Cardio vs Weights
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So being honest is nitpicking? :laugh:
Tell that to my former self. She would have had a ball with it. :flowerforyou:0 -
I'm looking for some actual advice here. I just came back, this is day 2 of trying again and hopefully the last time I "try". What has finally clicked is to do something you love to do so that you'll actually work out. I like the elliptical machine, and the exercise bike....but only for a while. Then I begin to hate even looking at the machine and the idea of getting on it for ANOTHER hour makes me want to vomit.
What I do love to do is lifting. I don't know a lot about it yet, I only use the machines so far. I have an appointment with a trainer next Monday and plan to ask about free weights and programs. However, I have this terror that if I don't do cardio I won't lose any weight.
I have the knowledge that muscle weighs more than fat but takes up less space. Muscle also burns more calories in a resting state and the added strength will take away my back and neck pain. When I was doing this before I did 3 days of cardio and 2 days of less cardio + weight machines per week. On day 2 I was already dreading the elliptical though and I am seriously wondering if it is possible to achieve my massive weight loss goals without doing cardio. Any info would be greatly appreciated!
OP: I personally love the bike. I like the elliptical too but for me, it's hard on my knees. Have you tried a spinning class or Zumba? Maybe even hot yoga? Those are some ideas to switch it up so you don't get bored and dread your next work out.
Lifting is wonderful so it's great you love it! You can absolutely lose weight by lifting. Lifting weights helps build muscle and burn fat. It speeds up metabolism as long as you aren't eating excessively. Make sure you are eating at a deficit. It's optimal to combine weight training with cardio exercises, as that may speed up weight loss, but if you truly hate cardio, then just focus on getting really good at lifting. You will see results… especially in the way your body looks overall!
I recommend lifting at least 3x a week and obviously paying close attention to your diet.
Also, don't panic if you don't see a change on the scale and actually see yourself gaining initially. When you first begin any kind of training, your body releases excess amounts of the hormone cortisol, which causes your body to retain water. This doesn't mean you're bulking, it’s just the body adapting to the training. Once your body adapts, the cortisol release ceases and your body flushes the excess water.
Good luck! And don't forget to squat
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So being honest is nitpicking?
I think it would more accurate to say that the two aren't mutually exclusive.0 -
I'm happy that I have a rower and elliptical at home. I'm happy I lift, too. It's not a "vs" thing for me.0
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@wozzie67 Swimming is a great and enjoyable workout. If you have the time and extra energy incorporate some intensity training on a cardio machine. I usually do cardio before I swim since it's less tiring my muscles. Sometimes I'll do cardio and strength in the morning and swim in the evening. All depends on my schedule.0
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Anyway, to actually address the OP:
You need only a calorie deficit to lose weight. This could be achieved through diet alone.
What kind of weight you lose (fat/bone density/muscle/etc) and what your resulting body comp will be is dependant on the training routine you are on.
A sensible calorie deficit + adequate protein + a non-retarded beginners lifting routine + adequate time + consistency will have you shedding mostly fat and getting a ****tonne stronger.
Is it the only way to do things? No. Will it most likely chime with your stated goals? Yes.0 -
Wow...I am so hoping the OP got some answers for her question...
jonnythan, I got what you were saying about doing what you enjoy, and I'm sorry some felt the need to nitpick how you said it. I love to rollerblade...and hike...both get my heart rate up, and don't consider them a workout, simply because when I get to go do them they are a treat and a fun activity that happens to get my heart rate up at the same time. (So does sex, and I don't consider that a workout, either, but a much more regular treat than hiking and blading, LOL...) :bigsmile:
Ok, sorry...back on topic - OP, as a few others have mentioned, if you enjoy it, do check out the StrongLifts 5x5 program. The guy has videos on how to over on youtube; it's compound lifts, only five to remember, and is a really great place to start. I started doing 5x5 last February and doing only a little running sprinkled in over that year, I managed do get down to my goal weight by October. (And that was only lifting three times per week... )
If you don't enjoy it, you won't do it. Good luck, OP!!! I hope you enjoy lifting! :flowerforyou:
I think I am in love...0 -
I love both cardio and lifting. I think they are both great but everyone needs to find what works for them.
I love running for my mental health (it is like the only time my brain isn't going a million miles an hour and overanalyzing everything) and lifting for what it does for my body. I know there are runners out there that think lifting is bad for runners but I am in the category that it is beneficial (and it seems this thought is changing, a lot of running resources are now recommending weights).
OP: find what you love. You will stick with it better.0 -
You want to change your mindset from "I want to lose weight" to "I want to lose fat".0
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Surely people can agree that not all cardio is the same.
Noooo CV training is only Cardio if its dull as *kitten* hamster wheel stuff in an air conditioned room...
If its something you enjoy doing it cant be Cardio...
Anyway. Im due a 5K run along the Thames tonight, and I intend to enjoy it
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OP, both cardio and weights have their benefits. Strength training 3 times per week with some cardio is a good plan with pretty much guaranteed results provide you keep eating at a deficit. As for the cardio, do what you want. Right now I do home workout DVDs, but if my elliptical was living in the house instead of the freezing cold garage, I would be on that thing with a tablet watching all the TV shows I don't have time for as part of my cardio workouts. Nothing wrong with machines when it comes to improving your cardiovascular health.0
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You want to change your mindset from "I want to lose weight" to "I want to lose fat".
And even that isnt the most motivating framing. For me its about training to improve my performance,whether distance, speed. Losing Weight helps both of those0 -
What I do love to do is lifting.
That is the right reason to do it.I have the knowledge that muscle weighs more than fat but takes up less space. Muscle also burns more calories in a resting state and the added strength will take away my back and neck pain.
These are the wrong reasons to do it, because the numbers are very small and, frankly, inconsequential.
I love running and cycling. Track, trail, bush...it's all good. But if I had to get my cardio from a stationary bike and a treadmill, I'd probably blow my own brains out. For *me*, that is just plain soul killing.0 -
What I do love to do is lifting.
That is the right reason to do it.I have the knowledge that muscle weighs more than fat but takes up less space. Muscle also burns more calories in a resting state and the added strength will take away my back and neck pain.
These are the wrong reasons to do it, because the numbers are very small and, frankly, inconsequential.
Strength training to relieve back and neck pain is not a "wrong reason."0 -
You want to change your mindset from "I want to lose weight" to "I want to lose fat".
And even that isnt the most motivating framing. For me its about training to improve my performance,whether distance, speed. Losing Weight helps both of those
Yes, well, the number on the scale is a stumbling block for a lot of women. Lifting heavy and focusing on recomp can help break out of that prison when you realize that you can literally weigh the same but be 3 sizes smaller.0 -
What I do love to do is lifting.
That is the right reason to do it.I have the knowledge that muscle weighs more than fat but takes up less space. Muscle also burns more calories in a resting state and the added strength will take away my back and neck pain.
These are the wrong reasons to do it, because the numbers are very small and, frankly, inconsequential.
Strength training to relieve back and neck pain is not a "wrong reason."
The OP isn't working from experience that it does, she's working from a questionable assumption that it will.0 -
Surely people can agree that not all cardio is the same.
Noooo CV training is only Cardio if its dull as *kitten* hamster wheel stuff in an air conditioned room...
If its something you enjoy doing it cant be Cardio...
Anyway. Im due a 5K run along the Thames tonight, and I intend to enjoy it
Yep! Cardio can only be boring, and if it's fun, then it can't be cardio. Truth be damned, just fool yourself into fitness!0 -
Like many others have said, all you need is a calorie deficit to lose weight, you can achieve that however you want; through diet alone, cardio, weight lifting, or a mix of the two.
Weight lifting is great, it will make you look better, make you stronger, burn calories, build muscle and burn even more calories, etc.
But don't underestimate the powers of cardio. It will make you feel better, exercise longer and burn more calories, help you run up stairs without getting winded, and will help you outrun law enforcement/zombies/etc. You only get one heart.
I usually recommend people to try to get a good mix of the two, and some yoga/stretching.0 -
Here's the takeaway: if you're about to do something you would refer to as "doing cardio," just skip it. Either do something else active that you're doing because it's fun, not because it's "cardio," or just rest instead.
This is ridiculous. You are telling us all not to do something just because YOU don't like a phrase. If I want to go hiking because it's good cardio, I'll flippin' go hiking.0 -
Here's the takeaway: if you're about to do something you would refer to as "doing cardio," just skip it. Either do something else active that you're doing because it's fun, not because it's "cardio," or just rest instead.
Ummm, okay.
So since I consider running outside as "doing cardio", playing tennis as "doing cardio" and going for a long hike as "doing cardio" according to this I should just sit on the couch and eat bon-bons because apparently it's not fun if I consider it "doing cardio".0 -
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You want to change your mindset from "I want to lose weight" to "I want to lose fat".
And even that isnt the most motivating framing. For me its about training to improve my performance,whether distance, speed. Losing Weight helps both of those
Yes, well, the number on the scale is a stumbling block for a lot of women. Lifting heavy and focusing on recomp can help break out of that prison when you realize that you can literally weigh the same but be 3 sizes smaller.
Indeed, and while all the semantic wrangling and associated hissy fits is amusing it highlights a really important point about the diet industry. People need to frame things in meaningful ways, and the industry doesn't cultivate that thinking.
Fairly frequently when I venture into the "advice" threads I'll ask what a questioner is wanting to achieve, or "what does good look like", in part to frame the more appropriate response and in part to prompt the thinking. What prompted it for me was someone answering my first thread with a completely irrelevant response for my situation.
Similarly when someone says "I don't like Cardio" then it helps to understand what they mean by that, is it in front of a DVD five times a week, or the hamster wheel nonsense in an air conditioned room, getting out on a road bike once a week or throwing themselves and a chunk of aluminium and rubber around some singletrack. Lots of different options and I exhibit no surprise that people get bored in gyms.0 -
Surely people can agree that not all cardio is the same.
Noooo CV training is only Cardio if its dull as *kitten* hamster wheel stuff in an air conditioned room...
If its something you enjoy doing it cant be Cardio...
Anyway. Im due a 5K run along the Thames tonight, and I intend to enjoy it
Yep! Cardio can only be boring, and if it's fun, then it can't be cardio. Truth be damned, just fool yourself into fitness!
OK, so I did a lifting session for 5Km at 5Min per Km pace...
Or have I misunderstood the logic somewhere along the discussion? 0 -
Thank you everyone, lots of good info. Because of my schedule I do 5 hours one week and 6 the next. I think I have an action plan now. Get Starting Strength, speak with trainer, and I want to flip flop my schedule so I have more days of lifting.
Cardio IS very good for you from a whole health standpoint and I believe the people stating so are right. It shouldn't be given up completely and I do feel great afterward. Sadly, in the cold northeast US I have no access to a pool or outdoor sports this time of year. Nor can I go to group classes as my schedule really only permits a 4:30am workout. But I think I can stomach the machines if I switch it up and do 1 less day of it. When Spring hits I'll be back outside, happy thoughts!0 -
What I do love to do is lifting.
That is the right reason to do it.I have the knowledge that muscle weighs more than fat but takes up less space. Muscle also burns more calories in a resting state and the added strength will take away my back and neck pain.
These are the wrong reasons to do it, because the numbers are very small and, frankly, inconsequential.
Strength training to relieve back and neck pain is not a "wrong reason."
The OP isn't working from experience that it does, she's working from a questionable assumption that it will.
I don't REALLY know about the scientifics of it taking away back and neck pain, I know that when I was doing this exact regime before I had no pain. I built core strength and it helped my back immensely, I get terrible tension headaches and migraines but when I built up some muscle they stopped and so did the knots in my neck. It could have been lifting or just working out in general.0 -
What I do love to do is lifting.
That is the right reason to do it.I have the knowledge that muscle weighs more than fat but takes up less space. Muscle also burns more calories in a resting state and the added strength will take away my back and neck pain.
These are the wrong reasons to do it, because the numbers are very small and, frankly, inconsequential.
Strength training to relieve back and neck pain is not a "wrong reason."
The OP isn't working from experience that it does, she's working from a questionable assumption that it will.
There's a great deal of real evidence that strength training can alleviate back and neck pain. It's not a questionable assumption.0 -
How about this then....Here's the takeaway: if you're about to do something you would refer to as "doing cardio," just skip it. Either do something else active that you're doing because it's fun, not because it's "cardio," or just rest instead.
This is ridiculous. You are telling us all not to do something just because YOU don't like a phrase. If I want to go hiking because it's good cardio, I'll flippin' go hiking.
Certian people do not do cardio just for the sake of doing cardio...ie getting on a treadmill to walk and/or run 5 miles just to get cardio, or getting on a bike and doing a 10k ride just to do cardio
The "cardio" that is done is for sheer enjoyment not for the exercise hence we don't call it "cardio" because for us that word means we are doing it just do the exercise and fitness aspects of it instead of because we want to...
regardless of the cardiovascular workout it gives us...0 -
Doing Cardio in a gym is not fun for anyone usually. Get an Mp3 player or use your smartphone to listen to music or watch your favourite show and it will make things a lot easier.
Loosing fat is more about diet then actually exercising.
Have a read, I'm sure the page below with answer most of your questions:
http://www.reddit.com/r/loseit/wiki/faq0 -
Certian people do not do cardio just for the sake of doing cardio...ie getting on a treadmill to walk and/or run 5 miles just to get cardio, or getting on a bike and doing a 10k ride just to do cardio
But some people do. And equally some people do resistance training purely because it's a necessary part of an effective regime.
What I find funny is that there are many respondents who prefer CV but do resistance training, there are lots of lifters who essentially dismiss CV as irrelevant. Then there are the people who dismiss CV to those who don't really get the distinction, and then call it something else.
The key point is to do something that one enjoys, although there is an element of doing it because it's beneficial that could be emphasised.
I refer back to my original, albeit sarcastic, comment; I run...0 -
Surely people can agree that not all cardio is the same.
Noooo CV training is only Cardio if its dull as *kitten* hamster wheel stuff in an air conditioned room...
If its something you enjoy doing it cant be Cardio...
Anyway. Im due a 5K run along the Thames tonight, and I intend to enjoy it
Yep! Cardio can only be boring, and if it's fun, then it can't be cardio. Truth be damned, just fool yourself into fitness!
OK, so I did a lifting session for 5Km at 5Min per Km pace...
Or have I misunderstood the logic somewhere along the discussion?
Yep. You missed the logic, right along with me. (The comment above is sarcasm.)0
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