Cardio vs. Strength training for weight loss

Leslietheriot
Leslietheriot Posts: 303 Member
edited October 2 in Health and Weight Loss
It sometimes angers me to read this stuff on the forums. There is so much controversy over HOW to lose weight. I know that people have different opinions and different views on weight loss but I want to hear about what has actually worked for you. Any and all comments will be appreciated. Thanks in advance :)

Just for the record...I actually do cardio and strength training AND watch my caloric intake. I say its all about calories in/calories out.

I just wanted to see what the general idea was here because I have seen some people say some pretty crazy things here about what kind of exercise to do.

Replies

  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    everyone loses weight the exact same way, caloric deficits. the details are more personal preference, although i would always add in strength training to a diet, since it has a myriad of added benefits
  • audram420
    audram420 Posts: 838 Member
    what works for me is both cardio and ST and watching my cals. It may not work for everyone though!
  • LindseyC87
    LindseyC87 Posts: 178 Member
    what works for me is both cardio and ST and watching my cals. It may not work for everyone though!

    This!!!!! I strength train 4 days a week with cardio after each one and then do 1-2 days of just cardio and watch my cals..
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    Weight loss is achieved by calorie deficit.
    Strength training is for maintaining or building muscle.
    Cardio is for working the heart.

    For best results you want to do all of the above - eat a calorie deficit and do both cardio and strength training. Preserving or building muscle makes you look good and makes you burn more calories at rest.
  • sarah44254
    sarah44254 Posts: 3,078 Member
    I have given myself a pretty even blend of cardio and strength training the entire 9 months I've been doing this.

    During the week, I usually do 4-5 strength training dvds. either a jillian michaels or a p90/p90X vid.
    during that same week, I try and do 3 sessions of jogging. lately it has been 2 days of running 3.1 miles, and one day of running 4 or more miles.

    I eat all my exercise calories many days (probably 85%) and rarely go over on calories for the day. Maybe 2 times a month if that.

    I have 'only' lost 27 lbs in the 9 months. But I have gone from a size 14 pants to a size 4. I have lost around 30 inches from my body overall. I can wear my small shirts again (27lbs ago they would curl up and flash my belly to people).

    I know the strength training is what helped me lose the inches the most. It also helps me feel really good about myself, like 'wow look how many reps I did this time!' or 'holy crap I can do pushups now!'

    I love running and would do it every day, but it actually burns a TON of calories and I cannot eat very much at once, so burning that much and eating it all back is a trouble for me, so I have to limit myself.
  • lpnl
    lpnl Posts: 1
    What i believe works best and what worked best for me was weight training. Mainly because of the after burn affect. Once you stop cardio, you stop burning, but if you go hard in the gym and lift and push with intensity , youll keep burning even after the workout.

    so i favor weight training :]
  • spammyanna
    spammyanna Posts: 871 Member
    I just watched my calories for a long time, with no exercise and I lost like 20lbs.

    Now, I watch calories and run, and plan to join a gym when the weather starts getting nasty.

    But I really don't care about the numbers on the scale, I care about how I feel about how I look. That to me is much more important.

    Good luck!
  • fatboypup
    fatboypup Posts: 1,873 Member
    cardio is king for the fast weight loss but now i need a tummy tuck :(
  • ambermichon
    ambermichon Posts: 404 Member
    From day one I have done a combination of BOTH. Warm up 10 mins, weights for an hour and then cardio. I lift 3 times a week and on the off days I do cardio only. It works. I have lost 22 lbs and instead of waiting until I lost the weight to tone, I have toned the whole time so have the definition and non-saggy skin I was going for. IMO I dont think waiting to lose the weight then toning is a good idea....build muscle and shrink skin together make more sense to me.....and it works.
  • ambermichon
    ambermichon Posts: 404 Member
    and I agree with Sarah44254....the actual lbs may be a little slower to come off but I care about how I look. I am now a size 6 and have muscle definition
  • smileyk003
    smileyk003 Posts: 33 Member
    Hi,

    I have used a mix of both Stength and Cardio. I found it worked really well for me, and I seem to be getting more and more out of exercise the stronger I get.

    I have previously lost weight only using cardo - It worked to drop the weight but I found I wasn't overly happy with my body shape as I had pretty minimal tone - I swear by a using both as I found it keeps me toned and the weight down (Not to mention with more muscle from the strenght training I am finding it easier to keep the weight off)

    Hope you find a balance that works for you!

    smileyk
  • shauna121211
    shauna121211 Posts: 575 Member
    what works for me is both cardio and ST and watching my cals. It may not work for everyone though!

    This!!!!! I strength train 4 days a week with cardio after each one and then do 1-2 days of just cardio and watch my cals..

    Lol when I first read this I thought it said, "and watch my cats..." I wondered how watching cats would help lose weight! :tongue:
  • JennsLosing
    JennsLosing Posts: 1,026
    what works for me is both cardio and ST and watching my cals. It may not work for everyone though!
    works for me too
  • punkischic
    punkischic Posts: 24 Member
    This is the first time I've actually seriously committed to losing the weight, and right now, all I'm doing is cardio and watching my calories.

    My mom does cardio and ST but honestly, I don't like the way it looks on her and I'm worried it would look that way on me. (My vanity is showing..)

    Maybe picking up a pair of 5 lb dumbbells and a work out DVD wouldn't hurt me..
  • DannyMussels
    DannyMussels Posts: 1,842 Member
    The weights and resistance will aid in preserving the muscle you have, meaning after losing 20-30lbs...more of the mass lost will be fat, as opposed to both fat and muscle.

    If you do cardio/restricted calories and lose mass without attention to muscles/weight-training, you'll lose a greater amount of muscle, then the addition of weight-training to your routine.

    For most people weight loss = their main goal. After doin it a few times, I found I liked to try to keep as much muscle as possible, so when the fat burns off, you actually see it. You'll look more 'toned' as people like to say.

    hope that makes a bit of sense. Everyones goals are different.

    Also, you don't have to benchpress 300lbs or anything crazy. Even squats, pushups, and body-weight exercises are fantasic, and can be done at home without any equiptment.
  • punkischic
    punkischic Posts: 24 Member
    That makes total sense, kiwiburger. Thanks for the explanation.

    I think I know what I'll be asking for my birthday next week. ;)
  • istalkzombies
    istalkzombies Posts: 344 Member
    same routine your doing ahs worked for me, strength training, cardio, cals in/out have been doin wodners for me
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    Both are actually important, cardio burns a lot of calories during exercising and strength training increases lean muscle mass which increases your BMR which in turn burn mord calories throughout the day. What works really well is HIIT which helps muscle mass and intense cardio.
  • RaeannePemberton
    RaeannePemberton Posts: 382 Member
    I agree with most people above... both are important. If you aren't careful, you can lose muscle mass. But I do know if you want to "bulk" or "build" lean muscle, it takes more calories than if you didn't.... and that doesn't mean that if you are a woman you want to look like a man... unless you are on steroids that won't happen. ;-) But I know for me, I want to lose weight so that I have tone muscle... not flabby skinny fat. :)
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    cardio is king for the fast weight loss but now i need a tummy tuck :(
    try building muscle, you might have some elasticity left and weight training can lead to the shrinking of skin. Unfortunately csrdio reduces muscle mass due to larger caloric deficits created by tons of cardio. Just a thought.
  • lilsnowbird
    lilsnowbird Posts: 112
    what works for me is both cardio and ST and watching my cals. It may not work for everyone though!

    This!!!!! I strength train 4 days a week with cardio after each one and then do 1-2 days of just cardio and watch my cals..

    Lol when I first read this I thought it said, "and watch my cats..." I wondered how watching cats would help lose weight! :tongue:
    that is funny.....I thought the same thing.....LOL
  • gg24
    gg24 Posts: 58
    The cardio is to burn calories and endurance. The strength training is because I'm over 50 and post menopause. I need to keep muscle and bone strength. It has added benefits of toning but mainly I do it for health reasons. They are both good and I'm not sure why folks would want to choose one over the other but if it's strictly for weight loss then cardio......I guess.
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