Cardio vs strength training

JessG11

I've had different people tell me different things but I have a large amount of weight to get off. I've been told while I'm just really starting to get into a normal excercise routine, I should concentrate more on cardio in order to get some weight off and then later focus on strength training. I've also had people tell me that I should do both. Main concern is to get the weight off and get myself into a habitual excercise routine. Any opinions...thoughts...data...would be appreciated. Also..if I was to add in some strength training, what would I even start with?

Serenifly

it's 'proven' that if you do cardio and strength training you increase your weight loss

anyways, who wants to do Cardio OR Strength training 5 days a week? Mix it up...

I do 3 days strickly ccardio 75 minute sessions - 2 days a week I 60 minutes strength and core training. One day a week I do fun stuff, Beach Volleyball or Tennis

putt42

Well first off you are a very pretty woman and congrats on getting started. I have recently lost 40 lbs myself and I would reccomend that you do a mix of weights and cardio. I went through P90x and it was awesome. Then we did insanity workouts and now we are in the 3rd week of a workout that mixes the two called p90x hybrid. I don't work for them or anything but it is a great workout and you will see huge results. It also helped me to get into really using fitnesspal. You will be suprised if you need to enter EVERYTHING how much less you will eat. (i mean who wants to put in I ate 2 bags of M&Ms . Good luck and I am pulling for you.
Blessings, Putt42

Serenifly

also as far as advice, do you have a gym membership or are you doing it at home?

If you have a gym membership, when I was 'green' with exersise, I took classes my gym offered (they were free) it's a good way to stay motivated, learn new things etc...

I personally hired a trainer - but I'm a dink (Double income, no kids) so I have that luxury. Before I'd get Womens' health magazines and do the routines they had to learn.

deninevi

You should do both! I do a little bit of both- 30/30 min each day! Strength training will carry the after burn longer than just cardio. Plus you will be stronger!

fab50G

When I started on this whole fitness/health journey 3 years ago (only been on MFP since January) I hadn't exercised or eaten right in years. I started with baby steps, making one or two small changes until they became a habit and then gradually adding others. I started out walking, then alternated jogging 100 steps with walking and eventually got to where I could run a quater mile straight without dying (lol - I'm still working on the running thing). Do what feels comfortable to you and strive for consistency. Then, if/when you're ready, add some strength training. It is very empowering to see muscle where you never saw it before!

KyleB65

I would suggest that you start with some form of cardio.
This will help you lose the weight you want and in addition it will greatly improve you endurance and shorten your recovery period after a workout.
Note that if you can do short intense strength exercises that push your heart rate to the max and at the same time help develop strength.
Good luck finding the right mix for you!

janet_pratt

I've lost a little over 100 pounds and I did both. The more muscle you have the more efficiently it burns calories. You don't have to start powerlifting. Compound body movements are best. Movements that use several muscle groups instead of targeting just one muscle. For instance, rather than just doing shoulder presses, do them as you are doing step ups on a small bench. It also works in a bit of cardio as well. That's just a quick answer. If you want some suggestions as to a weight routine, email me and I'll go into more detail.
Good luck. You can do this.

FullOfSpice

I've recently upped my weight training (lifting HEAVY weights) and seen the most dramatic results. Ever since I started about 3 weeks ago, I've had people tell me I look a lot smaller. Prior to that I was doing cardio religiously, including running 5 miles a day 4-5x week, elliptical, stairs, etc w/ only 30 mins of weight training. In those several months I have not seen as much progress as I have with the weight training. My suggestion is to make weight lifting your #1 priority and doing it atleast 3x a week full body workout. On days you are not doing weight lifting, I suggest HIIT workouts like sprint intervals, stairs, or elliptical, or biking.

atomdraco

Simple answer

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> BOTH

ChantalGG

When i lost 80lbs 6 years ago i really only watched what i ate and did strength training stuff like lunges, crunches, push ups, etc. stuff you can do in your living room. I didnt like to sweat. Now i do both and i like that i have more stamina, the cardio if great for you body and so is working on the muscles. If you want to lose weight it is many what you are eating.

AlsDonkBoxSquat

Simple answer

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> BOTH

Cardio vs strength training?

NO!

Cardio AND strength training!!!

bcattoes

Cardio will burn more calories and so will take weight off quickly. Weight or resistance training will help build muscle which will make you firmer and also increase the amount of calories you burn at rest. Of course, cardio builds muscle too at first if you haven't been exercising at all. How much strength training you want to add, or whether you want to add it at all, will depend a lot on what your goal "look" is (muscley, atheletic, skinny, lithe, etc.).

DeadZip2010

i agre with the croud that both cardio and strength training is the best option. but you have to understant that weight training is not always strength training. you can do light weights in a circuit and it be considered cardio.

i do a lot of reading in Men's Health magazine, they have a Women's health as well, and they repeatedly say that strength training is the best for weight loss IF YOU ARE ONLY PICKING ONE.
the reason being is that steady state cardio like running, swimming and biking(the kind most do which is non interval workouts) keep your heart rate up and you burn calories until it levels back off which happens with about an hour.
stength training has been tested and proven to increase your heart rate and keep it up for about 24 hours. now its wont be a lot higher, but it revs your metabolism up and while your body is trying to repair the muscle you have broken down and are trying to grow your body has to use someting for fuel, your fat.

this is what ive read, and it works. while living at home i was working out 4 or 5 nights a week and lost 10lbs in 5 weeks. not this is 10lbs of body weight, i was also putting on muscle at the same time and i was neer BIG to begin with so for me and my eyes, the theory works.

BIG DISCLAIMER: THE SAME THINGS DONT ALWAYS WORK FOR EVERYONE. you have to find what fits your schedule and stick to it. weither its a mix of both or one alone. right now i am doing p90x and have seen very good results with the program. but your program will depend on what is available to you.

Good luck and i hope this helped.

lloydrt

also, remember that when you do cardio, you burn the calories for that exercise and you stop burning cals when you stop the cardio exercise
when strength training, you continoulsy keep burn cals, even after you finish the exercise..........I did both, first started with cardio, then combined strength training with weights and have had great success..........hope you do to..............LLoyd

End6ame

The simple answer, as stated, is to do both. The reason is because your BMR is largely effected by your lean body mass (LBM). If you do only cardio on a caloric deficit much of your weight loss will end up being muscle loss, which will lower your BMR and result in a plateau. If you do both, you can preserve you LBM or even increase your LBM which will have a positive effect on your BMR and allow you to keep losing fat long term.

JessG11

At home I have an elliptical, pool, some small weights, resistance bands....also have a weight machine/bench but it is currently 117 degrees and this is housed in our shop which is probably around 130 degrees so that's not accesible until fall...but I do have plenty of things here to work with...

At work I have a treadmill.....

JessG11

Thanks everyone!!!!!! I can see I need to do both. I appreciate the insights!!!! :happy: