am I right???

My friend and I debate on this. Is it okay to do all CARDIO until you are close to your goal weight....and then incorporate weight/strength training? I think so because multiple times I have done weight training, and was extremely sore for 2-3 days. This threw me off and made me not want to work out for a while.

What if I just do something involving my own body like Pilates to strengthen my muscles and tone ???
How necessary is lifting weights on the beginning of a weight loss journey? How do you avoid the pain!!

If I'm being a wimp, feel free to say so.

Replies

kr3851

If you want to retain any muscle tone that you have, it's recommended to incorporate strength training 2-3 times a week. If you're happy to be thin with no muscle tone, go cardio all the way.

ubermensch13

You get over the pain....first days of my squat routine I couldn't walk, but you adjust and the soreness isn't that bad after a while. I highly recommend a combo of weights and cardio.

bymyslf892

Honestly, I didn't avoid it. I have 110 pounds to lose and started with just cardio for 2 weeks. Then I added in 15 minute circuit training sessions. I feel like it has done wonders for my whole body. My stomach and arms are way smaller and I know that is only because of doing strength training. You will be sore. That, you're gonna have to get over. It doesn't hurt as much once you start working out anyway. Also, eventually you stop getting that sore. Just take everything in stride and don't try to do too much at once. If you have and iPhone then download NTC (Nike Training Club) that is primarily what I have used and have seen some really amazing results!

bymyslf892

barb1241

I'll be interested in seeing the replies. I've lost almost 70 lbs with mostly cardio and calorie counting. Just some light weights with part of my cardio, but not enough to get sore. I know I will have to do some kind of resistance more at some point, but I am not sure yet how to juggle the toning with the cardio.

I think that the cardio loses the tonnage, but the resistance makes ya look good at the end of the line. Hopefully someone can explain it well.

kayla554

If you're sore it means the workout worked! It's really normal to be sore the day after or even a few days after, If you are in so much physical pain you can't workout the next day then don't. Take a one or two day break but don't give up all together.

Cait_Sidhe

You are supposed to be sore after strength training. It's called DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness).

It's never too early to start.

myogibbs

I agree with the others on here that really recommend weights too. You can start small & work up to it...stretching afterwards helps with the soreness. You will see much better results with weights incorporated into your workout & you will continue to burn fat after your workout. Getting stronger is fun...the soreness will pass & one day you will cross your arms & realize you have GUNS

fnm101

I think that in the beginning it's important to do whatever keeps you motivated to get up the next day and do it again. If cardio only does the trick for you, then I'd say go that route. So I wouldn't necessarily say that you are "wrong" if your goal is to lose weight and be healthier overall. However, if your goal is to stay toned and/or gain muscle, you definitely should add strength training. I would suspect that if you're in so much pain that you don't feel like exercising the next day, maybe you went out a little too hard (even if the workout felt ok while you were doing it). If this is the case, I agree with other posters who suggested that you use lighter weights. Although it typically uses your bodyweight only, I've found Pilates to be particularly painful because it forces you to use muscles that you often don't use much on a daily basis (or in most other "typical" weight training routines). So, pain isn't necessarily from using weights vs. bodyweight, but it's from challenging your muscles in ways that they're not accustomed to---no matter what approach you take.

I hope this helps! Best wishes with whatever plan you choose initially. Who knows---in a few weeks or months you may become bored with cardio and decide to add weights. Everything at your own pace, with personal challenges along the way...

(P.S.- As you can see, I can go on and on about this...I am a woman athlete who strength trains regularly. Feel free to add me as a friend.)

Vonwarr

If you had to choose one of the two, it'd be better to lift weights while losing fat. Strength training right from the start! It helps you maintain lean body mass (good weight) while losing fat. Cardio can help you establish a calorie deficit and provides good cardiovascular conditioning. I would do some of both!

ValerieMomof2

If you had to choose one of the two, it'd be better to lift weights while losing fat. Strength training right from the start! It helps you maintain lean body mass (good weight) while losing fat. Cardio can help you establish a calorie deficit and provides good cardiovascular conditioning. I would do some of both!

Yep. This. Strength training has a lot of benefits so learn good technique, warm up before, stretch after, drink plenty of water and the soreness won't be as bad after the first few times

WendyTerry420

It's definitely *okay* to begin with bodyweight exercises. When you are overweight and just getting started, bodyweight exercise is "lifting heavy."

AnvilHead

You can't totally avoid the pain, but you can minimize it by starting off light and working your way up. If you jump right into a heavy lifting routine, you're not going to be able to move for about a week without feeling like somebody is shoving red-hot pokers into you all over your body! Start off with 1-2 sets of 6-8 reps, work on form/technique, and let your body get accustomed to the new routine. You'll still be sore - pretty much no way around it - but it won't be unbearable and will go away after you've been lifting for a couple weeks. As you start increasing your weights you may still experience a bit of it, but nothing near as bad as the first couple weeks.

As far as the cardio vs. weights question - strength training helps preserve lean body mass while you're losing fat and it's MUCH more difficult (especially for a female) to build lean body mass after you've lost it than it is to maintain it all along. A balanced program of strength and cardio is probably best, as they both have their benefits.

As I've heard it said - "diet and cardio make you look good with clothes on - strength training makes you look good naked!".

lwagnitz

Day 2 & 3 are the worst. I always work out right away in the morning on the 2nd and 3rd days because then I have less time to make excuses about how sore I am...that and my brain isn't functioning so it doesn't quite know it has nerve endings yet... lol

51powerski

My friend and I debate on this. Is it okay to do all CARDIO until you are close to your goal weight....and then incorporate weight/strength training? I think so because multiple times I have done weight training, and was extremely sore for 2-3 days. This threw me off and made me not want to work out for a while.

What if I just do something involving my own body like Pilates to strengthen my muscles and tone ???
How necessary is lifting weights on the beginning of a weight loss journey? How do you avoid the pain!!

If I'm being a wimp, feel free to say so.

Wimp.

Nah, just joking.

But seriously start picking things up and putting them down already.

katy_trail

I agree with the poster above me, ease into it. Once your body is used to it, the DOMS are less frequent.

Think of it this way. When you have more muscle, you burn more calories. all the time. when you're watching TV, when you're sleeping, when you're sitting at your desk at work. Your body is a furnace burning calories all the time without any effort from you.
The person that only does cardio, is only burning calories during the workout. even if they burn a lot of calories, once the workout is over and their body is cooled off, the calorie burn is over. generally. there are some workouts that dispute that, but muscle burns calories 24/7.

So it's much better to have a balance of both types of training, along with stretching/yoga when you can.

Personally, my goal is to get DOMS in my quads or anywhere in my lower body. the more muscle i have the less room there is for fat. and eventually i'll be able to see the muscle. once i'm used to working out again doms will be a rare unless I do a very diffucult plyo routtine with weight training.

also, if you are avoiding weight training because you don't like it, remember it just takes a few mins a few times a week.
you may need a long cardio session, but strength traning is very fast if you focus on compound exercises, moves that use many muscles at once. for example- squats work the whole lower body.

there's a squat challenge over on skinnyo each day you do a few more squats than the day before. it could be a great way to ease into it for you. I joined.too.

sarahmonsta

I think it is important to do both during your weight loss, right now I am kicking myself for the last 4 months of mostly doing cardio because I have become a complete wimp when it comes to lifting anything remotely heavy (and I am sure it would've helped a ton with loose skin). Where as I was a beast before haha. Oh well, learning experience right!??