Weight loss - cardio v resistance training

firstnamekaren

Ok I'd really like for a myth to be cleared up for me. I have some 50 lbs to lose - I like lifting, but am told that I should focus on more cardio right now to burn fat, and THEN get more into lifting. I really want to try the New Rules of Lifting for Women, but even that book says it's not for people trying to lose as much weight as I am. So I dunno what to do.

erickirb

Ok I'd really like for a myth to be cleared up for me. I have some 50 lbs to lose - I like lifting, but am told that I should focus on more cardio right now to burn fat, and THEN get more into lifting. I really want to try the New Rules of Lifting for Women, but even that book says it's not for people trying to lose as much weight as I am. So I dunno what to do.

Yes do the program, if you focus on cardio you may end up skinny fat, healthy BMI with a high BF%, lifting weights will help retain your muscle as you lose weight. And you can lose weight with no cardio, but to retain muscle you must challenge your muscles so your body thinks they are needed.

Cardio is good for endurance and your heart but is 100% unnecessary to lose weight as all that takes is a modest deficit, which you can get from diet alone, exercise along, or a combination of both.

AbiNichole

Great post! I agree w/ the OP on everything. It is very tough to lose pure fat of course. But the combination exercises he mentioned are key!

I do a mix of cardio and weight lifting. When I weight lift I either do targeted muscle group super sets OR heavy lifting-combination exercises. So far the mixture has been working best for me.

For ppl just starting out I HIGHLY recommend doing heavy weight lifting w/ combination exercises. Like shoulder raises with lateral squats or single leg You'll spend less time in the gym and burn a ton of calories!

OnWisconsin84

Amen. Cardio endurance training lead to me being skinny fat. I'm correcting that over the next 6 months or so. The bad part is that I _believe_ if I'd just done weights and lite cardio over the last year I would have already achieved my goals.

I'm in the same boat :huh:

mes1119

THANK YOU.

People need to learn how to focus on FAT LOSS and MUSCLE GAIN... NOT the number on the scale dropping. Personally, I'd like to lose 10 pounds of FAT, not muscle.

Heck, if I REALLY wanted to lose "weight", I could just chop off an arm or something.

reshapemariah21

What is considered "Heavy Lifting" for a woman.. At home, With no gym membership,
An obese woman at that? 220+

I'm interested in lifting but I don't have equipment or know what equipment to start off with. I'm also low on cash.

Message me.

wingchunrick

What is considered "Heavy Lifting" for a woman.. At home, With no gym membership,
An obese woman at that? 220+

I'm interested in lifting but I don't have equipment or know what equipment to start off with. I'm also low on cash.

Message me.

Have you thought about kettlebell training. It will work both your heart and your body and gives a great burn. I incorpoarate it at leat once a week into my routines and it would be good for you as you'll only need one or two pieves of equipment. The only thing to be wary of is form as its so important to get it right but there are classes or online advice for it. Please feel free to add me as a friend.

wingchunrick

Ok I'd really like for a myth to be cleared up for me. I have some 50 lbs to lose - I like lifting, but am told that I should focus on more cardio right now to burn fat, and THEN get more into lifting. I really want to try the New Rules of Lifting for Women, but even that book says it's not for people trying to lose as much weight as I am. So I dunno what to do.

Nooooo, hit the weights. If you insist on cardio, do High Intensity Interval Training. (HIIT)

raven56706

bump.... i love this and i need this info.... i have dropped almost 50lbs but lost all my muscle... getting it back is a pain in the *kitten*... i mean in the gym it looks like im a wimp with 30lbs dumbells but i guess i did this to myself by not researching...


but i dont care, you have to start again. At least though, i can see more definition as i lift more as opposed to before.

reshapemariah21

Have you thought about kettlebell training. It will work both your heart and your body and gives a great burn. I incorpoarate it at leat once a week into my routines and it would be good for you as you'll only need one or two pieves of equipment. The only thing to be wary of is form as its so important to get it right but there are classes or online advice for it. Please feel free to add me as a friend.

Hmm, I'll definitely have to try that! Any suggestions as to how heavy for starters?

wingchunrick

Have you thought about kettlebell training. It will work both your heart and your body and gives a great burn. I incorpoarate it at leat once a week into my routines and it would be good for you as you'll only need one or two pieves of equipment. The only thing to be wary of is form as its so important to get it right but there are classes or online advice for it. Please feel free to add me as a friend.

Hmm, I'll definitely have to try that! Any suggestions as to how heavy for starters?

Try an 8kg one to start off with. Ebay do some great deals on them.

AntWrig

Also, keep in mind that getting a lean and fit physique has more to do with losing body fat while maintaining (or gaining) lean muscle mass than losing weight. In fact, when you get to a relatively low fat body fat percentage such as 14 - 17% for men and 21- 24% for women, weight loss becomes somewhat irrelevant. You can lose fat and gain lean muscle at the same rate so your body weight actually doesn't change much at all, while still dramatically improving your physique.

I agreed up until here. It is actually quite difficult to gain lean muscle and lose fat at the same time. It is much more effecient to do bulk and cut cycles where during the bulk you eat at a caloric surplus and do everything you mentioned so most of your gain is lean muscle, the for the cut cycle you eat at a small deficit and do what you suggest to lose body fat while retaining lean muscle.

Unless you are new to working out or returning after an extended period of not lifting it is extremely difficult to have lean muscle gains while in a caloric deficit or while losing fat.

Nonsense.

It's possible to gain muscle on cut. Consume enough protein and you will make some gains.

AntWrig

Ok I'd really like for a myth to be cleared up for me. I have some 50 lbs to lose - I like lifting, but am told that I should focus on more cardio right now to burn fat, and THEN get more into lifting. I really want to try the New Rules of Lifting for Women, but even that book says it's not for people trying to lose as much weight as I am. So I dunno what to do.

Nooooo, hit the weights. If you insist on cardio, do High Intensity Interval Training. (HIIT)

Lol.

You should have said focus more on Anaerobic work. At 50lbs to lose I would not suggest doing HIIT. Drop the weight first through diet. If that's not working. Start walking for 45-60 minutes a day.

popsical101

Heya what sort of exercises should I be doing just after some advice I run 3 miles 3x a week have started the 200 sit up challenge and do shakea weight 6 mins every day I dont have a gym membership so looking for things to do at home any dvice wud be great x x

jaysonhijinx

Good post, great info!

When I first started out I focussed heavily on cardio as I was up in the obese range but have started doing regular weights and resistance training to achieve the results I want.

Losing weight and being lighter is all well and good, but I want want the lean muscle under to make me look gooooood xD

wingchunrick

Heya what sort of exercises should I be doing just after some advice I run 3 miles 3x a week have started the 200 sit up challenge and do shakea weight 6 mins every day I dont have a gym membership so looking for things to do at home any dvice wud be great x x

What is your goal? Losing weight? General fitness? Feel free to add me as a friend x

jestersvk

Great post, thanks.
When I was starting with my weight loss I was concerned that I would loose more muscle than fat.... and the first few weeks it seemed like that because I was loosing weight according to my scale but I didn't lose an inch from my waist. After that the numbers finally started adding up and now nearly 3 months and 30 pounds later I finally hit a BMI of 29 (finally not obese after nearly 6 years). Plus last week when I was at the gym with a friend, although stating that I still have a lot of fat on me, my upper body looks a lot more muscular and better than it used to.

What I found out that works best for me is to follow what the MFP app tells me (aka. create deficit of 1000 calories per day) 12 days in a row, and then go up to my maintenance the other 2 days (I chose it that way because I live in a dorm and I go home every 2 weeks and it's impossible to resist home-cooked food:) ). For exercise I chose swimming (2-3 x week) and running (on days when I couldn't go swimming). I know that it's all cardio but I want to get my stamina up and I really love swimming (and I mean real swimming not just sitting around in the jacuzzi). I started with swimming only (up to 6-7 times a week) but thanks to my schedule I had to cut back, and choose running instead because I can do it even at night when the pool is closed. I don't do much strength exercise, maybe a few sit-ups (about 30 - 40) and push-ups (15-20) but I don't go to the gym regularly and when I do I am most of the time on the rowing machine (I know more cardio....). The only real strength exercise I do is bouldering but I go only 2-3 per month when my friends have time.

I got kind of off topic in a few places but what I wanted to say is that although I do mostly cardio I didn't notice any muscle loss in fact I experienced the oposite (I'm not saying you can get ripped from swimming nor that this would work for you the same it does for me. I'm just sharing my experience and hope that it won't change when I get close to my desired weight)

CookieCrumble

Thank you, thank you, thank you, OP, I'm saving this one!

Azdak

I work in a medically-based fitness center and we offer a 3 month weight loss program that features a multidisciplinary approach--utilizing personal trainers, dietitians, and behavioral psychologists. The exercise component features 3-5 hours of cardio and 2 strength training sessions per week. The strength sessions are mostly lower-intensity, higher rep--that is due primarily to the ages and relatively low fitness levels of the typical participant. (If people continue after the initial 3 mos, which many do, the strength sessions become progressively more aggressive, as their ability improves). There are no supplements, no goofy eating strategies, no special diet guidelines other than what you would expect.

The average person loses 20 lbs in the 3 months of the program. We do pre and post assessments. What I find interesting is that, even with a resistance program of modest intensity and volume, per our body composition measurements, virtually all of the weight loss is fat. There are two situations in which I see noticeable losses in fat-free mass: Some people get very aggressive about limiting calorie intake and lose 30-35 pounds in 12 weeks. In these cases, I see the same 20-25 lb of fat loss, but the rest is fat-free mass. The other is in the really obese participants (350+), but in this case, they are not "losing muscle mass" as much as they are just readjusting their body size to account for the fact that they don't have to support as much mass.

I guess the point I am trying to make is that we should not focus so much on the "cardio v resistance training" "conflict", but just acknowledge that both play important roles. And while resistance training is a crucial component for a weight loss program, and should be included starting on day 1, beginners can do just fine with a more modest program. You don't have to increase muscle mass for resistance training to contribute to your success. Beginners can follow a program that allows for a gradual adaptation to a strength-training routine, concentrate on learning proper form, etc, and still achieve success.

Chrissy979

Thank you for the post. After seven years of battling to lose the weight from having my son, a friend and I have decided that it was time for us to just stop talking about losing the weight and do it. I have been logging on every day since then reading posts and looking at success stories. I did 40 minutes of cardio yesterday and 40 minutes of light weight training and was so discouraged when I hoped on the scale this morning and it showed that I had gained a 1/2 a pound. Your post was the very first one I read this morning and I'm feeling a lillte less discouraged and know I just have to muddle through this and hopefully it will all work out. I don't have a gym membership and have been trying to do cardio on my lunch hour and do some weight training from off of youtube in the evevenings, and I'm down 6.5lbs in 10 days.

Bigkmc78

bump.... i love this and i need this info.... i have dropped almost 50lbs but lost all my muscle... getting it back is a pain in the *kitten*... i mean in the gym it looks like im a wimp with 30lbs dumbells but i guess i did this to myself by not researching...


but i dont care, you have to start again. At least though, i can see more definition as i lift more as opposed to before.

Don't worry about it - I started lifting 2 weeks ago and a couple of the men at the gym are gently laughing at me because:

a) I struggle to lift some of the weights onto the machines
b) I can only handle 2 x 4lb dumbells at the moment
c) The bicep lift bar needs to stay empty or I feel as if my arms are dropping off

However, I stick my chin out and carry on regardless

raven56706

thats the thing... i feel so weak even though 8 months ago, i was alot stronger. the only difference now is i can see the muscle better than before.


i still want to lose the inches but will have to incorporate the weight training...

UpToTheChallenge

Thanks for posting this!! I love to lift weights, it makes me feel so empowered. I had to tell my fiances mom that lifting weights would not make you look like a steroid infused woman. She now loves going to the gym and lifts weights

wingchunrick

I'm refreshing this as getting lots of questions about this subjecy. Enjoy!

erickirb

thats the thing... i feel so weak even though 8 months ago, i was alot stronger. the only difference now is i can see the muscle better than before.


i still want to lose the inches but will have to incorporate the weight training...

You will lose inches fast by incorporating strength training.

WendyTerry420

And I do wish people would stop assuming all women that don't lift don't because they believe they'll end up looking like a man. We're really not all that stupid.

TY! I get so tired of those comments.

WendyTerry420

Ok I'd really like for a myth to be cleared up for me. I have some 50 lbs to lose - I like lifting, but am told that I should focus on more cardio right now to burn fat, and THEN get more into lifting. I really want to try the New Rules of Lifting for Women, but even that book says it's not for people trying to lose as much weight as I am. So I dunno what to do.

I have been adding bodyweight exercises (pushups, etc) to my cardio. I still have another 80 pounds to lose. At 233 pounds, a single pushup or plank is a helluva workout.

WendyTerry420

thats the thing... i feel so weak even though 8 months ago, i was alot stronger. the only difference now is i can see the muscle better than before.


i still want to lose the inches but will have to incorporate the weight training...

You will lose inches fast by incorporating strength training.

^^^^^ This is true, for me anyway. In the beginning when I was just doing cardio, I was losing weight, but not much off the waist. Once I added my bodyweight exercises and working with resistance bands, the inches started melting off at rapid pace.

karrielynn80

Also, keep in mind that getting a lean and fit physique has more to do with losing body fat while maintaining (or gaining) lean muscle mass than losing weight. In fact, when you get to a relatively low fat body fat percentage such as 14 - 17% for men and 21- 24% for women, weight loss becomes somewhat irrelevant. You can lose fat and gain lean muscle at the same rate so your body weight actually doesn't change much at all, while still dramatically improving your physique.

I agreed up until here. It is actually quite difficult to gain lean muscle and lose fat at the same time. It is much more effecient to do bulk and cut cycles where during the bulk you eat at a caloric surplus and do everything you mentioned so most of your gain is lean muscle, the for the cut cycle you eat at a small deficit and do what you suggest to lose body fat while retaining lean muscle.

Unless you are new to working out or returning after an extended period of not lifting it is extremely difficult to have lean muscle gains while in a caloric deficit or while losing fat.

it's not easy & it's slow going, but it's possible. Well I should say it appears possible. I am currently around 17-19% bf and cutting + lifting for the next 3 wks at least & my body is continuing to tighten up. Not quickly mind you, but steadily.

Of course, I could be wrong & what i'm seeing could be caused by other factors but i feel like that is what is happening.

Regardless, great post! I strength train 4x a wk & focus on cardio 1 day a wk, for a healthy heart - but would quickly drop it if given the option b/t the two. I've seen more ideal (for me) and btr results (for me) since begining back liftging then any cardio i ever did.

WendyTerry420

Cardio is good for endurance and your heart but is 100% unnecessary to lose weight as all that takes is a modest deficit, which you can get from diet alone, exercise along, or a combination of both.

I consider diet and exercise together as having a synergistic effect. Yes, you can lose through diet alone, but it's a lot easier to lose when you add cardio and strength training to it. Synergy..... :bigsmile: