Good way or no?

75in2013

Strength training is what burns fat!

"Cardio" burns more calories than strength training.

*sigh*

Strength training can be cardio too if you break a decent sweat and elevate your heart rate enough!

*sigh*

"Cardio" can be strength training too. You just need to set the resistance high enough.

Oh wait ... then it's not cardio anymore.

UCWIDT?

cedarghost

Don't look at it by the time you spend doing it, but by how many repetitions you do and at what weight you do them at. Also, if you don't have much time, 15 minutes or so of lifting is fine if you do metabolic resistance training http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/metabolic-resistance-training-build-muscle-torch-fat.html
That is GREAT for burning fat.
Bottom line, if you like cardio do it, but lifting is much better for burning fat and you have the added bonus of retaining lbm as you lose.

hdjjones

I go to the Y as well and they have a 12 week program where they start you on cardio and then after 3 or 4 weeks do an orientation on the weight machines. In this program you are given I think 3 or 4 consultations with one of their trainers. They set you up with a weight training program. You record your progress as you go.

runfatmanrun

I'm no expert, but I definitely recommend strength training along with cardio!

This.

75in2013

While cardio burns more calories during, the overall effect of strength training for reducing fat while maintaining lean mass has been proven. I've attached an article from nerd fitness that adresses this and references studies that have looked at this.
[...]
http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2010/02/01/what-burns-more-calories-cardio-intervals-or-weight-training/

Thanks for the link. Here a direct quote:

Cardio doesn’t have as nearly as stressful an impact on your body, so you can go for hours and hours and hours and do it again the next day (provided your body is in shape).

Medhi over Stronglifts highlights this uber-important fact in a great post called Why HIIT Is NOT Better For Fat Loss. Essentially, because you can only do so much HIIT or weight training, you can only burn so many calories before your body wears out. If time isn’t a factor for you, and you don’t mind spending more time in the gym on a daily basis, you can burn way more calories doing steady cardio than with just 30 minutes of weight training three days a week.

mmapags

While cardio burns more calories during, the overall effect of strength training for reducing fat while maintaining lean mass has been proven. I've attached an article from nerd fitness that adresses this and references studies that have looked at this.
[...]
http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2010/02/01/what-burns-more-calories-cardio-intervals-or-weight-training/

Thanks for the link. Here a direct quote:

Cardio doesn’t have as nearly as stressful an impact on your body, so you can go for hours and hours and hours and do it again the next day (provided your body is in shape).

Medhi over Stronglifts highlights this uber-important fact in a great post called Why HIIT Is NOT Better For Fat Loss. Essentially, because you can only do so much HIIT or weight training, you can only burn so many calories before your body wears out. If time isn’t a factor for you, and you don’t mind spending more time in the gym on a daily basis, you can burn way more calories doing steady cardio than with just 30 minutes of weight training three days a week.

Way to cherry pick the quote. So, your point would be what? Yes you can burn more calories in a week doing cardio. That does not equate to fat loss. It can also include lean tissue loss. Additionally, most weight routines are longer than 30 minutes 3x per week. Double that is more like it. Take a look at this quote that you didn't select in your cherry picking:

"The weight training group lost 21.1 pounds of fat (44% and 35% more than diet and aerobic only groups respectively). Basically, the addition of aerobic training didn’t result in any real world significant fat loss over dieting alone."

Guess you missed that part.

AnvilHead

...Thanks for the link. Here a direct quote:....

Here's a different link for you to read:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10204826

In this study, the results showed that both groups (cardio only and weights only) significantly improved their Max VO2. The cardio group, while losing more weight overall, also lost a significant amount of lean body mass. The strength training group lost NO muscle mass and their RMR increased, while the cardio group's RMR showed a decrease.

mmapags

...Thanks for the link. Here a direct quote:....

Here's a different link for you to read:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10204826

In this study, the results showed that both groups (cardio only and weights only) significantly improved their Max VO2. The cardio group, while losing more weight overall, also lost a significant amount of lean body mass. The strength training group lost NO muscle mass and their RMR increased, while the cardio group's RMR showed a decrease.

Nice work!

mygrl4meee

I will have to speak to them about this. But since it is the YMCA I bet they do. I however cannot afford to have a personal trainer.

YES! But you need to do it for longer

Does your gym offer a free consultation with a trainer? If so, they can actually walk you around the gym and show you all the different weights and machines and write up a program for you to follow in your spare time.

Hi. The YMCA can at least show you how to use the machines if you have any questions. I know I need to start doing strength training but I just feel weird about all the men in there. Also, just not sure I have the time to do it and zumba that I love doing.

athenaheim

I called and one of the trainers will be calling me after 3 when I get off work.

I go to the Y as well and they have a 12 week program where they start you on cardio and then after 3 or 4 weeks do an orientation on the weight machines. In this program you are given I think 3 or 4 consultations with one of their trainers. They set you up with a weight training program. You record your progress as you go.

athenaheim

I will have to speak to them about this. But since it is the YMCA I bet they do. I however cannot afford to have a personal trainer.

YES! But you need to do it for longer

Does your gym offer a free consultation with a trainer? If so, they can actually walk you around the gym and show you all the different weights and machines and write up a program for you to follow in your spare time.

Hi. The YMCA can at least show you how to use the machines if you have any questions. I know I need to start doing strength training but I just feel weird about all the men in there. Also, just not sure I have the time to do it and zumba that I love doing.

I love doing Zumba. I do it on the weekends cause I dont have a babysitter for my kids. I also just got Zumba core.

minkakross

Exercise is what burns fat, so maybe it doesn't much matter if it's cardio or strength so long as it fits your schedule and you enjoy it. Is it ideal to do both... sure, just like you wouldn't want a healthy diet with just vegetables forgetting the other food groups, but as vegans have proven you could do it that way if you wanted to. Just like I've only done cardio thus far and have been more than happy with my results.

athenaheim

Thanks everyone. I will soon be meeting with a trainer at the gym and hopefully getting into a program. I have also found many sites that all of yall have posted useful. Thank you all.

75in2013

Way to cherry pick the quote. So, your point would be what?

Read my first post. I stated that cardio burns more calories. Your linked article confirms that.

Yes you can burn more calories in a week doing cardio. That does not equate to fat loss. It can also include lean tissue loss.

Your body will not get rid of muscles that you need to do your exercises. So if you go from sedentary to "cardio" you will not lose any lbm that is actually needed. If you go from lifting to pure cardio you'll lose muscles/lbm.

Additionally, most weight routines are longer than 30 minutes 3x per week. Double that is more like it.

Your point is? Most "cardio" "routines" I know are way longer than 1h. I cycle three times/week for 2h each. (Btw I go swimming and do SS too).

When you do weight routines of 30min or 1h then check your heart rate. Most of the time you are in an aerobic zone. You are actually doing cardio.

A lot of people in this forum don't understand that "cardio" and "lifting" are not two opposite things. And a lot of people think that "cycling" is "cardio". That is nonsense.

75in2013

Here's a different link for you to read:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10204826

Sorry but this a lol-worthy study.

First of all the sample size is LOL. A group of 20 people is not enough to draw any conclusions.

And they are giving those guys 800kcal/day for 12 weeks? Seriously?

But the biggest flaw is that the cardio group trains more often and longer than the resistance group. So on top of eating only 800kcal/day they also burn more calories. And you are wondering why they are weaker after 12 weeks.

Sorry. This study is bs. No offense.

scene4u

Weight training really is the most effective way to lose weight. Too many people want to avoid gaining muscle. The more muscle you have then the faster your metabolism will be and the more calories you'll burn on auto-pilot. It is a complete myth that you'll end up with bulging biceps!

http://www.regularguyweightloss.com/can-lose-weight-lifting-weights/

callsitlikeiseeit

Everyone does what works best for them (re: cardio or weights) and some people (on both sides) are fiercely loyal, as you have seen

BOTH are WONDERFUL for you and can help you achieve your goals. You will NOT bulk up like a man, even if you do all Weight work.

I do mostly cardio (45-60 minutes a day) and some strength training (15ish minutes a day). While the strength training I do, does not (and will not) result in much muscle definition, it does help with muscle loss, and lifting progressively heavier has made a SIGNIFICANT difference in how strong I am ' in real life'.

Do one or the other or both.... long story short, it is nothing but ALL good for you!

bendyourkneekatie