Question

Meyergirl75

I have a question for everyone, I am 44 years old and I need some guidance. I have 30 pounds to lose and really want to reshape my body. Is it better for me to do strength training or cardio? I can work out 3 days a week but only for about 45 minutes. I don't know what is best for me to do with time limits. Please help!

UGET1LIFE

I would do HIIT. You will see results within the time you have available. There are a lot of videos on YouTube if you need help getting started.

Good luck on your journey!

sardelsa

Strength training will most optimally help you retain/(and in some cases build) muscle as you lose. It will help give you a more defined look when you get to goal so definitely a good idea to prioritize lifting. I would try to incorporate both if you can, even a brisk walk on the other days or something to get your heart going.

ShredWeek1

I do both, but if I had to chose I would go for more walking (which I can fit into my day without thinking about going to the gym) and weight training. We all lose muscle as we age, and since muscle is what burns fat more efficiently, building more muscle is a win/win both in terms of reshaping the body and burning calories.

jenniferandrusak

I think a balance of both would be good!

weatherking2019

Both! 30min each is what I do.
And watching what to eat. Combination of diet and exercise will do it!

ladyzherra

Hi there! I would agree that doing both is best. Is there a reason why you ask to focus on one over the other? If you have to lean more heavily one way, I would lean toward strength condititioning because as your body builds muscle, it also has more potential to burn more calories at rest and when you do cardio, too. However, the cardio is really key for heart health, especially, as well as other health perks, such as sweating and burning a lot of calories in the cardio or anarobic zones.

mandycat_florida

I swear by my rowing machine, which seems to me to have the best of both cardio and strength training. You can dial the difficulty up and down for HIIT. Your back, core, legs and arms all get a workout. One of our neighbors is a cardiac specialist and she claims her fittest patients are rowers. Some of those gadgets take up more room than a bass boat so shop around until you find a rowing machine like mine that folds upright and can be rolled out of the way when not in use. One caveat: although they're considered low-impact exercise equipment, if you have issues with your knees they may not be the best choice.

ShredWeek1

I would add the above regarding rowing..watch a few professional videos on form. Rowing was recommended to me after I completed physical therapy for a broken arm/dislocated shoulder and the physical therapist showed me the correct form...which is a lot different from what I see more frequently at the gym!