Who do I Believe

Doesntplaynice82

So my workouts began when I was 17 years old and I joined the US ARMY HOOOOOAAAH!!! so for 8 years I had someone telling me how to workout and when. I then joined the police academy and focused on my running and pushups. I have been on the force for 2 years now and realized I need WAY more endurance and strength!

I started going to the gym with my boyfriend (who is super buff BTW) and I feel like he has me on a pretty good program but when I talk to my friends (other officers) they don't agree with the things that I have been told and stuff. For example....

Lifting weights will burn more calories in the long run because muscle burns more calories at rest than if i just did cardio alone.

I do about 30 minutes of cardio before I lift...some say do cardio before, some say after.

Basically my question is....how do i know what to believe is true??

Here are my goals: I am 5'9" and 155lbs, I basically want to drop about 15lbs (although that really doesnt matter as long as i am SEEING the results in the mirror) and I want an extremely toned/muscular body like Marzia Prince (but with a bit more weight...she is too skinny)

melaniecheeks

There isn't One True Answer: doing cardio first means that your muscles are warmed up for the strength work. Doing strength work first means you've got most energy for that. It really doesn't make a big difference - do them whichever way round suits you best.

fatty_to_fitty

Maybe you are phrasing it wrong cos tbh this post was a little confusing.

Weight lifting can not train you for endurance cardio. Getting stiff and heavy from certain weight training is also no good for this.

To lose fat cardio is NOT the nky answer and I think hat is what you are getting at withe the comment on weight lifting?

But you don't need to lose weight do you? That answers the question. What does you job call for more?

DavPul

Listen to your boyfriend, what has worked for him will work for you. Diet will handle your weight and lifting will sculpt your body. You don't need to do the cardio at all. If you insist on it, do it after.

Doesntplaynice82

Sorry If I was confusing. I need both strength AND endurance. For example...I need to be able to chase a suspect with the weight of my gun belt AND be able to fight him and overcome him (or her). I learned my lesson the hard way when I had to fight someone and my backup was not very close by.

And not only do I want this for my job...but my personal appearance...I want to look hot LOL

DavPul

Then do as much endurance training as you want. Just do it after lifting, as cardio will hamper lifting much more than lifting hurts cardio.

But if you're trying to make sure you can grapple with an assailant, I recommend metabolic training over endurance. You're going to need strength and stamina unless your main hope is to just outrun the guy.

DontStopB_Leakin

Listen to your boyfriend, what has worked for him will work for you. Diet will handle your weight and lifting will sculpt your body. You don't need to do the cardio at all. If you insist on it, do it after.

Not to contradict what you're saying, but this just isn't true for women. Most men can easily get away with doing no cardio and be in fantastic shape, however women need cardio for weight loss because we simply can not put on the amount of muscle that men do without looking like we're roided up. Women have that lovely little extra layer of fat to work with. I do agree though that strength training is definately needed, but by itself it's not going to work the same for a woman as it does for a man.

mcarter99

Some say muscle burns only like 6 calories per pound per day, so it really doesn't add up to much. And as a woman you physically won't be able to add many pounds of muscle, especially at your target BMI. Though obviously strength training has many other benefits.

DavPul

Listen to your boyfriend, what has worked for him will work for you. Diet will handle your weight and lifting will sculpt your body. You don't need to do the cardio at all. If you insist on it, do it after.

Not to contradict what you're saying, but this just isn't true for women. Most men can easily get away with doing no cardio and be in fantastic shape, however women need cardio for weight loss because we simply can not put on the amount of muscle that men do without looking like we're roided up. Women have that lovely little extra layer of fat to work with. I do agree though that strength training is definately needed, but by itself it's not going to work the same for a woman as it does for a man.

The thing is that cardio is good for cardio, not weight loss. Not fat loss.I know I'll never, ever ever ever win this debate on MFP, but it's true. So if she needs the endurance benefits, then she should absolutely endurance train. But for weight management and fat loss, diet handles that.

Also, it's not the "extra muscle" that burns more. It's the TON of calories your body churns thru to repair the damage you do while strength training. First the calories go to replenishment, then repair, then they try to build. That's where the weight management effect of strength training comes into play, not from the 100 extra calories a day a decent amount of added muscle would burn.

Plates559

Listen to your boyfriend, what has worked for him will work for you. Diet will handle your weight and lifting will sculpt your body. You don't need to do the cardio at all. If you insist on it, do it after.

Not to contradict what you're saying, but this just isn't true for women. Most men can easily get away with doing no cardio and be in fantastic shape, however women need cardio for weight loss because we simply can not put on the amount of muscle that men do without looking like we're roided up. Women have that lovely little extra layer of fat to work with. I do agree though that strength training is definately needed, but by itself it's not going to work the same for a woman as it does for a man.

The thing is that cardio is good for cardio, not weight loss. Not fat loss.I know I'll never, ever ever ever win this debate on MFP, but it's true. So if she needs the endurance benefits, then she should absolutely endurance train. But for weight management and fat loss, diet handles that.

Also, it's not the "extra muscle" that burns more. It's the TON of calories your body churns thru to repair the damage you do while strength training. First the calories go to replenishment, then repair, then they try to build. That's where the weight management effect of strength training comes into play, not from the 100 extra calories a day a decent amount of added muscle would burn.

This man is 100%, cardio is great for cardio.

If you want to stay lean eat less! (don't read less as anorexia, but we all know that).

There is a saying: You can't outrun your fork.

A good fit lifestyle begins in the kitchen, if you can't control your diet it doesn't really matter what you do in the gym.

apriltrainer

Agreed. I used to be in the army too. After I got out I did marathon's...but didn't have the physique I wanted
. I realized you cant outrun a bad diet. I no longer even do cardio anymore and have never looked better!

Listen to your boyfriend, what has worked for him will work for you. Diet will handle your weight and lifting will sculpt your body. You don't need to do the cardio at all. If you insist on it, do it after.

Not to contradict what you're saying, but this just isn't true for women. Most men can easily get away with doing no cardio and be in fantastic shape, however women need cardio for weight loss because we simply can not put on the amount of muscle that men do without looking like we're roided up. Women have that lovely little extra layer of fat to work with. I do agree though that strength training is definately needed, but by itself it's not going to work the same for a woman as it does for a man.

The thing is that cardio is good for cardio, not weight loss. Not fat loss.I know I'll never, ever ever ever win this debate on MFP, but it's true. So if she needs the endurance benefits, then she should absolutely endurance train. But for weight management and fat loss, diet handles that.

Also, it's not the "extra muscle" that burns more. It's the TON of calories your body churns thru to repair the damage you do while strength training. First the calories go to replenishment, then repair, then they try to build. That's where the weight management effect of strength training comes into play, not from the 100 extra calories a day a decent amount of added muscle would burn.

This man is 100%, cardio is great for cardio.

If you want to stay lean eat less! (don't read less as anorexia, but we all know that).

There is a saying: You can't outrun your fork.

A good fit lifestyle begins in the kitchen, if you can't control your diet it doesn't really matter what you do in the gym.

Plates559

but but, if I do more cardio I can eat more....

Did we just ruin running for all of MFP?

apriltrainer

but but, if I do more cardio I can eat more....

Did we just ruin running for all of MFP?

probably so....

I might run in the future but only for all the cool swag you get at the end of some races. (And I mean the tshirts and such, I will pass on the bagels they offer at the end of those races!)