any advice for a naive cardio fan

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de1amo
de1amo Posts: 266 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
i prefer cardio at the gym to weights but i mix the 2---last time i got to my goal weight i was awfully thin and devoid of strenght to do the weights--i went from about 85kgs down to 69kgs in 3 months combining a calorie controlled diet with lots of cardio and some low repetative weights--after a good holiday i bounced back to 75kgs and have now returned to the gym and dieting--now 73kgs.

Before my cardio was restricted to lots of fast walking up an incline due to very sore knees but with the rest this has past and i can now run for short bursts--what type of program is adviseable for someone wanting to loose weight with dieting combined with cardio and weights---do i up my weights and lower my cardio--do more running and less slogging the walking---or mix it up a lot!!--i want to build lean muscle without resorting to supplements --my normal diet is on the low side with protein and that is really how i prefer it--i gained weight on holiday because of alcohol!!--any advice welcome

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  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
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    I think that doing both cardio and weights is the best way to get in shape, lose weight, and gain lean muscle mass. I think these activities should be done in a balance, and I also firmly believe that both should be done with as much intensity as you can muster. You get more results at a faster pace when you go as intense as you can. I would do weights 3 days a week and cardio 3 days a week alternating. For the weights, lift as much as you can to get to muscle failure around the 12th rep or so. Gradually increase your weight each time you do the exercise in the future. For the cardio, you can choose whichever activity seems most fun to you and that you will stick with. I would recommend about 30-40 minutes per workout.

    I know you said you prefer a diet low in protein, but keep in mind that when you start a new workout program or are trying to gain some lean muscle, protein is needed in your diet to rebuild and repair the muscles and reduce soreness. I wouldn't go too low, or you could force your body to break down the muscle tissue you already have for fuel.

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