Weight Lifting or Cardio?

OG43

So, I've reached my first goal weight and i still have a little pudge in my stomach area. I ultimately want to be 150, which seems so close but far away, but i also want o be toned. I just cant seem to decide whether or not the pudge i have left on my tumy area is due to needing to lose more weight and continue with cardio or should i begin to tone.. Im not even sure if this question makes sense, lol. I just am confused on when you should begin to do strength training and whether or not the excess is because i need to lose more weight or not..

Also, how many days do you guys typically have off a week?

terrance250

Simply put, if you want to just burn more calories & improve cardiovascular health, do cardio.

If you want to gain strength, firm up your muscles, improve bone density, & increase your bodys metabolism, do strength training.

I personally prefer strength training. A simple progressive 3x a week full body routine can be very effective.

Some folks like cardio. I hate it and just choose to eat a little less :P

weightliftingdiva

Simply put, if you want to just burn more calories & improve cardiovascular health, do cardio.

If you want to gain strength, firm up your muscles, improve bone density, & increase your bodys metabolism, do strength training.

I personally prefer strength training. A simple progressive 3x a week full body routine can be very effective.

Some folks like cardio. I hate it and just choose to eat a little less :P

Yup. I really don't like cardio, unless I'm walking somewhere with a purpose (like the farmer's market down the block). I love weight lifting and love the results I get with it. Both have different benefits, and both if done in excess can cause problems.

That being said, the pudge is probably just a little bit of extra belly fat. If you start strength training while eating at a deficit, you can preserve that muscle under the belly fat. That way when all the fat weight is gone you'll still have good muscle there too.

Capt_Apollo

Always_Smiling_D

Continue doing cardio but do weights too... the benefits, oh the benefits of combining the two... as far as the tummy, mostly it is food but stay away form the floor when doing core - make sure you are engaging it with each exercise, no matter what movement you make you should be feeling it in the core as well

Capt_Apollo

you know, cardio doesn't mean having to train for a half marathon. i think you need a certain level of conditioning to help supplement your strength training. i.e. if you have good conditioning you can strength train for longer.

one long 20-30 minute jog a week is great for most people, and there are other ways to get it other than running, such as cycling, the elliptical, swimming, kickboxing class, zumba, whatever.

Sovi_

Both

Healthy_4_Life2

you know, cardio doesn't mean having to train for a half marathon. i think you need a certain level of conditioning to help supplement your strength training. i.e. if you have good conditioning you can strength train for longer.

one long 20-30 minute jog a week is great for most people, and there are other ways to get it other than running, such as cycling, the elliptical, swimming, kickboxing class, zumba, whatever.

I agree with this!

BusyRaeNOTBusty

This.

The point of lifting while dieting is to maintain muscle. We naturally lose some muscle when we lose weight. We'd rather lose fat, right? Weight lifting.

ToniD923

I completely agree with your comment. Doing both is most beneficial... per my trainer. I do results with both so far.

lacurandera1

There's no reason to not do both. Disclaimer: I'm not saying you should do THIS exactly. I'm just pointing out that it's possible.

It takes some tweaking, but I and many of my friends log some serious miles 3x- 4x a week AND lift 3x-4x a week. It might involve some double days, and of course, what works for you is going to be very individualistic. You'll have to trial and error to see what works.

What normally works out for me is leg day combined with a short run(1), rest(2), upper body day combined with a medium run(3), a long run(4), rest(5), and another leg or accessory day(6), rest, or sprints, short run (7).

I know you aren't saying you're going to run. But I know many people who keep a fast paced schedule with cardio and lifting. (Just so happens most of them are runners). It's a thing. It can be done, and there's no reason to shy away from it or see it as an "all or nothing" if you WANT to do both.

Also- per my experience- if you're not happy with your body as you approach your goal weight, strength training is going to get you where you want to go looks wise faster than losing more weight.

bmqbonnie

I'd say if you only can do one or the other, do weights because heavy weights raises your heart rate and counts as cardio as well.

But both is good.

Serah87

I do both!!

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See photo!!! :drinker:

ETA: Cardio does wonders for your heart and weight lifting does wonders for your muscles and bones.

Unknown

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erockem

Both for faster results. 6 x week cardio running/walking/spin/swim | 3 x week targeted strength training

geebusuk

Given the choice of either, I'd go for Weight training - at the moment I'm doing both.

I do cardio for, well, cardiovascular improvement .
Also, means I can eat more - but that's the only part I'd take to mean anything for weight loss.

For a nice figure, heavy weight lifting seems to be the best choice.

lacurandera1

I do both!!!!!


Cardio for 5k training and heart health and simply to burn calories

weights to fill out the soft spots by bringing in the muscle underneath

ultimetely try both, see what you like and do whatever keeps you moving!

good luck!

This is what it really comes down to. What do you love? what will you look forward to doing? What will you continue doing?

PudgyQ

Add me if you like. I have lost 24lbs but not seeing as much as of difference as I want. Clothes fit better but it is the "naked" part I want. So starting this morning, I started back to strength training as well as cardio. I did all my strength training with the machines today and then did 30 mins cardio. I am going to eat back cardio calories but not strength training. I took measurements and pictures this morning too, to see what the difference is in 6 weeks. I will alternate the machines with free weights as I do what cardio I do. I make it to the gym an average of 4x week.
I was doing strength training with a trainer prior but not seeing weight loss (wasn't on MFP). So I have lost some weight now with MFP and cardio but now need to get rid of the smushy.Let's see what happens!

raindawg

Might depend on how much time you have to exercise. I do both 4 times a week. Each work out is 1/2 hour of cardio on the stationary bike then 20 minutes of weights. Tue is chest/arms, Thur is shoulders/back, Sa is stomache/chest/back, Su is legs. When I'm in maintain mode I have lots of energy and strength during workouts, but when I'm in calorie deficit mode (like now) I feel weaker and have to trudge through it a bit.

Huffdogg

For purely aesthetic results, you need to lose fat. That means eating at a caloric deficit and somehow preserving the muscle that you have. The most efficient way of doing that is to do heavy compound barbell lifts. Starting Strength is a great book with an excellent overview of all the big lifts that you'll really want to strive to learn. Perform that program if you like, to begin with, or look into something like a Reverse Pyramid Training program.

If you're concerned with cardiovascular health or athletic performance in addition to what you've mentioned, then supplement with some sprints or other type of interval cardio for maximum efficiency.

MysteriousLdy

I do both (4-5 times a week,alternatively)

1) Purely Cardio: Elliptical: 25 -30mins, Stat.rowing: 20mins, Torso Rotation:5mins
2) Lap-swimming(butterfly style),non-stop for 60-80mins
3) Mix of Cardio and Strength: Elliptical,15mins; 100xSitups with 1-2kg in each hand; 70 Squats ; Planks ; 100x Abs crunches ; 30 - Reserve crunches;Dead-lift

geebusuk

What Huffdogg said.

100xSitups with 1-2kg in each hand; 70 Squats ; Planks ; 100x Abs crunches ; 30 - Reserve crunches;Dead-lift

As a point of note - what you describe sounds more like endurance/cardio than what most would describe as 'strength'. (I don't know what reps you're doing for dead lift.)

CelebrityStatus

I do both, because I like both.

I generally do 90 minutes of cardio per day - 30 on the tread, 30 on the elliptical, and 30 on the bike. I do this six days a week, usually in the morning.

I strength train six days a week as well, usually 25 minutes each day, depending on what I'm doing... I do chest+biceps two days, back+triceps two days, and legs two days. I also do 3-4 days of core work, although I don't have a specific day that I do them... I make myself get in 3-4 days per week, but try to do them on days where I don't feel too horribly tired after the rest of my workout. Or I start with core.

I also take yoga three times a week, and step twice a week.

I am finding that although I haven't lost a *ton* of weight, only 20 of the 160 I have to lose, I am SO much stronger, and smaller. I have dropped three dress sizes in six weeks and my cardiovascular health has improved tenfold. I used to be out of breath using the elliptical for 15 minutes, I couldn't run a mile. I would never give up cardio because I love it.

But I will say that my upper body is significantly smaller (in a good way!) and I would attribute that to heavy lifting. I do combinations of deadlifts, overhead press, and weighted squats three times a week in addition to my other routines (usually do them on leg days, and on one other day).

I am a workout machine. I might actually be a little addicted to exercising lol. I just feel so great afterwards.

I find that cardio burns more calories faster (I don't eat back exercise calories) , but strength training is AMAZING for toning and firming ... plus it's supposed to raise your metabolism (muscle burns more calories at rest than fat, obviously) so you technically are burning more when resting.

Huffdogg

I find that cardio burns more calories faster (I don't eat back exercise calories) , but strength training is AMAZING for toning and firming ... plus it's supposed to raise your metabolism (muscle burns more calories at rest than fat, obviously) so you technically are burning more when resting.

You need to be careful with an approach like this. Doing this much exercise without eating back any exercise calories puts you in a position to be in too severe a deficit, which can cause metabolic damage if you keep it up too long.

Also, after a very brief beginner stage, you're not gaining muscle in a deficit. You're probably seeing more definition because muscles inflame when put under stress and retain water to help ease repair.

CelebrityStatus

I find that cardio burns more calories faster (I don't eat back exercise calories) , but strength training is AMAZING for toning and firming ... plus it's supposed to raise your metabolism (muscle burns more calories at rest than fat, obviously) so you technically are burning more when resting.

You need to be careful with an approach like this. Doing this much exercise without eating back any exercise calories puts you in a position to be in too severe a deficit, which can cause metabolic damage if you keep it up too long.

Also, after a very brief beginner stage, you're not gaining muscle in a deficit. You're probably seeing more definition because muscles inflame when put under stress and retain water to help ease repair.

So if I am supposed to eat (according to MFP) 1680 per day, not including exercise calories, and I eat that, but exercise, I won't gain muscle despite strength training?

Could you explain that to me? If you are doing strength training, wouldn't the exercise deficit be burning fat and not burning muscle (which is what I assume you mean... the deficit is burning muscle instead of building)?

I am on my second round of weight loss ... a couple of years ago I lost weight through mainly diet only and although I lost 100 lb, I was "skinny fat" ... I gained back up to my original SW, but am doing a lot more exercise + strength training this time around ... and wear the same size pants at 20lb lost now as I did at 50lb lost previously... so I must be sort of toning? Because I am not losing really quickly, but I AM definitely getting a lot smaller!

tigerblue

You will have that pudge until you reduce your overall bodyfat. To do that you will have to continue to eat at a deficit. Probably a smaller deficit than when you were in "full dieting mode". Cardio helps to create a deficit because it burns a higher rate of calories per minute. Once you get rid of that fat, though, you are going to want the muscle underneath to look good.

So you will need to find a way to do some of both. Either alternate days or find some type of circuit training program that will include some cardio.

I have had good luck with Jillian michaels workouts like 30 day shred, extreme shed and shred, ripped in 30. They include both strength and cardio. I am currently doing her body revolution program which is a little more involved. It is working and I am slowly losing the pouch of fat on my abs.

Good luck.

law1558

I've been using the Jamie Eason Live Fit program lately and I really like it - you can find it on BodyBuidling.com or you can just Google her name and Live Fit and you'll find it.

Basically, it's a 3-month program, plus a nutrition plan. The first month, you focus on strength training and don't do any cardio (which I cheated on and did some cardio anyway). The second month, you up your strength training and complete endurance level cardio (medium intensity). The final month, you continue strength training (lower weights/higher reps) and HIIT cardio (high intensity interval training).

Even though I'm pretty comfortable in the gym, I like her program because she has videos and break downs of how each exercise is supposed to be completed. Her meal plan is easy enough and she offers a lot of great recipes that are actually pretty tasty. And, IT'S ALL FREE!!

Huffdogg

I find that cardio burns more calories faster (I don't eat back exercise calories) , but strength training is AMAZING for toning and firming ... plus it's supposed to raise your metabolism (muscle burns more calories at rest than fat, obviously) so you technically are burning more when resting.

You need to be careful with an approach like this. Doing this much exercise without eating back any exercise calories puts you in a position to be in too severe a deficit, which can cause metabolic damage if you keep it up too long.

Also, after a very brief beginner stage, you're not gaining muscle in a deficit. You're probably seeing more definition because muscles inflame when put under stress and retain water to help ease repair.

So if I am supposed to eat (according to MFP) 1680 per day, not including exercise calories, and I eat that, but exercise, I won't gain muscle despite strength training?

Could you explain that to me? If you are doing strength training, wouldn't the exercise deficit be burning fat and not burning muscle (which is what I assume you mean... the deficit is burning muscle instead of building)?

I am on my second round of weight loss ... a couple of years ago I lost weight through mainly diet only and although I lost 100 lb, I was "skinny fat" ... I gained back up to my original SW, but am doing a lot more exercise + strength training this time around ... and wear the same size pants at 20lb lost now as I did at 50lb lost previously... so I must be sort of toning? Because I am not losing really quickly, but I AM definitely getting a lot smaller!

sorry if I sound dense but I don't exactly understand your question. All I'm saying is that MFP already has a deficit built in for you. If you are doing a lot of cardio on top of that, you're creating a really large deficit (depending on how much, obv.) and over time, that could be working against you. Also, strength training in a deficit can get you stronger, and help preserve muscle, but won't build new muscle.

cwolfman13

As a matter of general fitness you should be doing both and have a pretty balanced routine. I have 1 or 2 rest days generally per week. Rest days don't mean "off" days per-sei...I still go for walks, do some yoga, and am also just generally active.

SunofaBeach14

As a matter of general fitness you should be doing both and have a pretty balanced routine. I have 1 or 2 rest days generally per week. Rest days don't mean "off" days per-sei...I still go for walks, do some yoga, and am also just generally active.

^ I agree. I run, bike, lift weights, and work on my heavy bag.

brendanstallard

I just am confused on when you should begin to do strength training and whether or not the excess is because i need to lose more weight or not..

Jen Sinkler says that the answer to the question, "What about Cardio?"

Is, "lift faster."

As my HRM constantly reminds me, when I lift hard and fast I can feel the lactic acid buildup-the numbers recorded by the HRM rise exponentially. There's just as much hard cardio working hard at weights as there is walking or running.

"Also, how many days do you guys typically have off a week?"

I'm an old retired guy and I TRY to exercise 7 days a week. Stuff happens, you get rough days, feel bad days, lazy days and days when it rains or honeydoo days.

Hence, I forgive myself if I reach 10K steps, swim four miles and do 3 weights sessions.

I try for 7, but accept 5.




brendan