Cardio vs. Weight Training...Here We Go Again :)
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My good friend (who is also on MFP) and I got into this discussion today.
After losing about 30 pounds the first 4-5 months, I stopped losing weight and inches. I did a bunch of things and nothing worked. After 6 months of gaining and losing the same 5-7 pounds I gave up for a bit. Then I read New Rules of Lifting for Women, along with some other stuff, and created my current workout routine which consists of strength training 3 times per week (progressively increasing the amount I lift) and either Yoga, Ballet or Pilates 2-3 times per week. In essence, I flipped what I had been doing...doing less intense cardio and more (heavier) weights. After 4 weeks, I am losing lots of inches but my weight is still not budging.
My friend and I both agree that the cleaner we eat the better. My theory for not losing pounds is that I need to eat cleaner and cut out breads, rice, eating out...you know the more processed stuff. My friend, however, says my problem is that I am not doing enough cardio. She says I need to step it up on the cardio department to get my heart rate going and lose fat. I countered that cardio, although beneficial for overall health, is not necessary for fat loss.
So basically...we both agree that diet is primary, but she believes cardio is more important for weight loss and I think strength training gives you "more bang for your buck".
What are your thoughts? My friend and I are interested in an adult discussion (no attacks) and only opinions based on what has worked for you and/or any scientific knowledge you may have.
Thanks!
lifting is the only exercise that is critical for body recomposition. Cardio is and optional way to increase your deficit instead of eating less.0 -
another thing to keep n mind is that 30 pounds is a pretty significant amount of weight to lose for your body. it seems like many people plateau at 30 pounds. it could just be a matter of letting your body settle a bit in the new weight and then pressing on. that's what i'm hoping :happy:
but on to your question. i think weights will be best for larger percentage of your loss being from fat than if you did cardio alone. the best thing about weight lifting when you're losing is that it signals to your body to preserve as much muscle mass as it can so that you can get through those workouts.
so for instance me, i've been doing NROL4W and string lifts since i started losing weight. I've lost a bit over 30 pounds and if i believe my measurements and and calipers, 10% of what i've lost as been from lean body/muscle and the rest from fat so that's 27 pounds of fat lost. from what i've read had i not been doing the weights i might have had as much as 30-40% loss of muscle. if i did cardio alone, in order to have lost the same amount of fat i would have to lose a greater amount of total pounds (45) but my muscle loss would be greater. also had i have just done cardio alone i easily could have lost more weight because i could have dropped my calories lower.
i have an offline friend who's also doing the weight loss thing. we started off at similar sizes. she's doing only cardio. she's lost more scale weight than i have but you cant really tell. she's also barely lost 1 pant size, i've lost 3. i cant help but think that's because i've lost far more fat than she has.
so i would say if you're interested more in seeing changes on your scale then do cardio only, but if you're ok with the scale moving slow but instead making changes in how you look and how your clothes fit, then do strength.0 -
If you are losing inches, first of all, who cares what the scale says. No one, and I mean no one, knows what your weight is unless you tell them except for your doctor. Second, if you are losing inches, you are losing fat. Decreasing body fat percentage to a good level is one of the most important factors for health. Third, losing inches mean eventually you will lose weight. It is very difficult to put on muscle mass while in a calorie deficit. You may have experienced some gains as a newbie, but those will quickly stop. You also will find your muscles will hold more water to hold the glycogen they use for energy when you workout. That will also translate into a higher number on the scale, but if (since) your measurements are going down you are doing what you should, which tells me that lifting weights (heavy weights) if far better for you than just doing cardio. I don't think eating cleaner will make any difference as long as you are getting sufficient protein and healthy fats. I think the fact that your measurements are changing tells the story. A person can lose weight and not see huge changes in their measurements, but not losing weight and seeing measurements go down means you are holding on to your muscles which burn more calories than your fat.0
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You need both cardio and weight training as part of a balanced fitness approach. Cardio torches fat, burns calories like crazy. It makes your heart stronger, and lowers blood pressure. Weight training improves appearance, tones and firms, gives definition - but the calories burned by muscle isn't all that much. Studies have shown that muscle doesn't burn nearly as many calories at rest as we all thought.
http://www.lanimuelrath.com/blog/calories-burned-by-muscle-vs-fat-another-myth-exploded/0 -
You need both cardio and weight training as part of a balanced fitness approach. Cardio torches fat, burns calories like crazy. It makes your heart stronger, and lowers blood pressure. Weight training improves appearance, tones and firms, gives definition - but the calories burned by muscle isn't all that much. Studies have shown that muscle doesn't burn nearly as many calories at rest as we all thought.
http://www.lanimuelrath.com/blog/calories-burned-by-muscle-vs-fat-another-myth-exploded/
Umm, cardio torches fat?
Really?0 -
You need both cardio and weight training as part of a balanced fitness approach. Cardio torches fat, burns calories like crazy. It makes your heart stronger, and lowers blood pressure. Weight training improves appearance, tones and firms, gives definition - but the calories burned by muscle isn't all that much. Studies have shown that muscle doesn't burn nearly as many calories at rest as we all thought.
http://www.lanimuelrath.com/blog/calories-burned-by-muscle-vs-fat-another-myth-exploded/
Umm, cardio torches fat?
Really?
melts it away like magic brah! its like reverse mainlining. the wetness you get on your body doing cardio isn't actually sweat, it's melted fat escaping the body.0 -
You need both cardio and weight training as part of a balanced fitness approach. Cardio torches fat, burns calories like crazy. It makes your heart stronger, and lowers blood pressure. Weight training improves appearance, tones and firms, gives definition - but the calories burned by muscle isn't all that much. Studies have shown that muscle doesn't burn nearly as many calories at rest as we all thought.
http://www.lanimuelrath.com/blog/calories-burned-by-muscle-vs-fat-another-myth-exploded/
Umm, cardio torches fat?
Really?
melts it away like magic brah! its like reverse mainlining. the wetness you get on your body doing cardio isn't actually sweat, it's melted fat escaping the body.
Ohhh that! Maybe that's why I sweat harder now that I'm not fat!
Wait...that doesn't make sense!
*ponders*0 -
You need both cardio and weight training as part of a balanced fitness approach. Cardio torches fat, burns calories like crazy. It makes your heart stronger, and lowers blood pressure. Weight training improves appearance, tones and firms, gives definition - but the calories burned by muscle isn't all that much. Studies have shown that muscle doesn't burn nearly as many calories at rest as we all thought.
http://www.lanimuelrath.com/blog/calories-burned-by-muscle-vs-fat-another-myth-exploded/
Umm, cardio torches fat?
Really?
melts it away like magic brah! its like reverse mainlining. the wetness you get on your body doing cardio isn't actually sweat, it's melted fat escaping the body.
Ohhh that! Maybe that's why I sweat harder now that I'm not fat!
Wait...that doesn't make sense!
*ponders*
well actually i almost never sweat in the gym but i got lean anyway. i figure i just somehow got even MORE magic0 -
I would choose cleaner eating and weight training harder over more cardio ANY day. Not because I don't like cardio, but because more cardio doesn't mean more results. If you're going to do more cardio, do HIIT. Eating clean and drinking tons of water really helps. Especially more water... Helps A LOT. I asked my trainer about this same issue and he basically told me if what you make yourself do isn't something you're going to want to commit to for the long term, then why do it? You can change up what you do in the weight room and add in a day of plyometrics and see how that helps. Small changes, so it seems, can usually bring about big changes.0
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f cardio....just saying......... Cardio is good for your heart......probably not a bad idea to do both. But you dont need to do cardio to lose weight.
I will attest to this!! More cardio really only means better cardiovascular health. Interval training and sprints are the most effective and take the least amount of time. LOVE my sprints! Love my weights more though...0 -
Cardio has its place - but you can easily overdo it.
Strength training will give the best results in terms of shaping your body and building muscle, which in turns uses more calories.
A combination of both is ideal.
Yes, we both agree it's ideal to do a combination of both. Our disagreement, I believe, is which one is more effective for fat loss.
The answer is strength training. Someone already said this, but I think it's worth repeating: when we lose weight, we lose mostly muscle and some fat. Strength training helps your body burn the fat you have better and helps you build strength while retaining most of your muscle. All cardio and no strength training on a calorie deficit usually leads to skinny, but not shapely or strong.0 -
You don't have to eat clean to lose weight either, but you will feel like you are eating more if you eat less calorie dense "dirty" foods.0
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. After 4 weeks, I am losing lots of inches but my weight is still not budging.
Thats what Strength Training is Doing for you! Inches off mean so much more then the number on the scale!
That is all .... Carry on!0 -
My good friend (who is also on MFP) and I got into this discussion today.
After losing about 30 pounds the first 4-5 months, I stopped losing weight and inches. I did a bunch of things and nothing worked. After 6 months of gaining and losing the same 5-7 pounds I gave up for a bit. Then I read New Rules of Lifting for Women, along with some other stuff, and created my current workout routine which consists of strength training 3 times per week (progressively increasing the amount I lift) and either Yoga, Ballet or Pilates 2-3 times per week. In essence, I flipped what I had been doing...doing less intense cardio and more (heavier) weights. After 4 weeks, I am losing lots of inches but my weight is still not budging.
My friend and I both agree that the cleaner we eat the better. My theory for not losing pounds is that I need to eat cleaner and cut out breads, rice, eating out...you know the more processed stuff. My friend, however, says my problem is that I am not doing enough cardio. She says I need to step it up on the cardio department to get my heart rate going and lose fat. I countered that cardio, although beneficial for overall health, is not necessary for fat loss.
So basically...we both agree that diet is primary, but she believes cardio is more important for weight loss and I think strength training gives you "more bang for your buck".
What are your thoughts? My friend and I are interested in an adult discussion (no attacks) and only opinions based on what has worked for you and/or any scientific knowledge you may have.
Thanks!
Haven't read thru all the responses yet but I wanted to address the original post first. You have both figured it out and botched it at the same time.
You've already won. If you started lifting heavier and the inches are coming off in spades, that's call VICTORY. Unless you're trying to make weight for your upcoming MMA bout, as the late Ed McMahon would say, "You may have already won". "Losing lots of inches" is what it is all about. Nobody knows what your actual weight is. They only know what they see. And it sounds like they are seeing less and less of you each week. Congrats!
That was the good. Now for the other. While what you eat has some minimal effect on metabolism, eating "clean" or cutting out bread or rice or gluten or whatever is not going to be your answer. You lose weight by eating less. Less of everything. Not less of specific things. If your entire diet was wheat bread, rice cakes, and protein shakes and your total calories were 400 under maintenance, 1. you'd be miserable but 2. you'd be losing weight.
But keep in mind I'm not suggesting you cut your calories. You're losing lots of inches. Congrats! Tell the secret to all your friends! Because while they may say they want to lose weight, what they really want to do is lose dress sizes, and lose flab, and get bikini ready. If a genie told them they would gain 40 lbs but look like a bikini model, most of them wouldn't even bother with the 2nd and 3rd wishes.
1. Keep doing what you're doing.
2. Throw away your scale and use your mirror.
3. Keep doing what you're doing.0 -
I lose more weight doing cardio than anything else, especially cardio in the pool. The medical weight loss program I am in has us do cardio and weight training. The heart is a muscle and every muscle in your body needs to be strong. :-)0
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My good friend (who is also on MFP) and I got into this discussion today.
After losing about 30 pounds the first 4-5 months, I stopped losing weight and inches. I did a bunch of things and nothing worked. After 6 months of gaining and losing the same 5-7 pounds I gave up for a bit. Then I read New Rules of Lifting for Women, along with some other stuff, and created my current workout routine which consists of strength training 3 times per week (progressively increasing the amount I lift) and either Yoga, Ballet or Pilates 2-3 times per week. In essence, I flipped what I had been doing...doing less intense cardio and more (heavier) weights. After 4 weeks, I am losing lots of inches but my weight is still not budging.
My friend and I both agree that the cleaner we eat the better. My theory for not losing pounds is that I need to eat cleaner and cut out breads, rice, eating out...you know the more processed stuff. My friend, however, says my problem is that I am not doing enough cardio. She says I need to step it up on the cardio department to get my heart rate going and lose fat. I countered that cardio, although beneficial for overall health, is not necessary for fat loss.
So basically...we both agree that diet is primary, but she believes cardio is more important for weight loss and I think strength training gives you "more bang for your buck".
What are your thoughts? My friend and I are interested in an adult discussion (no attacks) and only opinions based on what has worked for you and/or any scientific knowledge you may have.
Thanks!
Haven't read thru all the responses yet but I wanted to address the original post first. You have both figured it out and botched it at the same time.
You've already won. If you started lifting heavier and the inches are coming off in spades, that's call VICTORY. Unless you're trying to make weight for your upcoming MMA bout, as the late Ed McMahon would say, "You may have already won". "Losing lots of inches" is what it is all about. Nobody knows what your actual weight is. They only know what they see. And it sounds like they are seeing less and less of you each week. Congrats!
That was the good. Now for the other. While what you eat has some minimal effect on metabolism, eating "clean" or cutting out bread or rice or gluten or whatever is not going to be your answer. You lose weight by eating less. Less of everything. Not less of specific things. If your entire diet was wheat bread, rice cakes, and protein shakes and your total calories were 400 under maintenance, 1. you'd be miserable but 2. you'd be losing weight.
But keep in mind I'm not suggesting you cut your calories. You're losing lots of inches. Congrats! Tell the secret to all your friends! Because while they may say they want to lose weight, what they really want to do is lose dress sizes, and lose flab, and get bikini ready. If a genie told them they would gain 40 lbs but look like a bikini model, most of them wouldn't even bother with the 2nd and 3rd wishes.
1. Keep doing what you're doing.
2. Throw away your scale and use your mirror.
3. Keep doing what you're doing.
Perhaps. But then I'd suggest that people who live off Burger King, Pizza and MacDonalds (ahem) probably aren't doing their long term health that much good. It may not have an immediate effect on the cals in / cals out equation, and sure, you can lose weight doing this.... but in terms of long term sustainable weightloss and overall health, I'm guessing the OP's clean eating strategy is likely to do more lifelong good.0 -
Balance is key!
When I ran a lot and didn't lift I got skinny fat...I weighed about 15 lbs less than I do now and looked heavier
When I only lifted I didn't see the fat loss I wanted and wasn't losing any weight although I did look a bit leaner
Now I make sure to do both equally and I am seeing great progress! I think both are critical, unless you're morbidly obese it might be easier to shed some weight first to get the most out of your strength workouts but still include both0 -
Regardless of gender, both weight training and cardio are just as important as the other, if you ask me. Weight training can help increase lean mass, which boosts your metabolism and pretty much turbocharges your fat burning abilities, especially during those cardio sessions.
Cardio just on its own, you will lose weight/inches to an extent as you saw, but without strength training you won't sustain as much lean muscle mass. I think even most of the olympic-caliber runners and such have at least some sort of strength training regimen.0 -
I like doing both. I have been doing more cardio than lifting lately because it is summer I am outside running and riding my bike more. But I think it is important to include weight lifting.0
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