should i work out less?

apeck422

Hi everyone. I'm female, 18 years old, 5 foot 1, and around 140 pounds. For over a year now I've been trying different workouts to lose a few pounds, slim down, and mainly lose belly fat. I never ate really badly but recently I've started following a meal plan and eating very carefully. I know you can't spot reduce fat so I'm lifting every other day now and every day I'm doing either Focus T25, a Jillian Michaels DVD, or both. I burn around 300 calories according to my heart rate monitor.

I've read things saying that doing too much cardio could be bad and a reason for not seeing results because you could be burning muscle. According to what I've said above, what do you guys think? Should I cut down on cardio?

toddis

You can try incorporating weight training on alternate days.

If you are tired, lethargic, feel worse the next day...then you are doing too much.
Otherwise keep on keeping on.

Edit to add: I believe too much cardio(in regards to muscle sparing) is probably doing something over 1 hour a day. Someone more knowledgeable will probably know the threshold.

cmeiron

Doesn't sound excessive to me. I did pretty much the same routine while cutting (3 days lifting, 2-3 days of 15-30 minutes cardio). If you're worried about retaining lbm, make sure you're getting plenty of protein, at least 1 g per lb lean body mass every day, preferably more.

ETA: oops, misread. Maybe just do cardio every other day instead of every day...but those workouts aren't super-ridiculously long.

kgeyser

Truthfully, when it comes to weight loss, your diet is where it is going to happen. There's nothing wrong with your workout routine if you enjoy it and you don't feel over-exerted, but you can't out exercise your diet. Resistance training is good because it will help you retain your lean body mass and burn fat, and cardio is always good for both your cardiovascular health and for giving your extra calories to eat. You would probably be fine doing cardio every other day (days you don't lift) and only doing one video. Both Shaun T and JM tend to be pretty intense with their training, so there's no need to double up to get a good workout. Just make sure you're taking a rest day in between strength training days, so don't lift one day and then do a circuit training workout with weights the next day. And take at least one day off per week from all exercise.

gary5661

i have been weight training 4 days a week for the last four years while ive got stronger ive not been able to see results due to being overweight, although i'm stronger and more toned, ive started cardio now cycling 9 miles perday five days a week back and for work, at first it was hard work but 6 weeks in its getting easier and now i feel its not enough need to cycle more, my opinion is move more as much as you can and watch your diet with mfp. got to do both to see results and keep up the weights to minumise losing lean body weight. something will happen.
It is for me