Cardio or Strength training?

LePetitCochon

You will only get rid of the fat by continuing to lose. Fat does convert to muscle. Continue to create a calorie deficit and do strength training and interval cardio.

In what alternate universe does fat convert to muscle? Please, tell us.

Alex_is_Hawks

Seriously, why are you hating on those that promote heavy lifting..????!!!

Not hating, just pointing out that no matter what the subject matter being discussed on here, you'll eventually get someone stroll in and promote lifting heavy, usually along with eating less. "Lift heavy, eat less" seems to be their mantra for anything and everything.
They blunder into a topic and start spouting off whether the topic relates to their ideas or not or whether the topic creator was asking about lifting or not. It's like they're so blinkered and desperate to have everyone follow their way of thinking they forget that not everyone is the same, we all have different ways of doing things and different goals, not all of which can be simply achieved by "Lift heavy, eat less"
Remember, nothing to do with health and fitness seems to be an exact science. There's so many different approaches and ideas out there and all of them have those who believe them and those who think they're hogwash and there's no scientific proof either way.

you know what's really interesting about that....

when you look at the profile pictures of every "zealot" that says lift heavy....

I could look at them all damn day....

that's telling something....

they look how I want to look....so I lift heavy.

PikaKnight

You will only get rid of the fat by continuing to lose. Fat does convert to muscle. Continue to create a calorie deficit and do strength training and interval cardio.

Fat and muscle are made up entirely of different cell structures and can NEVER convert into the other.

KANGOOJUMPS

both

H_Factor

Go look for pics of long distance runners and for pics of sprinters. Decide what body type you prefer. Long distance runners do steady state cardio primarily. Sprinters primarily do HIIT.

salladeve

What has worked for me is to do cardio until you get to your goal weight, then switch to strength training.

RacerX_14

I like to do both.

Frosttshockk

Strength training. If you want to tone up, kettle bells and powerlifts paired with HIIT will get you results fast. Don't forget to compensate with your diet for the energy you use though. You don't want to be starving, lethargic and unmotivated.

DopeItUp

Where are these imaginary people that are totally ripped but can't walk up a hill or catch a bus? Has anyone witnessed this? When does this ever happen?

I don't know, but in this mythical world I bet those people can just ride their unicorns around rather than worry about cardio.

Cindyinpg

What has worked for me is to do cardio until you get to your goal weight, then switch to strength training.

That was my original plan too. But there are many who say to start strength training as soon as you can, to at least maintain lean muscle. It's been just lately that I decided to start before my goal weight. I always hear people saying how thrilled they are with the results and how they wish they would've started earlier. Convinced me.

PikaKnight

What has worked for me is to do cardio until you get to your goal weight, then switch to strength training.

That was my original plan too. But there are many who say to start strength training as soon as you can, to at least maintain lean muscle. It's been just lately that I decided to start before my goal weight. I always hear people saying how thrilled they are with the results and how they wish they would've started earlier. Convinced me.

I wish I'd started weight training at my heaviest because I would have had more of an opportunity than I do now, to work on body recomp. I can say that seeing my body change has been more rewarding than the scale # loss. I lost a bunch of weight but not that much in the inches department and I was still as flabby as my heaviest. Weight training was a blessing as I'd rather lose inches and tighten up :bigsmile:

BarbaraCarr1981

Im 5'9" and 150lbs too! And ive got some belly and thigh fat i wanna get rid of too! Im currenly doing StrongLifts (the right way, lol) and eating at a 300-500cal deficit - days vary; and i do a little walking with my baby and im starting badminton once a week here soon. So excited to see what i can accomplish! VERY impatient too, unfortunelty! Best of luck to you girl!

gale1089

Just want to add that abs are made in the gym, but revealed in the kitchen.
I'm not sure how 'healthily' you eat, but eating 'cleaner' would definitely be beneficial for your progress...
Especially if you're putting in all the time at the gym, it would be a shame to slow your results because of a bad diet.

Fullsterkur_woman

Please never use the word "tone" in this context ever again. You need to lose fat before you can "tone". "Toning" refers to that look which has a low body fat percentage and increased muscle mass. You can't "tone up" whilst having a significant layer of fat on your body.

No it means your muscles are in a constant state of partial contraction due to ennervation. It has nothing to do with body fat %, muscle mass or the look of a muscle. And you most certainly can have tone with any amount of fat, in fact you simply MUST have tone in all muscles unless they have sustained serious damage, it is essential, constant and totally out of your conscious control.

Here is a big ol' wet, lickety kiss via the Internet. If you're gonna correct people about what "tone" (or "tonus") means, do it right.

DavPul

You will only get rid of the fat by continuing to lose. Fat does convert to muscle. Continue to create a calorie deficit and do strength training and interval cardio.

i'm relatively sure this was just a typo on her part. she knows that fat and muscle are completely different