Less Weight and More Reps or More Weight and less Reps...

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jammiemd
jammiemd Posts: 46 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Which is better for weight loss? I usually do more weight and try to do 3 sets of 20 on each machine but an older guy at the gym came up to me and said it would be better for me to do less weight and more reps...

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  • ishtar13
    ishtar13 Posts: 528 Member
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    wow. Don't you get bored doing 20 reps?

    I'm a lift heavy girl, so I say more weight, less reps. Actually, even if you're doing "high reps", 10-12 should be enough.

    Let me ask you, how long have you used the same weight?
  • mandylooo
    mandylooo Posts: 456 Member
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    The advice on here is generally to lift as much as you can for 3 x 8 to 12 reps. Once you can do 3 x 12 reps, up the weight.
  • medoria
    medoria Posts: 673 Member
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    Correct me if im wrong but reps and weight may determine calorieburn, not weight loss. Weight loss per say has more to do with your total calorie deficit so the question is more complicated then that.
  • Mayor_West
    Mayor_West Posts: 246 Member
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    Correct me if im wrong but reps and weight may determine calorieburn, not weight loss. Weight loss per say has more to do with your total calorie deficit so the question is more complicated then that.

    You're wrong- sort of. ;-)

    The basic premise behind weight training, especailly with heavy weight in the 8-12 rep range is to induce muscle hypertrophy. This will increase one's RMR enough to induce a greater daily calorie burn. Also, while weight training does in fact burn calories, fat loss is achieved primarily as a result of one's diet.

    The biggest advantages to including heavy weight training in one's routine are the speed in which those results will happen and that the majority of weight lost is fat, not muscle.
  • HMVOL7409
    HMVOL7409 Posts: 1,588 Member
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    More weight and less reps!
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
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    If you're in a calorie deficit, it's better to do heavier/less. I believe I read that on Bodyrecomposition site, but I can't find it now. :/
  • medoria
    medoria Posts: 673 Member
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    Correct me if im wrong but reps and weight may determine calorieburn, not weight loss. Weight loss per say has more to do with your total calorie deficit so the question is more complicated then that.

    You're wrong- sort of. ;-)

    The basic premise behind weight training, especailly with heavy weight in the 8-12 rep range is to induce muscle hypertrophy. This will increase one's RMR enough to induce a greater daily calorie burn. Also, while weight training does in fact burn calories, fat loss is achieved primarily as a result of one's diet.

    The biggest advantages to including heavy weight training in one's routine are the speed in which those results will happen and that the majority of weight lost is fat, not muscle.

    So even if you are in a calorie deficit and do heavy weights you will increase RMR?
  • jammiemd
    jammiemd Posts: 46 Member
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    I've been in the gym for almost a month now. I've increased my weight since I first started. I usually do 3 sets of 20 on all machines: leg presses at 190 lbs, butterfly machine 45 lbs, ab machine 110 lbs, triceps 45lbs, and I dont know what to call the other machines lol. I am morbidly obese. Im eating around 1200-1300 calories a day. I dont eat back by workout calories. I'm completely fine with that. I'm not starving and I love going to the gym. I just want to get the most out of my workouts. I have increased my cardio as well. I started out with 30 mins on the treadmill and now i'm doing an hour.

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