Can someone clear the confusion?

I think it really comes down to what your body responds the best to. If you have lost 100 lbs doing cardio, then keep it up. I personally am waiting until my last 15 lbs or so before I start weight training.

I think it really comes down to what your body responds the best to. If you have lost 100 lbs doing cardio, then keep it up. I personally am waiting until my last 15 lbs or so before I start weight training.

bad idea to wait. While losing weight you will lose muscle and fat, the strength training will limit the amount of muscle you lose so your deficit will create mostly fat loss, not just weight loss (which includes muscle)

OP since you had so much to lose strength training though important is less of an issue, but I would still suggest incorporating it into your routine. by retaining as much lean muscle as you can while losing weight you will have a lower BF% at every weight, throughout your journey

HUGE CONGRATS to you for your hard work. I have no advice just wanted to share my congrats.

I can tell you exactly where to look. I weight train regularly and have used a site bodybuilding.com for all my research and information to transform my body. I had gained some weight last year due to a lot of stress and found that my regular routine and nutrition didn't matter anymore. Jaimie Eason, who is one of my inspirations, created a 12 week Livefit trainer. She teaches you everything you need to know about nutrition, weight training, cardio, and how to implement it all. It worked great for me and I'm sure it will help you as well. You have to stick with it though through the entire 12 weeks. Just go to bodybuilding.com, select Find a Plan down on the left, Fat Loss, Female, age group, and if you selected age: 20-39 it should be the top one. Jaimie Eason's Livefit Trainer. Its a lot of hard work and dedication but it works, and you learn so much as well.

Weight training is recomended because it helps prevent muscle loss while losing weight. You can also gain muscle, which would increase the amount of calories you normally burn. A lot of women like the New Rules Of Weight Lifting For Women. Right now I just do my own thing when I lift. I have been lifting higher weights, were I can only get 8-10 reps out per set. I have seen major changes in my strength and even some definition in only a few sessions. I do 20-30 minutes of strength 3 times a week. A lot of people also like Jillian Michaels DVD's. I have seen people have great success with her programs. I know she mixes a lot of strength and cardio. You could also look into cross fit. If you can afford even a few sessions with a trainer, you should do that. They would be able to build a program for you that will be most benefitial and continue to re-evaluate your progress as you continue on your weight loss journey. Don't give up on strength trainging. It is a great tool.

Also make sure you are having something small to eat before you work out and then having a substantial amount of protein within 30 minutes of your workout. This will help your muscles greatly and will probably help with your hunger.

Strength training helps retain muscle mass while you lose weight. Without it, when you are skinnier, you're likely to still be flabby due to lack of muscle (skinny fat its called).

Girls look WAY better with some toned muscle than they do without it.

THIS!!

You lost 100# with cardio and now you want to change it up for the last 100#?

Why, listen to your doctor, you can always tone once you lose that last 100.

You are doing great!

Emphasize...cardio, cardio, cardio. Light weights for tone. Cardio, cardio, cardio.!!!!! Congratulations btw.

I was stuck at a plateau for few months this summer even though I had been running 30+ miles a week. I incorporated strength training along with that cardio and started to lose weight again. Muscle burns fat, the more you build up now, the better. Your matabolism should increase as well, which maybe explaines why you were more hungry while you were doing strength training.

The following is from an article I found on the Livestrong website:

Resistance Training Burns Fat
While cardio is generally associated more with burning fat than resistance training is, weight training plays a huge role in fat burning, as well as helping to increase muscle mass. According to strength coach Keith Scott, you can perform intensive weight training sessions that focus on compound free weight movements such as squats, lunges, chinups and presses, which will burn fat and build muscle at the same time.

Metabolic Rate
Your metabolic rate is the speed at which your body burns calories, and the higher it is, the more calories you will burn, meaning you'll burn more fat. The amount of muscle you have plays a big role in your metabolic rate, as muscle tissue requires more calories to function properly than does fat tissue. The more muscle you have, the higher your metabolic rate will be, and the more fat you will burn.



Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/395823-how-does-muscle-burn-fat/#ixzz29lhvoJyt

Good Luck!!

I don't like weight training. Personal preference is to swim. You have water resistence plus the cardio. Of course if you don't like swimming or have no access to a pool the other suggestions are good possibilities.

With the amount of weight you have to lose, doing only cardio won't hurt you. You have a larger than normal muscle mass just to carry around your extra weight. You will lose muscle mass as you lose weight, but you're starting out with more so it's OK (in my opinion!).

I keep meaning to start strength training and just haven't done it yet. I will, and soon, because I think I'm at the point where I need to. But I was so overweight to start, it wasn't an issue. I had my RMR tested in July and it was 10% higher than the online estimators - likely due to a larger muscle mass than expected which I attribute to the extra muscle needed to carry around all the extra weight.

If I were you, I would incorporate 2 30-minute strength training sessions per week. Lift as much weight as you can for about 8 reps, with it being quite difficult to reach the 8th rep. Do three sets of each exercise.

Muscle fires up metabolism, you need both. A balanced exercise routine as well as a balanced diet. Good luck and congratulations on your HUGE accomplishment!