Cardio Only?

MsCyone

I have a question when you first started losing weight did you focus on just cardio or did you include weights in your plan? I plan on dropping to just cardio for the next few weeks and build my stamina and endurance up. My cardio choices will be stationary biking, a dance workout, Tae Bo Amped with 3lb. Amped bar,power walking, and Biggest Loser Weight Loss Yoga. Any suggestions or tips?

asmile

I just started using mfp the beginning of Jan on the 3rd. And since then I have focused on cardio bc of my hectic schedule, including being a mom to 2 awesome active boys. I have lost 12 pounds so far in 21 days. Paired with eating right. I planned to start strength training in a month or so.

eteter2

I think that there is some strength training involved with the Tae Bo and Yoga...I don't honestly know if going to straight cardio is good. I do both cardio and strenght (I am training for a 1/2 marathon and find that I can run farther/longer when I incorporate the strength work.

schnarfo

i wouldnt focus on just cardio if i was you. you will see better results when you combine cardio and strength training - strength training does need to be everyday maybe 2 or 3 times a week but it will give you more shape (dropping inches quicker) and allow your body to build muscle which will help you burn more calories in the long run.

bangarangbree

I think you should include both. you don't necessarily have to go pump serious iron, but definitely include strength training. It will give more support to your changing body and help improve your shape.

schnarfo

btw if your used to doing strength training and then u cut it out the drop in the scale you notice might be muscle youve lost... not actual weight

spunky_spit_fire

Good Question I am new to the site and just started trying to eat healthy and exercise and my main exercising is riding a stationary bike for 15 to 20 mins trying to build my stamina and endurance up and doing housework and go for a walk weather permitting and some of the exercises we did way back when in school but don't know how to record those so those are freebee's lol I need to lose like 75 ASAP.... BUT...... The Healthy Way !!!!

xarrium

You'll definitely see better results after a few weeks if you incorporate strength training, but if your objective is cardio then I can't see it being bad per se to only do cardio for now... just make sure that once you've got some stamina you turn to strength training. I started off with just cardio because that's all I had time for when I started, but I noticed changes in my body *way* more once I started doing resistance.

kbanzhaf

I lost about 70 pounds four+ years ago.....Regained about 20, have lost eight of those, and hope to lose about 10 more. (I was probably too light at my lowest, and I am at a healthy BMI now).

I have done nothing but cardio -- walking.....walking....walking. Last year, I logged what I walked, and it was over 1600 miles. (And those are only exercise miles, not those that I walk while I work -- two to three miles per day). My goal for this year is 1800 miles--pretty ambitious, but wanted to stretch myself somewhat from last year's total.

I know everyone says you should do weights too, and at times I've thought about it. Walking works for me, and that is what I plan to keep doing to continue my weight loss and maintain it.

K

kwardklinck

I focused on cardio only when I lost most of the weight. I wish I'd done both. It will tone you up and help with the sagging skin problem. Try only once a week and then work up to 3 times a week. You have to do strength training to see real changes in your body shape. Cardio only burns fat. It doesn't change your body.

spunky_spit_fire

Does anyone have anygood Strength Training Ideas for a rookie ??? I will have to start out slow because of having COPD but I am very willing to do what it takes and I can build my way up Thanks In Advance

_Bro

I started off with cardio only and the after having success I added in weights.
Frequently I would combine both resistance then cardio... The results were great. My body fat went down but my weight did not change much... Which is a great thing! If I was just watching the scales I would have been frustrated.

Building lean muscle will help your body burn off fat.. but if you have to choose do Cardio!

xarrium

Does anyone have anygood Strength Training Ideas for a rookie ??? I will have to start out slow because of having COPD but I am very willing to do what it takes and I can build my way up Thanks In Advance

I love yoga--it's strength and flexibility together. You're not going to build a ton of muscle, but you definitely feel that your muscles have been worked if you get into some of the balance-type poses, so it's a good starting point. Plus, balancing exercises help with your stabilizer muscles, which come in handy for using free weights.

Also, I'm not sure how slowly you want to take it, but I tried the 100-pushup challenge--it's a good challenge (I only made it to 60, but I'm hoping to keep going with it until I get to 100) and it's all laid out for you so there's no guesswork as to how hard you should push.

MsCyone

Thanks for the responses so far. With the Tae Bo and Biggest Loser Yoga, i definitely feel like I'm doing body weight exercises, although they arent considered strength training necessarily. And after a few weeks I do intend to add Kettlebells back into my workouts for strength, for now I think my main focus will be the cardiom