But I Like Cardio More

Terytha

Everything I read is like, "you don't have to do cardio, its overrated and pointless and dumb" (I'm exaggerating slightly) and on and it seems like cardio is this huge chore to most people and they hate it?

But I like cardio and hate lifting. Lifting embodies everything that drives me away from physical fitness: boring repetition of exercises for the sake of exercise, usually needs equipment I don't have, means I have to go to a gym I very much can't afford (I have negative two dollars rn) and be around people which I hate, or do bodyweight exercises at home where I'd rather be doing something fun instead of feeling like a sweaty weakling loser while my cat judges me, and then it's this huge CHORE and my anxiety and depression start smothering me and then I comfort eat a cake. A whole one.

Do I have to? Can't I just lose weight, do I gotta force myself into the one thing I hate above all other things?

LyndaBSS

Nobody can force you to do any type of exercise. Do what you love and enjoy the rewards from that particular thing. ☺

tcunbeliever

They do different things and neither is required for weight loss. The kitchen is for weight loss, not the gym.

Strength training will build strong muscles and improve bone density - these are good things, particularly if you start when you are young, but at any age, strong bones and muscles are awesome. If you don't like lifting then maybe look into body weight exercises or functional strength exercise like yoga or crossfit, things that may be better suited to you while still building muscles and bone density.

Cardio works your cardiovascular system - your heart/lungs/arteries - this is a good thing, and staying active is good for quality of life as you age.

I suggest both of these types of exercises add their own unique value to your life. Some flexibility/balance work is also a good idea, in my opinion.

emmies_123

You don't have to force yourself into anything. I prefer Cardio a lot more also, it is a lot less repetitive and feels more productive in the time spent. Any movement is better than no movement.

Having said that, if there comes a time when you want to try lifting, give it a try. You also won't stop being a "Sweaty weakling loser" unless you start somewhere. Don't do it if it stresses you, but don't rule it out just because you aren't ready for it at this stage of life either.

Ways I conquered my anxiety over lifting/strength workouts (6 months after starting cardio):
-Started at home with workout videos. Just needed two sets of dumbells (or one set of adjustable ones). The videos I do also say you can start with just a broom or water bottles, something that makes you notice your form and you can add weight
-Found videos that were a combo of cardio and strength, to keep my attention span active
-Whenever I felt down about not being able to do something harder, redirected my brain to progress made. I play video games, so the way I visualized it is "Right now you are grinding xp. Level ups don't happen instantly" And ya know what, I recently was able to start doing floor pushups on my knees ( a huge milestone for me), and I thought "OMG I leveled up! +2 to STR"!
-Whenever I thought someone was judging me (hubby at home) I reminded myself that everyone starts somewhere. There is no shame in where I'm at as long as I'm trying every day to be the best I can be that day. Frankly, if you are focused on your form and rep count, you kinda tune everything else out.
-I FINALLY started going to a gym, which my anxiety blocked me from doing before. And after the first five visits my therapist asked me "And did you feel judged." My automatic response was "yes", but then she made me say when that was, and I realized it wasn't while moving. I felt judged when we standing around waiting for the class to start, but once we got moving I didn't even think about anyone else or their opinions. And afterwards I just felt proud that I had challenged myself.
-One hint if you ever do want to go to gym: Don't go with people you already know. Not coworkers, not family, not friends. The feeling of anxiety and judgement is way worse if you think someone will remember you afterwards, than if you are in a room of strangers.

Sorry for the super long post. Hopefully some of this is encouraging, as one anxious person to another, and doesn't send you to comfort cake...

pinuplove

Do whatever makes you happy. Heavy lifting might give optimal results, but depending on your goals isn't strictly necessary. Maybe bodyweight routines are something you could work up to slowly (I had to lol about your cat judging you - know all about that!), or maybe you don't want to and that's that. The best exercise is the one you'll actually do.

I haven't lifted a weight since last November and they haven't kicked me out of here yet (I know I need to get back to it though...) It is good to keep in mind that weight-bearing exercises are important for maintaining bone strength and such as we age. I know you're young, but someday suddenly you won't be. That's how it works, lol.

NorthCascades

I love riding a bike. And Nordic skiing. And hiking. And climbing. I do all of these things because of passion.

I like looking good and and willing to lift at the gym for the benefits it gives me. But you don't have to. It sounds like you're pretty adamant about not wanting to right now, so don't. Maybe that will change one day, but for now, do the stuff that makes you happy.

hannahm120

Like others have said, you don’t have to lift although it has benefits. Adding muscle mass can increase your metabolic rate which means you’ll burn more calories at rest. As someone who hates lifting and is a fan of all things free, I watch/do Pilates and Zumba Strong videos on YouTube. They require no equipment and are essentially strength training disguised as cardio you can do from the comfort of your own home. Find what you enjoy and gets you closer to your goals. I can't speak to your cat judging you, mine think Pilates are a group activity

Huffdogg

Terytha wrote: »

Do I have to? Can't I just lose weight, do I gotta force myself into the one thing I hate above all other things?

You of course do not have to do these things. HOWEVER, if you do not do some kind of resistance/strength training work, you will suffer from muscle atrophy (particularly in a deficit where your body thinks you're dying of starvation and keeps fat instead of muscle by preference) and be more prone to bone deterioration issues later in life.

I would advise attempting to find some activity that is a strength challenge but isn't necessarily lifting weights. Obstacle Course Running, Climbing of some kind, etc.

emmamcgarity

I like exploring free and low cost options for exercise. Most of my exercise is walking and running. But I’ve also discovered exercise equipment designed for strength training along trails at my local parks. I occasionally use the equipment and am thinking I’d like to do so in a more regular schedule. I’m not keen on gyms. They just aren’t my thing. Since I am already at the park to walk or run, I think I can find a way to fit it in more regularly. I’m at an age where I need to consider that strength training can help with bone density.

heybales

If you keep a very reasonable deficit, and eat enough protein, you may be able to end up with the same amount of muscle you have now.
You obviously have that amount because you use it.

That is very chancy unless in a research study where they nail what a reasonable deficit is, hence the advice to do some resistance training, and it's harder to build muscle back up once lost, rather than keep it.

But even if you kept what you had - what's going to show when the fat is lost?
Only you know.
Sounds like you never would have done much for muscle since you don't enjoy the exercise to gain it.
If you've ever done yo-yo traditional dieting - you've likely lost some.
So you may not be happy with what shows up when the fat is gone.
But if you wait until then, will you be happy with a just a number on a scale appearing to be good?

Adc7225

You sound a lot like me a few years back! I am a firm believer that not everything works for every-body! I was honestly at my best when I was doing primarily cardio (lost the majority of my weight and probably had a better attitude ) at a point I added some body-weight workouts at home. Silly me, started reading and listening to others and now, not so satisfied but trying to get back there. Take suggestions in stride, remember you may not always feel the way you do now and when/if that changes it will be what will work for you at the time you need it too. Also, remember you can lose weight without any working out.

Terytha

@Adc7225 I know I don't need any exercise, but my exercise is video games so if I want to play my favorite games I absolutely have to sweat a little. I was gonna add wrist weights but smarter people than me pointed out that's probably a fast track to damaged joints when you flail about with no form.

I just don't wanna lose a ton of weight but look like I'm melting. I also don't like exercise for exercise sake. It triggers my anxiety. People ARE judging, hence the mocking catcalls and yells I get walking around. Going to the gym or doing purposeful exercise just feels like I'm letting them win, like I am doing what they want and losing weight for them, and I HATE them, I don't owe ANYONE an "attractive" thin body.

Anyways here's my cat judging:

J72FIT

IMO, at least do some strength training for the health benefits, bone density comes to mind straight away. Oustide of that, life is too short to do things you hate...

NorthCascades

Terytha wrote: »

@Adc7225 I know I don't need any exercise, but my exercise is video games so if I want to play my favorite games I absolutely have to sweat a little. I was gonna add wrist weights but smarter people than me pointed out that's probably a fast track to damaged joints when you flail about with no form.

I just don't wanna lose a ton of weight but look like I'm melting. I also don't like exercise for exercise sake. It triggers my anxiety. People ARE judging, hence the mocking catcalls and yells I get walking around. Going to the gym or doing purposeful exercise just feels like I'm letting them win, like I am doing what they want and losing weight for them, and I HATE them, I don't owe ANYONE an "attractive" thin body.

Anyways here's my cat judging:

You don't owe anybody an attractive body. But you owe yourself a body that you can be comfortable in. Whatever that means to you. I'm sorry other people are catcalling at you. This is one of those things that's easier said than done, but please try not to let them influence you.

rheddmobile

Everyone is different, what works for me mentally may not work for you. But for me, one of the main benefits to lifting heavy is that it really doesn’t take long. There’s not a whole bunch of repetition and it’s in no way boring because it’s just too hard to be boring. I do basically four compound lifts per session, two upper body and two lower, five reps for three sets. It’s not sophisticated programming and I’m not gonna win any powerlifting competitions or become a fitness model but I did have a neighbor come up to me the other day and say, “Jesus you are getting muscular, have you seen yourself from the back?”

Since you’re a gamer, you may be able to do another thing I do, which is go to the gym at 3 am when no one else is there. Not even Judgy Cat. But if that’s not feasible, it doesn’t take much money to get started with a basic barbell and rack, which is what I have at home. Ask around and check ads for used equipment. If you can’t afford even that, body weight push-ups and squats can get you a long way.

No, you don’t have to do any of this. But for optimal health you really should. It doesn’t have to take over your life though. As for feeling like a weakling loser, that gets much better as you cease to be a weakling loser and become a badass.

Motorsheen

Terytha wrote: »

[ But I like cardio and hate lifting. Lifting embodies everything that drives me away from physical fitness: boring repetition of exercises for the sake of exercise, usually needs equipment I don't have, means I have to go to a gym I very much can't afford (I have negative two dollars rn) and be around people which I hate, or do bodyweight exercises at home where I'd rather be doing something fun instead of feeling like a sweaty weakling loser while my cat judges me ].

.... you just need to get a different cat.

Terytha

I mean, I still have negative two dollars. So even things that don't cost much are way too expensive unless they pay me to take them home.

autumnblade75

http://www.shovelglove.com/

I bookmarked this link when I ran across it. Sounds like fun. Could probably be gamified. I went a different route and got a physical job with heavy lifting. I want functional more than pretty muscles. Getting paid to work out makes me happy.

I definitely hear you about the cardio. I'm a runner. Lifting weights feels pointless, unless I'm shifting a box from one belt to another, which I can get paid for. Then fitness is a welcome side effect.

apullum

Terytha wrote: »

I mean, I still have negative two dollars. So even things that don't cost much are way too expensive unless they pay me to take them home.

A bodyweight routine is free and can be done at home. Feed the cat before you work out. That stops mine from judging me.

Ultimately, though, no one's making you strength train. It's a good idea, but you don't have to do anything you don't want to.

emmamcgarity

If you decide you want to try a YouTube workout (like HASfit) that involves dumbbells you can just do it without holding anything in your hands for weights. Or canned vegetables or a water bottle are each about the same as a one pound dumbbell.

spiriteagle99

Like you, I prefer cardio and don't like the idea of exercise just for exercise sake. I do have a couple of hand weights that I use occasionally in hopes of doing something about my batwings and I'll do things like planks, leglifts, yoga and situps after my runs to strengthen my core and increase my flexibility because it makes me a better runner, but that's as far as I'm likely to go.