cardio vs.weight training when losing weight????

angeleyes527

Is anyone a personal trainer out there??? Im wondering if I should do mainly cardio when im trying to lose weight. Im afraid of bulking up under the fat and making it worse. any suggestions would be appreciated.

studentRN

Not a personal trainer but this isn't a hard question to answer. Cardio is key when trying to lose weight. Cardio burns fat. Plain and simple. Strength training will help you strengthen and tone your muscles which will improve your overall physique when you do lose body fat and will also help boost your metabolism because the more muscle you have on board, the more calories you burn at rest.

HTH! :flowerforyou:

angeleyes527

thanks for answering:flowerforyou:

pressleybby

not a personal trainer but i do know that you should split it up and do both. while you are building some muscle you will also be burning lots more fat and calories (muscle burns fat and raises metabolism). if you are worried about bulking up then do lighter weights with more reps as they say. i am a big girl and i am doing the Chalean Extreme program which calls for more weight and fewer reps. i am not afraid of bulking up. Girls cant get THAT big unless they try VERY hard. or do steroids. i would say both strength training and cardio will do you good in the weight loss area.

dfwtxmissy

I have been looking for this info also. Me and a friend were doing some cardio but more circuit training and not getting anywhere...We are going to focus on more cardio and get the pounds off.

lilchino4af

I'm not a trainer, but from personal experience and everything I've read up on, you want to do both. For females, it's very difficult to "bulk up" because we lack the testosterone needed for that. Instead, you can focus on building lean muscles by doing high reps, light weights. Also, muscles burn calories so the more muscles you build, the more calories you'll burn which will help with your weight loss. Cardio is a great all-around workout and I use it as a warm up to my weight training as well as a standalone. I've completed P90X and do the weight training sessions in conjuction with Insanity which is largely cardio based. I have better energy, stamina and stregth, yet do not look bulked up; more like a lean and mean calorie burning machine :bigsmile:

CAUTION: Weight training and cardio workouts can lead to exercise addiction (ever heard of runner's high?) Once you start, it's hard to stop! :laugh: Seriously, though, listen to your body and rest when it's tired in order to prevent injury.

ZebraHead

weight loss includes the loss of muscle mass. Cardio is the key to burning fat, but don't give up on strength training as part of your weight loss program. Even if you convert fat weight to muscle weight you will still be farther ahead that just weight loss alone.

Forgot to say: not a trainer - just a guy...

bradspace

Not a personal trainer, but have been involved in weight lifting for over 25 years. I have several friends who are trainers and based on what I know, and what they have said in our many discussions, you should absolutely include weights in your workout. Obviously, if there is any question as to your ability to lift weights or if there are any other health concerns, you need to consult a doctor first. Having said that, a weight routine, specifically a "super-set" routine that limits the time between sets is hugely beneficial. Reducing the time between sets raises your heart rate and keeps it elevated to burn calories, and by building muscle you are increasing the number of calories that your body will burn while at rest. Unless you are doing a very heavy weight routine, I would not worry about the bulking up issue. Eventually, you will lose that fat and your arms, shoulders and legs will look nice and sculpted. I recommend checking out bodybuilding.com for exercise ideas to get you started. If your gym has personal trainers and you can afford one, it';s worth it even if only for a few sessions to build your confidence and get you on track. The key is that weights should be used in conjunction WITH a good cardio workout. Having both and changing up your workouts will keep things fresh and help avoid too many plateaus.

Kimd1972

Ok, I am an internationally certified group fitness instructor in Les Mills BodyStep and BodyPump (Cardio and weight training). In my opinion, you need both!!! Cardio burns fat and weight training tones, but also builds muscle to burn fat more effectively! So, I recommend to my members - 1 day more of cardio than weight training and alternate them! If you have any other questions let me know! We are on this journey together!

lisablueeyes

So it look's I'm on the right track... I do all lessmills class, I call it mindless training( I don't have to think I just follow) I do two days bodypump. mon-fri and 3 days carido tue=kickboxing wed=body Attack Thur=Body step...... And If I had a naughty weekend with food, I'll do a sunday body step!!
I try to make sure I never miss my bodypump class. I've been told with my age it's very very important to make sure I do weights!!!!