heavy stuff around and a little cardio here and there. Mostly chasing children though. I'll try your suggestion. Thanks all!
eta: I had a mind blank - thanks kids - I do row for about 15 minutes.0 -
Well for me to burn an extra 1375 calories a day, I'd have to work out pretty hard for an hour (600 calories) then be really really active to burn another 700 calories. And I'm over 200lbs and male. That's why I believe the numbers are over inflated.stephmph16 wrote: »
So your BMR is about 1625. That means you're burning 1375 calories through regular daily activity and exercise if your TDEE is 3000.stephmph16 wrote: »@ninerbuff Sorry, I added more to my previous post above. 5'11", 178ish, 29 yo
@atjays lol to the last line, seriously!
That number sounds high unless you're really active throughout the whole day.
Try reducing your calories by 200 a day and see what happens.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Thanks Niner. Any idea if that could be inflated somehow? If it helps, I have three very young children and I am on my feet constantly. I work out 6 days a week for about an hour; lots of squats and dragging heavy stuff around and a little cardio here and there. Mostly chasing children though. I'll try your suggestion. Thanks all!
Burning 1000 calories in a workout is tough to do and you have to be pretty fit to do it. I can see burning 375 calories the rest of the day just doing regular house stuff though.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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Well for me to burn an extra 1375 calories a day, I'd have to work out pretty hard for an hour (600 calories) then be really really active to burn another 700 calories. And I'm over 200lbs and male. That's why I believe the numbers are over inflated.stephmph16 wrote: »
So your BMR is about 1625. That means you're burning 1375 calories through regular daily activity and exercise if your TDEE is 3000.stephmph16 wrote: »@ninerbuff Sorry, I added more to my previous post above. 5'11", 178ish, 29 yo
@atjays lol to the last line, seriously!
That number sounds high unless you're really active throughout the whole day.
Try reducing your calories by 200 a day and see what happens.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Thanks Niner. Any idea if that could be inflated somehow? If it helps, I have three very young children and I am on my feet constantly. I work out 6 days a week for about an hour; lots of squats and dragging heavy stuff around and a little cardio here and there. Mostly chasing children though. I'll try your suggestion. Thanks all!
Burning 1000 calories in a workout is tough to do and you have to be pretty fit to do it. I can see burning 375 calories the rest of the day just doing regular house stuff though.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Ok, I'll try to look into this, maybe the fitbit boards can tell me what's wrong there. Fitbit says I burn maybe 450 calories a workout. I have all my settings on 'lightly active' since sedentary didn't seem to apply. Dang it fitbit, I thought we were just getting our crap together lol0 -
Is the Fitbit new? I find they need more data to calibrate properly so I find the first month or so to be incredibly accurate. When I first got mine, it told me my TDEE was over 3000 cals whereas now over a year, it has it at 2100 calories which is inline with most calculators.1
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samanthaluangphixay wrote: »Is the Fitbit new? I find they need more data to calibrate properly so I find the first month or so to be incredibly accurate. When I first got mine, it told me my TDEE was over 3000 cals whereas now over a year, it has it at 2100 calories which is inline with most calculators.
That's a good point! It's about 3 weeks old, so maybe it needs more time to get to know me.
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If it's just lifting, then 450 calories is pretty high. Most good workouts will hit between 350 and 375 because lifting just doesn't burn that many calories.stephmph16 wrote: »
Well for me to burn an extra 1375 calories a day, I'd have to work out pretty hard for an hour (600 calories) then be really really active to burn another 700 calories. And I'm over 200lbs and male. That's why I believe the numbers are over inflated.stephmph16 wrote: »
So your BMR is about 1625. That means you're burning 1375 calories through regular daily activity and exercise if your TDEE is 3000.stephmph16 wrote: »@ninerbuff Sorry, I added more to my previous post above. 5'11", 178ish, 29 yo
@atjays lol to the last line, seriously!
That number sounds high unless you're really active throughout the whole day.
Try reducing your calories by 200 a day and see what happens.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Thanks Niner. Any idea if that could be inflated somehow? If it helps, I have three very young children and I am on my feet constantly. I work out 6 days a week for about an hour; lots of squats and dragging heavy stuff around and a little cardio here and there. Mostly chasing children though. I'll try your suggestion. Thanks all!
Burning 1000 calories in a workout is tough to do and you have to be pretty fit to do it. I can see burning 375 calories the rest of the day just doing regular house stuff though.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
Ok, I'll try to look into this, maybe the fitbit boards can tell me what's wrong there. Fitbit says I burn maybe 450 calories a workout. I have all my settings on 'lightly active' since sedentary didn't seem to apply. Dang it fitbit, I thought we were just getting our crap together lol
Again I have a Fitbit, but the only thing I use it for is to monitor if I've being active or not.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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