Cardio THEN Weights Training OR Cardio&Weights Training?

jaynove01

What is the better way to go when it comes to losing weight? Do I stick to cardio workouts and lose the weight first, and then add strength training to tone up after? Or would it be better to do incorporate cardio and strength training?

mmanderr18

bump

elijhasmomma

What is the better way to go when it comes to losing weight? Do I stick to cardio workouts and lose the weight first, and then add strength training to tone up after? Or would it be better to do incorporate cardio and strength training?

i have the same question! my stamina is NOT where it used to be and i find just focusing on the cardio is a good start for me. once i get a few lbs off i plan to start incorporating some strength training in!

GeorgieLove708

I don't know what "experts" say, but I'm doing both because I want to do the best I can to keep my skin shrinking with me and toning the whole time.

BSLP4

I have no idea if this is fact or not but I have heard that it is best to do cardio work outs first (in your routine) and then do the weight lifting...but I think that doing both cardio and strength training are a good idea to keep you fit and healthy...I've always enjoyed doing my cardio at the end though...probably because I feel like I have no energy after but that's probably good because then you have to push your body to do the weight work...not 100% sure, just what I heard from a friend who used a trainer for a while.

lastaack

My trainer tells me to do weights three times a week and cardio on the others. If you do weights and cardio in the same day, do the weights first so you have more energy to put into it.

Hanna92FitnessFreak

I personally get more results with doing both!one Day cardio then weights the next

MaryJane_8810002

What is the better way to go when it comes to losing weight? Do I stick to cardio workouts and lose the weight first, and then add strength training to tone up after? Or would it be better to do incorporate cardio and strength training?

My personal trainer told me that weight lifting is always better done first. 25-45 minutes of cardio afterwards yields great results.

myscaleaddiction

Weights first. Weight training is anaerobic and your body can only use the glycogen stored in muscles, not the carbs in your bloodstream. With cardio you burn the carbs currently circulating in your system and only starts to burn glycogen after 30 minutes (moderate cardio). Or so I've heard, I'm not an expert

ironanimal

Strength training 3 times a week and cardio twice tops if you must, IMO.

lovza_flirt

you should incorporate some strength training in with your cardo, more muscle means more fat burn. I'm not saying bulk up but the more muscles you have the more fat you burn. So building muscle is a good thing. So you might lose more if you start with a few weights now rather then waiting till you lose a few pounds to start.

Bunnie_Rex

This could get interesting. Bumpity bump.

RobynMWilson

Both b/c the more lean muscle you build, the faster your metabolism is and therefore speeds up fat loss. The number on the scale may not go down as quickly but also measure yourself and go by how your clothes fit. If you look at my before and after pix from ChaLEAN Extreme, in the before pic I was 137 (not looking to lose weight) and the after pic I was 136 but I'm a size smaller...I burned fat and built muscle!

elelat

I started to lift weights when I was at 220lbs. I didn’t want to lose muscle while eating on a calorie deficit, and I wanted to work towards not having too much loose skin (toning?). Turns out lifting have been one of the greatest things I am doing. It empowers me!

Oh, and I love the fact that your body still burns calories even long after the workout!

So, under my perspective it is never too early to start lifting.

1SlimShaylee

weights along with cardio. as mentioned above weights 3x per week. i'm sure in your mind you have thoughts like "that's how i will look wheni lose 10 pounds (or whatever your goal is), but you won't really look that way unless you incorporate strength training along with your cardio. good luck!

myth4ever

weight training 1st followed by cardio

rileysowner

Your question is should you be doing both types of exercise. The answer is yes. Cardio will benefit your heart and lungs. Weights will help preserve muscle while losing weight. If you just did cardio you would likely lose a lot of muscle only to have to try to put it back on afterward. If you keep more of that muscle you will get that fit, athletic look much easier.

RobynMWilson

I don't know what "experts" say, but I'm doing both because I want to do the best I can to keep my skin shrinking with me and toning the whole time.

^^this is what I wish I knew when I was losing weight back in 1987. It woulda saved me a lot of work later lol

kimhere

My trainer has me doing strength training 3 times a week and cardio 3 times but she says I can do cardio everyday and it wouldn't be bad.

smilingalltheway

This for me too, weights first and then cardio on days I do both, other days just cardio

hem8787

I do both. 3 weight training days with very light cardio (1/2 mile jog and some walking) . Then 1-2 days of higher intensity cardio with no lifting.

davidr730

I learned that strength training should be first because it burns the glycogen stored within the muscles, making it easier to burn fat when you do cardio.

kazey901

I don't know if it's right but when I get to the gym I stretch my legs a little big.

Then do my strength training (one day I do legs, the next day I do arms) and then I get on the elliptical for 35 minutes doing a cross training program and then I stretch again.

erinzehr

In my humble opinion you need both Cardio and Weights to get the most effective workout.

Generally you want to do a 5-10 minute cardio warmup. Then you do your weights - weight machines or free weights - your choice. You want to put most of your energy into your weights. I would suggest one set of 8-12 repititions to start (this strengthens existing muscle on your body). You can always add a second or third set at any time when you start to feel like you need a little more (this will begin building new muscle). You should feel somewhat fatigued with your weights. Push through it.

Once you are done your weights I suggest doing another 20-30 minutes of cardio afterwards.

Burning calories doing cardio is great but, in the long run muscle burns more than fat, and muscle needs to feed so the more muscle you have the more calories you will burn (while sedentary/at resting heart rate).

Just my opinion though.

princessfe19

In order to lose weight, it is important to get in cardio exercise at least four times a week. Weight training is also important, because the more muscle you build, the higher your basal metabolic rate is. That means for a five pound increase in muscle mass, you will be burning an extra 250-500 calories a day just sitting there.

jaynove01

Thank you everyone for your input!! I really appreciate it, and it helped me out so much! I learned a lot! I love the MFP community

gsager

I do 15 or 20 minutes of cardio, then my weights and then 30 or 45 minutes of cardio.

mandamama

I always do a cardio warm up a good 7-10 minutes and hit it pretty hard get a good sweat going, then I do my weights, sweating like a pig, and then go do another 20+ of cardio depending on the day, and how much time I have that day

MelStren

I don't know if it's right or not, but this is what works for me. I do cardio first then lift, all on the same day. Mon. Thur. Sat. I walk at 3.5 to 4 mph for 1 hour, cool down sometimes as long as 30min... it usually takes that long for my knees to stop hurting. Then I go into my light lifting with 8lb dumbells.

Now, Once I move up to larger weights I may change that up and lift 3 days a week and cardio on NON-lifting days....

Reneefit135

Great info on this thread....and i concur, i seem to see more progress when doing both.

FlyEaglesGuy

Bumpy