Cardio then weights or weights to cardio??

MuscleAndMascara

So here is the deal, I have been going to the gym for three months now. I lost just about 20lbs and plan on losing ten more. My routine goes like this.
- 5 am I start with one hour of cardio first thing. I change up what kind of cardio I do through the week. (tread mill, eliptical, stair master, bikes...)
- I do 60 min of cardio every morning
-then I take 30 to 40 min rite after and hit the weights or floor for crunches ext. I switch up my days here too. One day arms, one day legs, one day shoulders/back ...

I was told that you should do cardio first in the morning if you do not eat first and weights after. That being said, if you do eat, you should do weights first then cardio? Well I am STARVING during my work outs now. So I'm thinking about eating before I work out.

How true is this and what do you suggest?

I really want to start toning up. My weight continues to drop and so does my body fat %.

I want abs!!

mreeves261

Meal timing is personal preference. Personally I cannot push as hard when I have food in my stomach.

To get that 6 pack you need to lower your body fat. That's done by diet not exercise.

p4ulmiller

You're over thinking it. In terms of weight loss, it doesn't matter one bit in what order or what exercises you do.

However, most aficionados will tell you to do weights first, then cardio. Cardio will diminish your ability to lift, and lifting is most beneficial to you.

missADS1981

If it is a day at the gym I am lifting (wait, everyday is a lifting day....) I lift first then finish with a little cardio (if any at all). I want to use all my energy to lift!!!!! if i did cardio first i would feel exhausted to lift.

MuscleAndMascara

I've just heard that women burn more calories first thing in the morning.? I do over think it. I have never got into lifting before, but I really want to try. The results when women do it RITE look amazing and the last thing I want to do, is do it wrong and not get more bang for my buck.

As far as the diet, no fast food, soda, junk food. It's not perfect but I'm working on it

mustgetmuscles1

When you eat is totally personal preference. Wont make a difference to weight loss as long as you maintain a calorie deficit.

As for which exercise to do first it is also preference based on your goals.

If you wear yourself out doing cardio you might not be able to lift as well.

If your goal was to build muscle I would say lift first. If you were training for some kind of cardio event I would say do that first.

If you are just doing both for health and weight management I would suggest a 10 minute cardio warm up then lift then do the remainder of your cardio or do it on a rest day.

MuscleAndMascara

If it is a day at the gym I am lifting (wait, everyday is a lifting day....) I lift first then finish with a little cardio (if any at all). I want to use all my energy to lift!!!!! if i did cardio first i would feel exhausted to lift.

that makes sense, guess I was getting stuck on being a cardio queen haha! Tomorrow I will lift first. I don't know what all I should be doing, but I don't care! I'll just have to dive in and figure it out

Or should I wait till I lose the last 10lbs??

MuscleAndMascara

When you eat is totally personal preference. Wont make a difference to weight loss as long as you maintain a calorie deficit.

As for which exercise to do first it is also preference based on your goals.

If you wear yourself out doing cardio you might not be able to lift as well.

If your goal was to build muscle I would say lift first. If you were training for some kind of cardio event I would say do that first.

If you are just doing both for health and weight management I would suggest a 10 minute cardio warm up then lift then do the remainder of your cardio or do it on a rest day.

I guess I was trying to condition myself. I could hardly jog for 5 min, but now I can go 30 min without having to stop lol! I was trying to just be healthy all around.
Now I want to look good

cwolfman13

You're over-thinking this big time...meal timing is irrelevant. I don't do cardio before lifting because you lift better fresh...you aren't going to be hitting any PRs on your lifts after an hour of cardio. I generally do cardio on non-lifting days...if I do cardio on lifting days I make sure I do it earlier in the day so that I have time to recover for my lifts later in the evening.

The bottom line is you want to be fresh for whatever it is you are doing..you want to be able to kill whatever it is you are doing...you don't want to be doing **** half assed because you're tired from doing other ****...you want to maximize all of your gains.

jovalleau

I've always done my cardio before lifting, and I seem to get through my reps and such just fine. I either do two mile runs or 20 minutes on a recumbent bike (very fast, high resistance setting). I've always thought of this as a warm up, so I don't really do a ton of cardio when I lift. When I tried to do cardio AFTER lifting, I was way too tired (mentally) to really want to run or then sit on a bike for twenty minutes.

sarahrbraun

You're over thinking it. In terms of weight loss, it doesn't matter one bit in what order or what exercises you do.

However, most aficionados will tell you to do weights first, then cardio. Cardio will diminish your ability to lift, and lifting is most beneficial to you.

this^^^ my trainer actually has me doing a 15 minute cardio warm up, then weights, then a 10 min cardio cool down. I went from 4-5 hours a week of cardio to no more than 3.

MuscleAndMascara

well it looks like you all answered my question.
Now time to get my *kitten* lifting ... literally

thank you!

sarahrbraun

If it is a day at the gym I am lifting (wait, everyday is a lifting day....) I lift first then finish with a little cardio (if any at all). I want to use all my energy to lift!!!!! if i did cardio first i would feel exhausted to lift.

that makes sense, guess I was getting stuck on being a cardio queen haha! Tomorrow I will lift first. I don't know what all I should be doing, but I don't care! I'll just have to dive in and figure it out

Or should I wait till I lose the last 10lbs??

Oh NO!! Do not wait!! My body has changed in so many good ways by lifting instead of being a cardio bunny.

MYhealthyjourney70

You're over thinking it. In terms of weight loss, it doesn't matter one bit in what order or what exercises you do.

However, most aficionados will tell you to do weights first, then cardio. Cardio will diminish your ability to lift, and lifting is most beneficial to you.

i have been told by my trainer to do cardio last so i have energy to do weights. doing cardio first can diminish your energy level for weights.

MuscleAndMascara

Now, can some one come show me how to lift hahaha

ElliottTN

Weights then cardio to experience best if both worlds if you are just doing cardio for the weight loss.

Actually, if you can pull it off: weights..eat something...cardio a bit later in the day.

Mischievous_Rascal

If it is a day at the gym I am lifting (wait, everyday is a lifting day....) I lift first then finish with a little cardio (if any at all). I want to use all my energy to lift!!!!! if i did cardio first i would feel exhausted to lift.

This is what my trainer told me at the beginning, and I've never done it backwards. I know that my lifting sucks the day after I do my all-out hill sprints, though, so I have to have a complete rest day in between.

stumblinthrulife

Ideally, you'd do them on alternate days.

If that's not an option, then order is personal preference based on your goals. Whichever you do second will suffer, so you should do the one that's most important to you first.

If you're not sure which is most important to you, then let me suggest that gaining strength takes much longer and is much harder than improving cardiovascular fitness. Also, heavy lifting while fatigued is more likely to result in a serious injury than running while fatigued.

Personally, even though running is probably more important to me, if I had to do them on the same day I would do weights first. I know that sounds like I just contradicted myself, but it's just the choice I would make based on all the factors.

As to food - eat when you need to. There's little evidence that working out fasted is better.

ElliottTN

You're over thinking it. In terms of weight loss, it doesn't matter one bit in what order or what exercises you do.

However, most aficionados will tell you to do weights first, then cardio. Cardio will diminish your ability to lift, and lifting is most beneficial to you.

i have been told by my trainer to do cardio last so i have energy to do weights. doing cardio first can diminish your energy level for weights.

Your trainer is spot on. In order to enjoy some muscle growth then you have to exert a certain level of stress to cause the growth. If you are too tired from cardio to do that then you are not going to get much benefit. Also, just because you are tired (from cardio) and its hard to lift a lighter weight than normal doesnt mean you are generating enough stress on the muscle to stimulate growth.

On the other hand with cardio to burn calories. Your body is going to consume energy regardless of how tired you are when you drag your butt on a run. It's going to burn regardless if you are tired or not.

Kuddos for being the first person I've read on here who has a trainer that didn't say something completely backwards.

MuscleAndMascara

Weights then cardio to experience best if both worlds if you are just doing cardio for the weight loss.

Actually, if you can pull it off: weights..eat something...cardio a bit later in the day.

I have a two hour window in my morning to really get in my work outs.
I work a full time job, then home to a one year old.
Most of the time I'll take my daughter on a 60 min walk and I'll jog in intervals
when I get home from work

stanthemancunliffe

Weights first everytime as it is more strenuous than cardio so you need all your energy for it. Also some struggle to keep up intensity after cardio

ElliottTN

Weights then cardio to experience best if both worlds if you are just doing cardio for the weight loss.

Actually, if you can pull it off: weights..eat something...cardio a bit later in the day.

I have a two hour window in my morning to really get in my work outs.
I work a full time job, then home to a one year old.
Most of the time I'll take my daughter on a 60 min walk and I'll jog in intervals
when I get home from work

I hear ya. I've got a 16 month old. I've got to get up before the sun is up to hit he gym on the morning. Then off to full time job on time...eat and re-energize during the day and then hit up my cardio at night. Makes for a long day but you know that comes with the territory of working parents. Great job to you. I know its not easy.

MuscleAndMascara

I'm so excited to do this

I just hope I don't look like a total goof figuring out how / form lol

MuscleAndMascara

Weights then cardio to experience best if both worlds if you are just doing cardio for the weight loss.

Actually, if you can pull it off: weights..eat something...cardio a bit later in the day.

I have a two hour window in my morning to really get in my work outs.
I work a full time job, then home to a one year old.
Most of the time I'll take my daughter on a 60 min walk and I'll jog in intervals
when I get home from work

I hear ya. I've got a 16 month old. I've got to get up before the sun is up to hit he gym on the morning. Then off to full time job on time...eat and re-energize during the day and then hit up my cardio at night. Makes for a long day but you know that comes with the territory of working parents. Great job to you. I know its not easy.

aww congrats, and good job to you too! thank you for all the advice!

you look great by the way!

MuscleAndMascara

Weights first everytime as it is more strenuous than cardio so you need all your energy for it. Also some struggle to keep up intensity after cardio

I haven't noticed being too tired, but maybe I'm use to it or I just don't know the feeling until I try switching it around.

cwolfman13

I'm so excited to do this

I just hope I don't look like a total goof figuring out how / form lol

what program are you going to do? don't just go in there and make up your own ****...do an actual tried and true lifting program for optimal results.

just_Jennie1

Whichever you're actually going to do.

For me I do 30 min. of cardio and then my weights because if I don't get the cardio done and out of the way I am just too tired after lifting to even THINK about hopping on a TM and doing a run. Tuesday I didn't do cardio but I hit the weights hard. When I was done with the leg press machine I almost fell down when I got off because my legs were spent. I was exhausted and there was no way I'd be able to hop on some other equipment and do cardio.

It works for me and I'm really not too tired to lift after.

In the end it's a matter of preference and what you're going to do and stick to.

Visique

get that diet on point and it wouldnt matter which is first. But weights first would be more beneficial. GL

BigRedgw2010

I've been doing the one hour of cardio first thing in the morning and then hit the weights for over 15 yrs now. With a good diet it will keep you looking lean year around. The reason I do that because my cardio health is more important to me than gaining more muscle. If you're hungry after your cardio, then try a protien shake first thing in the morning and before you go to sleep at night. This will feed your muscle while they are recoving from the hard workout you did that day while you're resting.

MuscleAndMascara

I'm so excited to do this

I just hope I don't look like a total goof figuring out how / form lol

what program are you going to do? don't just go in there and make up your own ****...do an actual tried and true lifting program for optimal results.

I don't have one, but I will be researching one tonight.

MissKriss3

If it is a day at the gym I am lifting (wait, everyday is a lifting day....) I lift first then finish with a little cardio (if any at all). I want to use all my energy to lift!!!!! if i did cardio first i would feel exhausted to lift.

My routine is similar, I go to the gym every 2nd day and I always lift. As far as cardio I do 20 minutes every other visit, before lifting if someone is using the squat rack or I need to warm up my muscles, but it's usually after lifting & I go to Zumba classes every other Saturday. IMO 60 minutes of cardio is too much.