Cardio vs Weight training

MichelleS08

So I'm in a bit of a rut, I have been the same weight fluctuation up and down between about four pounds for the past two months now. And I feel that I have about another 10-15 pounds to lose. I do weight training and 20-30 mins of cardio with it about 4-5 times a week. How do I get past my rut? Add more cardio or focus more on weight training or do I need to re evaluate what I'm eating?

Rogiefreida

Weight loss comes from a calorie deficit. I'd look at what you're eating/how much you're eating. Weight training has so many benefits and it's great that you're doing it, but you can only achieve weight loss from a calorie deficit.

MichelleS08

So does eating about 1500-1700 calories sound like wayy to much

fit_rox

1500-1700 isn't too much. I eat around 2000 calories a day and am still losing weight. I would incorporate more cardio- perhaps do a couple sessions of high intensity cardio per week to help with the calorie deficit.

AlyssamR6712

Food is everything.. You can't out train a bad diet..on the flip side if you eat pretty clean already, you possibly are not eating enough. i was only eat 1200 cals before, then i upped to 15-1800 and i started losing again, you just have to find your body's happy spot, everyone is different. Try upping your calories and maybe even try eating "cleaner" cause "i eat pretty clean" still isnt clean enough sometimes. Like i said everyone is different though, you gotta try different things to see what your body wants. When you find it, you will start seeing results again. Hope this helps!

PS. Awesome on you for asking advice and not just giving up! Keep going no matter what or you will end up right where you started!


Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter

scarrottl

Great weight loss so far! Sounds like your exercise is very good! My suggestion is not to eat carbs after lunchtime . It works.
That would be your potatoes, rice, bread and pasta.

woodml1

Every BODY is different. I can tell you that I would at best maintain or at worst gain in that calorie range (I'm 5'1"). You may benefit from dropping cals a bit lower but I'd recommend switching up your training regimen first. There are TONS of things you can try:

- doing 2 days a week of cardio and 3 days a week of strength
- doing cardio intervals between sets of your strength training
- switching some of your current cardio to HIIT cardio
- Switching up your rep/set ranges (lower the weight if you're going to increase reps and sets and vice versa)

MichelleS08

I had a trainer who had me eating 1900 calories and I thought that was to much so maybe I need to up it to that. I know what you mean by the "I eat pretty clean" I say that lol but then I have some chips lol. It's so hard but I feel like I'm stronger than the bad food so as long as I stick to not giving into the junk food maybe it will be better. I am celiac as we'll so at least it's easy with not eating any wheat products..thanks for everyone's advice though!!

dlionsmane

Make sure you are at a deficit. Don't worry about food timing or eliminating food groups. Measure and weigh your foods and log accurately. If you are in a deficit you will lose. You can't out train a surplus...do eat at a deficit do not guess or estimate your intake! good luck

MityMax96

So does eating about 1500-1700 calories sound like wayy to much

Depends on what your caloric needs are.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

Make sure you are logging accurately. Every weekend, weighing everything, trying to use as accurate of database entries as possible, etc.

raindawg

Make sure you are at a deficit. Don't worry about food timing or eliminating food groups. Measure and weigh your foods and log accurately. If you are in a deficit you will lose. You can't out train a surplus...do eat at a deficit do not guess or estimate your intake! good luck

+1 on this. Is your 1,500 - 1,700 "net" of exercise? If you are eating your exercise calories back it could be you are over estimating calories burned and eating more back than you should be and not getting as big a deficit as you think you are.

a_stronger_me13

Alright... the whole eat more to lose has gone a little far. It's meant in relation to something being sustainable, not that eating more will make you lose more weight. If you aren't losing at your given activity level at X amount of calories, increasing your calories and sustaining your same level of activity is going to lead to weight gain, not loss.

The eat more to lose is meant to encourage people to set a moderate and not drastic calorie deficit because it will pay off in the long run by preventing burn out, loss of lean body mass and will help you sustain your energy levels to continue working out while in a deficit.

Here is a good place to start for EVERYTHING: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

MichelleS08

So how do I figure out what's right for me? What's the exact calories I should be eating?

MityMax96

"Clean" has no defined meaning when it comes to food.

Just figure out what you need in calories and macros, and eat at 20% less than that.

MityMax96

So how do I figure out what's right for me? What's the exact calories I should be eating?

What are your stats??

Height, weight, age, and days a week you exercise?

MichelleS08

5'2 I weigh 150 right now I'm 23 and excersize 5 times a week

Timshel_

Make sure you are logging accurately. Every weekend, weighing everything, trying to use as accurate of database entries as possible, etc.

This ^.

For the majority of the population on earth you will lose weight if you are at a caloric deficit. There are two reasons this does not happen. You are underestimating calories eaten or over estimating calories burned. I disagree with anyone who believes you will not lose weight if you are under-eating calories, though I don't support low calorie intake. Deficit is deficit.

That said, you can stall a bit over short periods, which could be that you need to recalc your caloric deficit (maybe increase exercise too), or just keep doing what you are doing through the stall.

All the best!

MityMax96

With those numbers, your TDEE is around 2000 calories

Your goal should be TDEE - 20%, so around 1600 - 1630 calories.

Macros should be
Protein 150gr / day
Fat 60 gr/ day (minimum)
Carbs 123 gr / day

That puts you at 1632 calories.....if you want to do 1600 calories then do carbs at 115 gr / day

MityMax96

also agree with the others regarding food.

Weigh/Measure/Track all things you put in your mouth.

MichelleS08

Thank you for your help. What's the best carbs to eat??

MityMax96

Thank you for your help. What's the best carbs to eat??

Any u wish too....

Post workout, I would go with things like rice, pasta, swt potato.....
Fruit would not be a good choice post workout....but fine any other time.

I ate Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal for snack today myself.

MityMax96

Oatmeal is another good one.

SassyCalyGirl

Alright... the whole eat more to lose has gone a little far. It's meant in relation to something being sustainable, not that eating more will make you lose more weight. If you aren't losing at your given activity level at X amount of calories, increasing your calories and sustaining your same level of activity is going to lead to weight gain, not loss.

The eat more to lose is meant to encourage people to set a moderate and not drastic calorie deficit because it will pay off in the long run by preventing burn out, loss of lean body mass and will help you sustain your energy levels to continue working out while in a deficit.

Here is a good place to start for EVERYTHING: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

thank you!

SezxyStef

Alright... the whole eat more to lose has gone a little far. It's meant in relation to something being sustainable, not that eating more will make you lose more weight. If you aren't losing at your given activity level at X amount of calories, increasing your calories and sustaining your same level of activity is going to lead to weight gain, not loss.

The eat more to lose is meant to encourage people to set a moderate and not drastic calorie deficit because it will pay off in the long run by preventing burn out, loss of lean body mass and will help you sustain your energy levels to continue working out while in a deficit.

Here is a good place to start for EVERYTHING: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

thank you!

Amen to that.

To the OP your diary is closed so hard to say but I suspect you don't weigh solids and measure liquids and choose correct entries.

If you are logging 1600-1700 a day and not losing chances are you are eating more than you think.

Get a food scale, weigh your solids, choose correct entries...

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide?hl=Logging+accurately&page=3#posts-19337078

OhReally42

1.Depending on what your overall goal is, sometimes increasing the weight your training with or increasing your cardio can help.

2.Also the best places to get good carbs is from fruits,veggies and beans.

3.You may also have water weight that could be causing you to fluctuate, you may want to watch your sodium levels and the foods you eat. Lots of water also! Always at least 8 cups.

4.Restating what everyone else has said, you also need to have a calorie deficit. There's 3,500 calories in one pound so having a deficit of 3500 calories a week would help you lose a pound a week. So you would want to have a deficit of 500 calories a day each week.

MityMax96

2.Also the best places to get good carbs is from fruits,veggies and beans.

Disagree

MichelleS08

I do weigh my food

MiniMarc

dont just jog for long periods. do your weights then put the treadmill on full tilt (15) and sprint for a minute , then dome more weights then repeat the sprint. do it like 3 times you will feel like your gona die but it will shock your system waaay more than 25mins jogging

the carbs from veggies is great advice. Lentils are your friend!

MichelleS08

Thanks everyone for the advice though you guys are all great

MiniMarc

A personal trainer told me he'd rather i did 15mins of intense circuit with little to no rest than run for an hour. Is helpful if you have a busy lifestyle! things like squats , pushups , jumps , burpees , plank , crab walks can all be done with no equipment and just use body weight. They knacker you too!