Okay, so I don't weight train...

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nickiebb
nickiebb Posts: 57 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi, true confessions: I don't weight train. I do a lot of cardio. I am afraid to give up my calorie burning time to weight train. Do I really need to weight train? How will it really benefit? Any advice? I am an (almost) 39 year old female. I gain muscle really easily. Here is my basic workout regimen:

M: run 30-45 min., bike 20-30 min.
T: swim 2000yds., bike 20-30 min.
W: run 30-45 min., bike 20-30 min.
Th: swim 200 yds., bike 20-30 min.
F: run 30-45 min., bike 20-30 min.

I know it looks like a lot of cardio, but I mix it up with easy effort, medium effort and hard effort. I have the luxury right now of being able to workout for a long time because I am on summer vacation. Should I go ahead and add weights?
Nickie :flowerforyou:

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Replies

  • toots99
    toots99 Posts: 3,794 Member
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    Weight training will help build muscle and diminish fat (obviously) and muscle burns calories more rapidly that fat does. So therefore the more muscle, the higher your metabolism.
  • aprilvet
    aprilvet Posts: 724 Member
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    Hit the weights!!!!! While you won't burn the same number of calories while weight training, the muscle you gain will maintain a higher metabolic rate for HOURS after you've stopped your workout. This is not true with strict cardio. Also, as we age, we naturally lose muscle mass, and your cardio is not really replacing it. Check out P90X. It's a great program that combines strength training with intense cardio on different days. It has changed my entire physique!:love:
  • frito
    frito Posts: 1
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    You could also do some body weight movements. Pushups, Plank (side and regular), squats etc. The list goes on and on. You can do this spread through and day and it really adds up.
  • gemiwing
    gemiwing Posts: 1,525 Member
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    Weight training also keeps your bones dense and healthy. Very important as we age.
  • jesstiger
    jesstiger Posts: 2
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    you want to do both weights and cardio...alot of people make the mistake of doing cardio and then doing weight training after.

    when you do cardio you first burn carbs and then you start burning fat
    when you do weights you only burn carbs

    to burn fat FAST you want to do the weight training first so you burn the carbs so then when you go to the cardio you immediately start burning fat
  • melissalynnlarue
    melissalynnlarue Posts: 47 Member
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    you want to do both weights and cardio...alot of people make the mistake of doing cardio and then doing weight training after.

    when you do cardio you first burn carbs and then you start burning fat
    when you do weights you only burn carbs

    to burn fat FAST you want to do the weight training first so you burn the carbs so then when you go to the cardio you immediately start burning fat

    ...not to mention that if you do weights after cardio, you are much more likely to be stiff & sore!! Solution? Do 10-20 minutes of cardio first to get the blood pumping & warmed up, then whatever weight training you want to do (I usually do 20-40 minutes depending on how much time I have), then finish with your 'normal' cardio - this gets the blood flowing more and oxygen to the muscles that have been working so hard - helps to dissipate the lactic acid build-up from the weights. If I run out of time to do cardio after weights, I'm in a lot of trouble... :)

    Don't forget to stretch...
  • singfree
    singfree Posts: 1,591 Member
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    Cardio is great for fat loss and keep your heart healthy. Weight training is by far a more important component of exercise for all the reasons previous posters have stated. Better yet, split your cardio and weights, then control your weight with a clean diet. Don't depend on cardio for weight control. Good luck!
  • annhjk
    annhjk Posts: 794 Member
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    If you belong to a gym, check and see if they have any kind of group weight lifting class (or make one up on your own). I like muscle max (I've seen it called body pump too at other gym's) or a circuit class. Both are fast paced. Muscle max lifts lighter weights for a longer period of time. Circuit rotates weights with cardio. I really like both classes because I feel like I"m getting the cardio burn while I'm lifting weights. If I didn't do these 2 classes, I'd probably be like you and not lift weights either.
  • nickiebb
    nickiebb Posts: 57 Member
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    Thank you everyone for your responses! I really appreciate it. I'll pick up the weights today. I've got my exercise down; now I just really need to focus on the clean eating part. I actually do eat pretty well, but my weakness is might evening (2) glasses of wine. I've really got to cut that out. Okay, thanks again everyone! :flowerforyou:

    Nickie

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