Cardio....or weights ??

roromclarty
roromclarty Posts: 27
edited September 19 in Fitness and Exercise
......I want to lose about 50 pounds! if I am going to workout 3 or 4 days a week.....what should I focus more on??? cardio or strength training?? whats going to give me the best weight loss and toning results?? how much strength training is neccessary?.....i love treadmill and elliptical.....anyone with advice??? :)

Replies

  • roromclarty
    roromclarty Posts: 27
    ......I want to lose about 50 pounds! if I am going to workout 3 or 4 days a week.....what should I focus more on??? cardio or strength training?? whats going to give me the best weight loss and toning results?? how much strength training is neccessary?.....i love treadmill and elliptical.....anyone with advice??? :)
  • lotusfromthemud
    lotusfromthemud Posts: 5,335 Member
    um. . .yes.

    I started out with just cardio, and have only recently started to add weights. I SO wish I'd don't weights all along, so that I could have had muscle tone waiting for me when I dropped the weight. You can do a fairly respectable full-body strength training routine in about 20 minutes. (there are great weight workouts on the "body for life") website, that I'm planning on starting on. But, if you just google "weight training", you'll get tons of options.

    Elliptical is great for cardio.

    Cardio is great for both endorphins and fat loss. The great thing about increasing your muscle mass is that it raises you resting metabolic rate, which means you can eat more and maintain your weight.
  • HappyathomeMN
    HappyathomeMN Posts: 498 Member
    The answer is . . . Both. The cardio will help get the weight loss going, but what do you want to find "underneath?" Try something like a 70-30 mix. 70 percent cardio with 30 percent weights to start.
    I'm at the gym 7 days a week (so far :wink: ) for 3 of those days I add a weight regimen focusing on different areas in each of the three days. On the other days I do at least 45 min of cardio(I LOVE the elliptical) and crunches or a variety there of. I also started taking some of the classes.
    Also, if you don't have one, get a heart monitor that will help with calories burned for each workout . There are many threads on here with recomendations for heart monitors. I have the Polar F4, which is pretty simple.
  • marisa0918
    marisa0918 Posts: 178
    Do both. If you plan on doing it the same day do weights first and then cardio.

    Oh and from all the research I've done make sure you are taking in enough protien. Protein will help build lean muscles.
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