Weights vs. Cardio for fat loss...

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  • trixyj
    trixyj Posts: 11 Member
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    The huge truth of the matter is- if you have more muscle, you will burn more fat while you're NOT working out! So it's important to do both. You'd have to work super super hard to look 'muscley', so don't worry about that. I think for a woman, cardio at least 3x a week and strength training 3x a week (20-30min at a time) is recommended, from what I can remember.

    The more muscle you have, the more you burn throughout each day!

    this is what I was going to say. I like to do cardio as I like to feel fit, and be able to run up stairs etc,. but you need the strength training to get good calorie burn all the time - rather than just doing a workout.

    In my experience, a good combination of both. good luck!
  • Ginsey31
    Ginsey31 Posts: 39
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    What has worked best for me (in the past) is cardio to start the weight loss. When you hit a plateau, add weight training. That has always produced the best results for me.

    Good luck!
  • wareagle8706
    wareagle8706 Posts: 1,090 Member
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    Oh wow. you're going to get a LOT of different responses here.....

    All I'm going to say is this:

    When you lift weights you add muscle (lean body mass). When you add muscle, your body burns more calories when you are in a sedentary state (laying around).

    Cardio is great for your heart and lungs. But too much cardio and not enough balance with resistance training CAN cause muscle loss. And we go back to the above statement about how more muscle burns more calories in your everyday life; meaning less muscle means you burn less calories in your everyday life.
  • Victoria2448
    Victoria2448 Posts: 559 Member
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    Do both for looking great and general health.

    Don't forget a stretching program too!
  • hamonk
    hamonk Posts: 42 Member
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    bump for later
  • FitMomForLifeMunro
    FitMomForLifeMunro Posts: 4
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    Lots and Lots of great replies! Weights - hands down. I trained for 8 months for a half marathon and gained weight. I lifted weights and slimmed down almost instantly.
  • kc_pig
    kc_pig Posts: 6
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    Combine the two. A crossfit style workout with little time between lifts keeps the cardio up. The crossfit WOD is just working out with no time between. Add a jog/sprint day in there too. Look up interval training.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Do both for looking great and general health.

    Don't forget a stretching program too!

    While I completely agree with you, the OP did not ask about health in general. She asked specifically about the best way to lose fat.
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
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    Before I used a body fat impedence scale. After I used calipers. Also, I look in the mirror and compare myself to pictures. The profile pic shown is the only one I have available that may give some idea. I also can see my pulse in my arm as my heart beats.

    I also have gone to the gym and checked how much I could lift on various exercises and my strength is the same from any other time in my life when I have not been actively lifting.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    Before I used a body fat impedence scale. After I used calipers. Also, I look in the mirror and compare myself to pictures. The profile pic shown is the only one I have available that may give some idea.

    I also have gone to the gym and checked how much I could lift on various exercises and my strength is the same from any other time in my life when I have not been actively lifting.

    So, you do not have any accurate measures, especially as you were using difference estimation methods (both of which have a high degree of inaccuracy) at the beginning and the end.

    And strength =/= muscle gain/loss.
  • lawandfitness
    lawandfitness Posts: 1,257 Member
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    bump
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
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    Before I used a body fat impedence scale. After I used calipers. Also, I look in the mirror and compare myself to pictures. The profile pic shown is the only one I have available that may give some idea.

    I also have gone to the gym and checked how much I could lift on various exercises and my strength is the same from any other time in my life when I have not been actively lifting.

    So, you do not have any accurate measures, especially as you were using difference estimation methods (both of which have a high degree of inaccuracy) at the beginning and the end.

    And strength =/= muscle gain/loss.
    While I agree that these methods are not 100% accurate, no other method short of autopsy is 100% accurate either. And I really don't understand how strength can be maintained while losing muscle, particularly in the absence of a resistance training program.
  • joannalynn
    joannalynn Posts: 2
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    Hey as a Personal Trainer I will tell you that cardio is great , and the more muscle you build the more calories you can burn in your cardio workouts. Plus you won't get big if you stay with cardio , and put in weights about once a week . Abs your really should do them every other day is ideal .
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    Before I used a body fat impedence scale. After I used calipers. Also, I look in the mirror and compare myself to pictures. The profile pic shown is the only one I have available that may give some idea.

    I also have gone to the gym and checked how much I could lift on various exercises and my strength is the same from any other time in my life when I have not been actively lifting.

    So, you do not have any accurate measures, especially as you were using difference estimation methods (both of which have a high degree of inaccuracy) at the beginning and the end.

    And strength =/= muscle gain/loss.
    While I agree that these methods are not 100% accurate, no other method short of autopsy is 100% accurate either. And I really don't understand how strength can be maintained while losing muscle, particularly in the absence of a resistance training program.

    In the absence of a resistance training program, how are you measuring change in strength?
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
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    Before I used a body fat impedence scale. After I used calipers. Also, I look in the mirror and compare myself to pictures. The profile pic shown is the only one I have available that may give some idea.

    I also have gone to the gym and checked how much I could lift on various exercises and my strength is the same from any other time in my life when I have not been actively lifting.

    So, you do not have any accurate measures, especially as you were using difference estimation methods (both of which have a high degree of inaccuracy) at the beginning and the end.

    And strength =/= muscle gain/loss.
    While I agree that these methods are not 100% accurate, no other method short of autopsy is 100% accurate either. And I really don't understand how strength can be maintained while losing muscle, particularly in the absence of a resistance training program.

    In the absence of a resistance training program, how are you measuring change in strength?

    bull-grip-oak-strength-tester-novelty-vending-machine-impulse-industries.jpg
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    Before I used a body fat impedence scale. After I used calipers. Also, I look in the mirror and compare myself to pictures. The profile pic shown is the only one I have available that may give some idea.

    I also have gone to the gym and checked how much I could lift on various exercises and my strength is the same from any other time in my life when I have not been actively lifting.

    So, you do not have any accurate measures, especially as you were using difference estimation methods (both of which have a high degree of inaccuracy) at the beginning and the end.

    And strength =/= muscle gain/loss.
    While I agree that these methods are not 100% accurate, no other method short of autopsy is 100% accurate either. And I really don't understand how strength can be maintained while losing muscle, particularly in the absence of a resistance training program.

    Strength can be maintained to a degree (obviously there are limits). You did not lose an extreme amount of weight (not a dig you just did not have much to lose) so you would not have lost a significant amount of LBM as a result, especially if you had reasonable deficits..

    You used two of the worse methods from an accuracy perspective and you used different methods each time so you cannot say you did not lose LBM.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    Hey as a Personal Trainer I will tell you that cardio is great , and the more muscle you build the more calories you can burn in your cardio workouts. Plus you won't get big if you stay with cardio , and put in weights about once a week . Abs your really should do them every other day is ideal .

    So, you are saying you will maintain LBM on a deficit with strength training once a week? How are you going to get big if you are a female, especially at a caloric deficit, lifting weights?
  • lacurandera1
    lacurandera1 Posts: 8,083 Member
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    Hey as a Personal Trainer I will tell you that cardio is great , and the more muscle you build the more calories you can burn in your cardio workouts. Plus you won't get big if you stay with cardio , and put in weights about once a week . Abs your really should do them every other day is ideal .

    So, you are saying you will maintain LBM on a deficit with strength training once a week? How are you going to get big if you are a female, especially at a caloric deficit, lifting weights?

    Why are personal trainers almost always douchecanoes? I can't believe people pay them.
  • cls_333
    cls_333 Posts: 206 Member
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    Why does everyone seem to think cardio is not also muscle building? My legs are solid muscle from running, any weight bearing excercise is also building your muscles, strengthening your bones, AND improving your heart. Yes, you need to do something for the top half also, but just wanted to state cardio and muscle building are not necessarily 2 different things.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    Why does everyone seem to think cardio is not also muscle building? My legs are solid muscle from running, any weight bearing excercise is also building your muscles, strengthening your bones, AND improving your heart. Yes, you need to do something for the top half also, but just wanted to state cardio and muscle building are not necessarily 2 different things.

    You will probably get some benefit initially, but beyond that, you're typically not providing progressive resistance.

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