cardio-vs-weights which is better for weight loss??

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  • H_Factor
    H_Factor Posts: 1,722 Member
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    2 keys to burning fat:

    1. what you eat/drink. this is WAY more important than whatever exercise you choose to do.

    2. your mind. stay motivated to make healthy choices and the weight will come off.


    Now, once you have those 2 things down, I am a firm believer in interval training...this is where you go hard for one interval (and I mean way harder than 130 hr) and then you have a rest interval to bring your heart rate back down. You can accomplish this type of training through: (a) jogging (or sprinting...once you get to a certain level)...(b) walking on the treadmill at an incline....(c) metabolic resistance training (that's where you use weights you can do for 8-10 reps on one exercise, followed immediately by a second exercise with non-competing muscle groups....so, for example, I would do bench press+sumo squats with weight...rest...and then incline press+deadlifts....rest....shoulder press+one arm rows...rest....(assisted) chin-ups+jumping kickbacks...etc.)
  • mmtiernan
    mmtiernan Posts: 702 Member
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    Hi Keren - thought you might appreciate the perspective of a fellw 49 (soon to be 50!) year old female.

    I lift weights (heavy!) 3x per week and do cardio on alternating days, 3x per week. The last day of the week is usually something like yoga (just 'cause it is easier to keep an exercise habit if you do something every day). What I have noticed since hitting the age of hot flashes is this: if I don't keep lifting weights, I lose muscle and my metabolism slows. If I don't eat clean, healthy food at least 85% of the time, the fat creeps back on. And here is the big kicker - even if I am still religious about my weights and cardio, if my diet goes south, the fat creeps back on.

    I've discovered that my biggest enemy is what I call 'garbage carbs': breads, pastas, baked goods and any added sugar. As a result, I'm a chronic label-reader and check absolutely everything for hidden sugars! Even if it is something that I have purchased many times in the past, because companies change recipes all the time. Mostly, I am a 'perimeter' shopper in the grocery store and buy a LOT of fresh produce, along with chicken or turkey and fish. I try not to eat out as much as possible, which is hard when I have a teenager and she has so much going on - although she started college a week ago, so maybe that will be easier to maintain.

    You are on the right track with your exercise, but take a good, hard look at what you are eating. Instead of letting MFP set my calories and doing that old 'eating back your exercise calories thing', I researched online and found the Harris-Benedict equation to calculate for myself exactly how many calories I should be eating and just stick to that number. If my weight changes, then I re-calculate and re-set it on MFP.

    That's just what works for me - you need to find what works best for you! Good luck - you can make it work!! :)
  • nessagrace22
    nessagrace22 Posts: 430 Member
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    Bump
  • Joannie30
    Joannie30 Posts: 415 Member
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    Both.

    Don't forget, muscle needs more calories than fat, therefore you burn more calories having more muscle just going about your daily business.

    I do cardio on my stationary bike, i have a resistance band which i love and i use kettlebells for a combination of both in one workout.
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
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    To lose weight you need a calorie deficit. Cardio is an optional tool to help create it, or you can use diet alone.

    On the other hand, lifting weights is needed if you want to look good when the fat is gone.

    Check this for tons of info http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/686963-large-collection-of-info-for-beginners

    This. It's your diet that is going to be most important for weight loss.
  • KerenCutNShoot
    KerenCutNShoot Posts: 16
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    This calculator did put my calorie intake higher. From what I understand, I need to eat that many good calories to reach my goal. Hard to believe. I have changed my eating habbits and cut out all fast food, sodas, bad carbs. I eat six small meals or more a day. With only water, 1-2 cups coffee in the morning and fitness 4x a week in the gym and adding some home workouts/walks.

    I will get to the gym this am and get that out of the way and be back to follow up on this much needed reading information you all have provided me.
    THANK YOU!!
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    To lose weight you need a calorie deficit. Cardio is an optional tool to help create it, or you can use diet alone.

    On the other hand, lifting weights is needed if you want to look good when the fat is gone.

    Check this for tons of info http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/686963-large-collection-of-info-for-beginners

    This. It's your diet that is going to be most important for weight loss.

    While diet is important for weight loss, strength training is important for making sure that the weight that is lost is mostly fat and not lean body mass.
  • apriltrainer
    apriltrainer Posts: 732 Member
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    Awesome article that speaks about this very issue..

    http://www.venusindex.com/stop-wasting-gym-time/
  • LAWSBIGGAL
    LAWSBIGGAL Posts: 47
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    bumping for later...very helpful!!! :) Thanks everyone!!
  • phdcharlie
    phdcharlie Posts: 23
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    Bump for later. What a great thread! Thanks, everyone!
  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member
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    i vote for weights.
  • EvaB93
    EvaB93 Posts: 101
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    Both are great
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    Fat loss or weight loss?

    A deficit will get you weight loss regardless if it is from diet alone or diet and exercise. That said the less you have to lose the more as a % of your weight loss will come from lean muscle unless you get adequate protein, partake in a heavy lifting strength training routine and only have a small deficit.

    So Weight loss comes from a caloric deficit (regardless how you get there)
    Fat loss comes mainly from a deficit while combining strength training.
    You will get fat loss with just the deficit but the % of weight loss that comes from fat will be higher when you incorporate strength training.
  • Matt_Wild
    Matt_Wild Posts: 2,673 Member
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    In calories burnt in terms of time taken and calories burnt in the SESSION you just did, cardio is the higher burner, esp with HIIT. However doing weights and gained muscle will help.

    So it depends on many things TBH...
  • Koriallen15
    Koriallen15 Posts: 1 Member
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    You should do both weight training and cardio, but the most important thing is your diet! Just a few pointer for you, you should try your best to do your cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, anywhere from 30-60min. I recommend switching your cardio from low intensity one day ( 15% incline on treadmill,3-4mph), to High intensity (HIT Training) example... Jog on treadmill at 3mph for two min, then run at 6-8 mph for one min. Keep doing that until you hit 30min. That will burn alot of calories for you. As far as your diet, try and eat slow carbs (brown rice, sweet potatoes,etc) with your diet. Keep up the good job and don't quit you'll get there.
  • richafoster
    richafoster Posts: 6
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    Several people have hit the nail on the head. It's not either/or but both along with nutrition. My personal trainer explained it as a pyramid with nutrition supporting strength training and cardio at the top. Weight training changes the metabolism and really has nothing to do with toning per se', but I guess that's not a bad by-product. Cardio will burn calories for the time you engage in the activity, Strength training will continue to burn calories AFTER your workout while the muscles recover. I really don't pay attention to fat or carbs but focus on calorie deficit. I need protein to support the strength training, so I'll have a protein shake after lifting.

    The first month of working with a trainer I only lost 2 pounds, but 11 inches total, 3 from the waist alone, and 2% body fat. If you aren't measuring your neck, chest, shoulders, hips, waist and so on, you should. That will show progress from the strength training, even if the scale doesn't.

    My wife, who is also over 40, has seen great results as well with this approach. Our workout schedule has been weights twice a week, light cardio (20 mins) on weight days, and more intense cardio 3 - 4 days on non-lifting days. We've recently taken our cardio workout outside on road bikes, riding upwards to 100 miles a week.

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