Cardio vs Weights/Lifting

Spoilascanb

There is a lot of mix reviews on cardio vs lifting. I want to lose 45 pounds. Which is more sufficient?

AnnPT77

Well, for weight loss the answer is always eating fewer calories than you burn, regardless of how you burn them.

Speaking very generically, weight lifting burns fewer calories per minute, but is important for holding onto as much muscle as possible while you lose mostly fat; and cardio usually burns more calories per minute, and has more benefits for your heart and cardiovascular system.

Most common recommendations for health are 150 minutes of moderate intensity cardiovascular exercise weekly (or 75 minutes of more intense CV exercise, or a combination that works out to the equivalent) ideally spread over at least 5 days weekly, plus two days a week strength training. For a pure beginner, that would be a schedule to work up to, not jumped into all at once.

Purely for weight loss, any type of exercise burns some extra calories (varying amounts depending on the exercise), letting you eat more while losing weight at any given rate . . . but getting the calories eaten bellow the calories spent (not just exercise but basic body functions and daily life) is what causes weight loss.

Fflpnari

For weight loss you just need to eat less than you burn. Weight training has changed my body. I fit in smaller clothes but actually weigh more than when I did just diet/cardio.

sijomial

Cardio for heart health and fitness, strength training for body composition, which are great things to be doing whether you are losing weight or not.

It's part of the life-lesson that MyFitnessPal is trying to teach you by intending you don't use exercise calorie burns for weight loss.

The answer is diet for weight loss and exercise of both types for health.

ecjim

Control your weight with your calorie intake . Lift weights to help insure you loose fat & keep your muscle

cupcakesandproteinshakes

Spoilascanb wrote: »

There is a lot of mix reviews on cardio vs lifting. I want to lose 45 pounds. Which is more sufficient?

Calorie deficit for weight loss. You only need a deficit to lose weight. Exercise is good for you but not essential to lose weight.

Lifting burns fewer calories than cardio. But it will help you preserve muscle while you lose the 45 pounds. If you have time I would do 3 sessions a week of lifting on an established training programme - not one you made up yourself. And then do a couple of sessions of cardio. This is general advice though as I’ve no idea if you have any health conditions, injuries or your history of exercising or what you like doing.