confused

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ashbash115
ashbash115 Posts: 24
in Health and Weight Loss
Ok so I'm slightly confused and hoping someone can help me. For more then one reason joining and going to a gym is not an option for me right now so I've been doing stuff at home. I have dvds as well as a stationary bike and I do one or the other for 1/2 an hour everyday. I still have a lot to loose (76 pounds) but I'm worried that doing strictly cardio will make me have flab once the weight is gone. Is that true?

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  • Iron_Lotus
    Iron_Lotus Posts: 2,295 Member
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    Start weight lifting. I do it from home and I am tighter than I have ever been.
  • Mia_RagazzaTosta
    Mia_RagazzaTosta Posts: 4,885 Member
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    Start weight lifting. I do it from home and I am tighter than I have ever been.

    +1
  • tisserk001
    tisserk001 Posts: 2
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    Well no matter how much you lift, you'll have loose skin. You'll just have less if you start lifting weights
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
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    You can get decent strength training done at home with a pair of adjustable dumbbells.

    http://www.muscleandstrength.com/workouts/dumbbell-only-home-or-gym-fullbody-workout.html
    http://www.weight-lifting-workout-routines.com/Dumbbell_Workouts.html

    I'm sure there are more sites with routines, these are just 2 that I've seen mentioned here on MFP.
  • medic2038
    medic2038 Posts: 434 Member
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    This is considered blasphemy around these parts but...
    You don't need to exercise, at all, to lose weight. You ought to do something if possible (I prefer lifting), but it's not totally necessary.

    If you get your diet taken care of, you'll see results.
  • Iron_Lotus
    Iron_Lotus Posts: 2,295 Member
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    This is considered blasphemy around these parts but...
    You don't need to exercise, at all, to lose weight. You ought to do something if possible (I prefer lifting), but it's not totally necessary.

    If you get your diet taken care of, you'll see results.

    That's not what she was asking. Also everyone around these parts knows it's all about diet. She was asking if she will be left with lots of flab if she only does cardio
  • bridgie101
    bridgie101 Posts: 817 Member
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    You will have flab for a while regardless, due to your skin being stretched. How many stretch marks you got will determine how well you ping back.

    the fantastic news is: you're under 30. Your skin is young and elastic. You can expect it to slowly catch up with the rest of you. :p

    Exercise makes no difference to this unless you plan on gaining soooo much muscle that it replaces aaalll the fat you had there. Which I truly cannot imagine.

    So just give your skin time and it will catch up. :)
  • robman2629
    robman2629 Posts: 1
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    As long as you lose in a reasonable manner (not too quickly) you should be all set. If you lose too much too quick, your body doesnt have time to adjust to the weight loss. I lost 60 pounds just changing my diet and running and didnt have any "flab" after. Strength training cant hurt either but if its not for you then just make sure you lose the right way.
  • medic2038
    medic2038 Posts: 434 Member
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    That's not what she was asking. Also everyone around these parts knows it's all about diet. She was asking if she will be left with lots of flab if she only does cardio

    What I was trying to say it's it's pretty much irrelevant.
    Like what other people are talking about (loose skin) is largely a matter of individual genetics. Some people get it, some don't.
  • llkilgore
    llkilgore Posts: 1,169 Member
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    I still have a lot to loose (76 pounds) but I'm worried that doing strictly cardio will make me have flab once the weight is gone. Is that true?

    If by flab you mean a higher body fat percentage at a given weight, then yeah, I'm afraid so. Strength training will help to minimize muscle loss as you lose the fat. If by flab you mean loose skin, I'm not so sure, but I can tell you from personal experience that excess subcutaneous fat drags down excess skin and makes it look worse than it really is. There are limits to how much it can help, of course, but skin does do a better job of defying gravity on a firm body.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    Weight training is necessary to prevent too much muscle loss, so that you don't end up skinny fat once you're at your goal weight... which I guess could make you flabby. If the problem is loose skin, well, it depends a lot on your age and genetics. My belly is absolutely horrible after losing 60 lbs, and I'm still almost 20 lbs from my goal weight... but I guess if I had lost weight slower it would not have been as bad... who knows...
  • nsblue
    nsblue Posts: 331 Member
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    One is never guaranteed no flab from losing weight, many factors are involved. Genetics, elasticity of skin, age, amount of weight to be lost....
    All you can do is to try n do all you can. As others said, lift weights. During my weight loss, my exercise consisted of mostly of walking, some swimming, some dancing, some stationary biking as well as lifting dumbbells. I started with 5lbs then went to 8 then to 15lbs. only 20 reps of bicep curls, tricept lifts and overhead lifts a day. I also did neck stretches and head rolls for my turkey gobbler LOL I know I lost a bit of weight as well I am 51 and I so have a lot of excess skin... but I feel I have done and do all I can and being healthy takes any worry about flabby skin away ... HEALTH is WEALTH.

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