Starting Strength Training-QUESTION

bruthacuervo

Im noting that the 30-60 minutes of cardio im doing also has the benefit of keeping me well under my daily calorie intake.. while i usually do not go past my 1200-1300 calories a day either way, its a nice "safety net" in case I once in a while stray and go up to 1500 and 1600--- it still tells me im ok. I see green, im good.

my question is i am starting to incorporate strength training, which, doesnt equate to a number of calories i can use later if needed ... I wish to keep the daily benefit of the extra calories i can gain by cardio, but keep working on strength,

so far i have been doing a 30-45 cardio workout (ELLIPTICAL), followed by a circuit thru all the machines Arms, chest, shoulders, back (2 sets, low weights, 30 seconds between reps) in my local gym for 30-45 minutes 5 days a week. (daily) weekends are impossible for me to get in.

My main goal firstly is weight loss, im not super interested in building the muscle mass (yet) but i know that strength training has benefits to aid in weight loss

Is this an acceptable workout? Im actually finding that the variation each day helps me out-- im doing something new every few moments and not doing any one thing for anymore than 45 mins.

I can only hit the gym after work, and ive heard you shouldnt do both cardio and strength on the same day, and also shouldnt do strength like ive been doing on a daily.

Whats your thoughts on this, keeping in mind id like to keep the "safety net" that cardio gives me calorie wise, but throwing the variation that the strength training gives me daily, keeping me going and keeping me motivated.

_GlaDOS_

I think the first thing to do would be to maybe change your mindset here. The goal is not really to lose weight, it’s to lose fat and build muscle and strength. Strength training does burn calories while you do it, but more so once you’re finished, when your muscles are repairing themselves and building new muscle fiber. But, this is really only possible if you’re lifting heavy with less reps. It’s also nearly impossible to build muscle on a calorie deficit, and certainly not going to be very easy for a male eating only 1500-1600 calories per day.

I personally have set my calorie goal to just above maintenance, eating more on the days I lift, and at maintenance or little below on the days I don’t (my metabolism is also destroyed after not eating enough). Doing cardio on days you don’t lift is also not necessarily beneficial, as your muscles need this time to rest. If you want to strength train, I say focus on it, and take most of your cardio out of your routine. It might take a little longer to lose the fat, but your metabolism and your body will thank you.

That’s my advice, but I’m not a guy, and I’m new to strength training, so hopefully the guys on here can offer some more advice! :flowerforyou:

MzMiller1215

This seems to be the biggest misconception on MFP. Although cardio burns more calories, you are only burning the calories during your workouts. When you do strength training, you continue to burn calories up to an hour after you stop working out. I have consistently done moderate cardio for approx 20 minutes after my weight training workout, which burns more fat this way. Don't get so caught up in the numbers of calories burned with strength training; it is definitely very beneficial to your body and losing fat. Try eating different kinds of foods that are lower in calories but, keeps you feeling full longer.

Check out http://www.bodybuilding.com. They have great fat loss plans to meet your needs and it's not what you think, just huge bodybuilders giving workout plans. It is strictly based on what you are looking for.