Running, not weights, burns fat :/
Replies
-
Anything that involves not sitting on your *kitten* burns fat/calories....
This. Even breathing, sleeping burn calories so I don't know why weights wouldn't burn fat.
From my knowledge, the more muscle you have the more calories you burn. You also get what they call an after burn. Your body's metabolism speeds up after lifting weights which in return keep burning calories after your workout.
At around 6 calories per pound of muscle gain - how many pounds of muscle are you planning to put on in order to make any significant difference to calorie burn? Insignificant, I suggest. Also, the increased metabolism thing is not as significant as we would like to think.
Personally, I think of cardio as my fat reducer and bodyweight resistance training as protecting my lean mass; so I do both.0 -
you would be wrong then. calorie deficit burns fat. (along with a whole mess of other forms of tissue in your body like lean mass) and cardio burns calories. not fat. looking at cardio as a fat burner is simply wrong. you can eat less, or do cardio. the end result of deficit is exactly the same when talking about fat loss.Anything that involves not sitting on your *kitten* burns fat/calories....
This. Even breathing, sleeping burn calories so I don't know why weights wouldn't burn fat.
From my knowledge, the more muscle you have the more calories you burn. You also get what they call an after burn. Your body's metabolism speeds up after lifting weights which in return keep burning calories after your workout.
At around 6 calories per pound of muscle gain - how many pounds of muscle are you planning to put on in order to make any significant difference to calorie burn? Insignificant, I suggest. Also, the increased metabolism thing is not as significant as we would like to think.
Personally, I think of cardio as my fat reducer and bodyweight resistance training as protecting my lean mass; so I do both.
also, while you're right in that having lean mass doesn't increase metabolism that much, you're forgetting the caloric demand of recovery from strength training. the energy needed to repair damaged tissue doesn't come from thin air. It comes from calories. Thats the main benefit from it, and what puts it in the same league of calorie burn as cardio.
edit: to point out though, this means overload is required for your strength training. doing a simple repetitive template where you don't continually push for progress or one with very high reps does not overload and you miss out on that particular calorie burning bonus of strength training.
TLDR: track calories, do both forms of exercise.0 -
The fitness trifecta is endurance, strength, and flexibility/balance.
^^^ Really really like this0 -
:bigsmile: thank you Breadbar - I am writing this one down; a great reminder that one extreme doesn't do the complete job.
for me, that's running/swimming - bodyweight resistance/kettlebell - and yoga
excellent post; pretty much ends the thread!0 -
Not true lifting heavy can burn fat and build muscle at the same time just gotta make sure your in a caloric deficit
How exactly do you build muscle in a caloric deficit?
ddduuuuuhhhhhhhhhh0 -
I run, it burns calories for me and that means i can be a bit more free with what i eat, which is fantastic because as a breastfeed, very active mother - I like to be able to eat when I am hungry within reason!
I have just bought some weights though and plan on doing a workout with them ontop of my usual cardio exercises every other day. I want to be fit AND strong, its important for my belly dancing.
Today though, I am just going to do a bit of yoga and some drills because my back is a bit sore after last nights weight lifting and running.0 -
Anything that involves not sitting on your *kitten* burns fat/calories....
This. Even breathing, sleeping burn calories so I don't know why weights wouldn't burn fat.
From my knowledge, the more muscle you have the more calories you burn. You also get what they call an after burn. Your body's metabolism speeds up after lifting weights which in return keep burning calories after your workout.
At around 6 calories per pound of muscle gain - how many pounds of muscle are you planning to put on in order to make any significant difference to calorie burn? Insignificant, I suggest. Also, the increased metabolism thing is not as significant as we would like to think.
Personally, I think of cardio as my fat reducer and bodyweight resistance training as protecting my lean mass; so I do both.
This 6-7 calorie number per day per pound is highly contested. First off, the number given is an esitmate defined by Dr. Cedric X. Bryant (see ACE's Chief Science Officer; ACE FitnessMatters, Mar/Apr 2006) and he talks of a 6-10 calories for 1 lb of resting muscle. Resting. RESTING. Much other research points to a higher number but clearly something complex is going on and part of the metabolic increase (which is about 200-300 per day for initial gains of 2-3 lbs of muscle as published in several research papers) is likely due to non-lbm gain effects such as neurological recruitment or hormonal effects of fat mass vs lbm, etc.
Throwing out that low number of little gain just does not make sense - either looking at BMR models or energy expenditure of weight lifters shows a much higher TDEE rates. It isn't necessarily directly due to increase in WEIGHT of lbm, but in terms of neurological changes, hormonal changes and non-exercise expenditure something is certainly going on. In my opinion you are misssing the big picture if you only focus on the weight of lbm.0 -
Run - lose weight
Lift - look good naked
[/quote]
THIS!0 -
Not true lifting heavy can burn fat and build muscle at the same time just gotta make sure your in a caloric deficit
How exactly do you build muscle in a caloric deficit?
[/quote
I did. If you have an extra 20 pounds of fat, there is quite a bit of excess calories available. When you are closer to your optimum weight then that would be a different story.0 -
Not true lifting heavy can burn fat and build muscle at the same time just gotta make sure your in a caloric deficit
How exactly do you build muscle in a caloric deficit?
I did. If you have an extra 20 pounds of fat, there is quite a bit of excess calories available. When you are closer to your optimum weight then that would be a different story.
You gained muscle when you had only 20 lb to lose? How did you measure your BF%? And were you new to lifting?
Edited to fix quotes0 -
@EvgeniZyntx - thank you for posting that - food for thought and a schedule re-think for me!0
-
Not true lifting heavy can burn fat and build muscle at the same time just gotta make sure your in a caloric deficit
How exactly do you build muscle in a caloric deficit?
I did. If you have an extra 20 pounds of fat, there is quite a bit of excess calories available. When you are closer to your optimum weight then that would be a different story.
You gained muscle when you had only 20 lb to lose? How did you measure your BF%? And were you new to lifting?
Edited to fix quotes
The 20 pounds was a hypothetical. I actually had a bit more to lose than that. I started at ~215 and am now 177. I have calipers and a Body fat scale. The calipers are difficult to be accurate with and the scale seems erratic but both have gone down significantly. For me those were just numbers but not real body fat percentages. I hadn't done strength training for over a year. When I started up again I was amazed at how weak I had become, especially my legs and core. I was able to double my squat weight using the 5x5 method, increase bench, overhead press, dead lifts and bent over row by 50%.
My point is that even though you are eating at a deficit, it doesn't meant that you don't have the fuel to adapt to strength training. For a fit person like yourself, if you don't eat it, you don't have it. For someone like me, I have fuel in the bank. I'm happy to say that my account is just about where I want it!0 -
[/quote]
Evgeni said:
This 6-7 calorie number per day per pound is highly contested. First off, the number given is an esitmate defined by Dr. Cedric X. Bryant (see ACE's Chief Science Officer; ACE FitnessMatters, Mar/Apr 2006) and he talks of a 6-10 calories for 1 lb of resting muscle. Resting. RESTING. Much other research points to a higher number but clearly something complex is going on and part of the metabolic increase (which is about 200-300 per day for initial gains of 2-3 lbs of muscle as published in several research papers) is likely due to non-lbm gain effects such as neurological recruitment or hormonal effects of fat mass vs lbm, etc.
Throwing out that low number of little gain just does not make sense - either looking at BMR models or energy expenditure of weight lifters shows a much higher TDEE rates. It isn't necessarily directly due to increase in WEIGHT of lbm, but in terms of neurological changes, hormonal changes and non-exercise expenditure something is certainly going on. In my opinion you are misssing the big picture if you only focus on the weight of lbm.
[/quote]
Well, okay.
But, I am a little confused. The study found that the cardio people lost more weight. That suggests that, whatever extra muscle the resistance people put on, and the extra calories that burned, was not important.
So, it seems that, in a practical sense and a real world scenario, the extra I burn by having a bit more meat is not helping.
However much it actually is.
I am not sure I get what, therefore, the big picture being missed is?0 -
the weights will give you muscle and the more muscle the body has the faster motablisim the person will have so its better to stick with weights have u seen a sprinter with no muscle0
-
I do very little in the way of weight except some resistance exercise mine is all walking and jogging, and cycling0
-
I am losing inches due to combining the two and eating at a calorie deficit.0
-
So well said!0
-
Having more muscle will help you burn more cals when you are at rest.0
-
Yeah, I used to have a 6-pack under 2" of fat, but nobody could tell it.0
-
Unfortunately, I was not able to get the full copy of the study--I have access to many journals through our online medical library, but the JAP isn't one of them. Without looking at the actual data and the lifting protocols, there is no way to discuss the study in detail. :grumble:
In fact I believe I heard about or read this abstract before--while it officially appeared on the Dec 15 issue, it was published ahead of print in September.
Based on what I have already read and know, I suspect the results support what I have always said: while it is possible for someone to reshape their body and lose weight through diet and strength training alone, it takes a lot of effort and dedication. I am not sure the average person trying to lose weight is knowledgeable enough or committed enough to dedicate themselves to that path.
Which is why I think that most people will do best with a balanced exercise approach that includes a "double balanced" program: 1) balanced cardio -- including a mix of intensities and duration--and 2) resistance training that is progressive and challenging. (Obviously, the assumption is that all of this is accompanied by the
And, again, that is in no way a hint of negativity towards someone who follows a lifting-only routine. There are plenty of examples of people -- on MFP and elsewhere -- who have experienced success with that approach. I just think a mixed program is a better fit for the majority of people looking to lose weight.0 -
Unfortunately, I was not able to get the full copy of the study--I have access to many journals through our online medical library, but the JAP isn't one of them. Without looking at the actual data and the lifting protocols, there is no way to discuss the study in detail. :grumble:
Its so frustrating that the full study is not more widely available. $20 is too much. Information should not be so costly imo.0 -
Quick Summary of Fat
Fat can not become muscle and muscle can not become fat.
Fat can only be reduced if the number of calories expended in a day exceeds the number of calories consumed in a day. Fat will be gained if the opposite occurs.
If you stop training, but compensate for this with a slight reduction in diet, your body fat will not increase.
If you begin training but also increase your dietary intake, you can gain fat.
Fat cells act as one, meaning you can not choose where you lose it or gain it.
Quick Summary of Muscle
Changes in muscle size, density and/or efficiency cause an increase in strength; however, these changes only result if the muscle is stimulated beyond what it is accustomed to.
Weight training is the easiest way to control and monitor the changes in your muscle physiology. By manipulating your sets, reps and weight lifted you can achieve various responses. Because of this, it is possible to increase your strength without adding bulk, and it is also possible to increase both.
When you stop stimulating the muscle, your muscle composition may return to normal or, depending on your regular routine, it may simply stay as is.
Unlike fat, each muscle can be specifically targeted, so you can choose the specific area you would like to improve. With that said, realize that while you can work your abdominal muscles, for example, you may not see the enhanced shape and form if you have a thick layer of fat covering them up.
OK. But how does the fat get into the fat cells? In what form does it enter the cell? What form is it stored as? Are there hormonal changes as you eat one food or another? does it make a difference?0 -
That article is interesting but it misses the point. You lose weight because you create a calorie deficit. Nothing more and nothing less, and neither strength training nor cardio is a necessary component to simply losing weight. If you want to recomposition your body so that you look strong, then resistance training is necessary. The point is that you can look pretty good through just diet and resistance training as can be attested to by the large number of body builders who do little or no cardio.
I happen to lift, run and eat at either a calorie surplus or deficit depending on what my then current goal is. It works and it works very well. I also eat pretty much what I want as long as I follow my calorie plan and make sure my carbs, protein and fat intake are within my plan. The running is solely for my cardiovascular health and for my sanity.0 -
I love to eat so I do quite a bit of cardio to "buy" more food. I lost a huge amount of weight from jogging. It was all a calories in / out thing. I incorporated some hill running so my legs had reasonable muscle tone, but my upper body just looked thin until I did some resistance / weights and then I added better definition.0
-
By lifting weights and adding muscle you burn more calories to maintain it, even when just sitting around
The number of extra calories burned is negligible. You're looking at about a 10-15 cal/day extra burn per lb of muscle you gain. It doesn't make a big enough difference to make it count.0 -
I think the point of the study is limited in scope. If you are a time-limited young individual with no medical issues, cardio will help you achieve greater/equal weight loss without requiring a larger time commitment.0
-
80+ pounds lost, I do zero cardio.
I must be a magical unicorn.0 -
80+ pounds lost, I do zero cardio.
I must be a magical unicorn.
Could be! Do you fart glitter??0 -
I maintain an AND/BOTH attitude. Stronger muscles are needed for a healthy body/appearance. Cardio is important for a strong heart and it does burn the calories. I pursue both, in moderation. But, I consider myself a runner as it provides ME a sense of accomplishment that I do not get from strength training. Others gain much from their strength training and focus on those goals first. As long as you are progressing towards better health. . .
This is how I look at it too.
I love running. I love all different kinds of cardio because of how they make me feel. With that said, I've gained and lost weight several times in my life. When I joined MFP, there were two things I wanted to do differently to see if I could make the weight loss stick this time. One was tracking my food since my preferred way to eat is grazing, which is fine, but it makes it easy to forget how much you've eaten. The other was to incorporate strength training for the first time in my life. I've been there and done that with cardio only and my hope is that a greater focus on strength training would help me to keep it off as well as transform my body. At my previous lowest weight, I was "skinny fat" and that was with tons and tons of cardio only. The number of threads I've read here since July from successful people who do focus on strength training has further convinced me that it has to be a big part of my exercise schedule.
But I will never give up cardio. I don't enjoy strength training like some people do. It's running that really makes me high 0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.3K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.2K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 424 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.7K MyFitnessPal Information
- 24 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions