Weights vs. Cardio for fat loss...

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Replies

  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
    Calorie deficit for fat loss.

    Weights for muscle retention. (We lose muscle when when diet. This is sad.)

    Cardio for cardio fitness, and to help maintain calorie deficit while eating more.

    ^ Another vote for this.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Calorie deficit for fat loss.

    Weights for muscle retention. (We lose muscle when when diet. This is sad.)

    Cardio for cardio fitness, and to help maintain calorie deficit while eating more.

    ^ Another vote for this.

    ^^ and another

    To add - sufficient protein for muscle retention also.
  • 1holegrouper
    1holegrouper Posts: 323 Member
    1. CALORIE DEFICIT is the main contributor to fat loss.

    2. Cardio OR Weight Training? It should never be viewed as an OR situation. That is ridiculous. If you do neither then you lose both fat and muscle and when you get to your weight goal you are skin and bones. If you only weight train (providing you are at a calorie deficit) you will retain and tone muscle and lose fat BUT is it important to you to be 'in shape'? Would you want to look good but not be able to run a mile? Look in shape but not be in shape? That is so shallow and will never last. Conversely, do you want to be able to run a mile but then look like Barney Fife naked? You need BOTH!

    3. Pay attention to what you eat. It may make no difference in fat loss but will make a huge difference in how you feel and how easy it is to maintain a calorie deficit.
  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,010 Member
    calorie deficit is best for WEIGHT loss
    weight lifting is best for muscle retention.

    How you choose to make your deficit is up to you but cardio does have other benefits as well besides just helping you with your deficit.


    edit - I obviously didn't read through all the responses before I posted mine.....Looks like it was already answered well.
  • IronPlayground
    IronPlayground Posts: 1,594 Member
    Both! I would say that each person has different goals which would determine which one they would focus.
  • lasmit4477
    lasmit4477 Posts: 308 Member
    Both! I would say that each person has different goals which would determine which one they would focus.


    :flowerforyou:
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
    Don't believe the hype

    For every pound of muscle you gain you will burn an extra 6 calories a day. That gives you about an extra peanut to eat during the day.

    For every pound of fat you lose you will burn 2 calories less per day.
    I run, eat 2500 to 3500 calories a day, and continue to lose weight.

    There are many ways to lose fat. Pick the one that you like to do and that meets your fitness goals.
  • lady_in_weighting
    lady_in_weighting Posts: 196 Member
    Thanks for this thread! After putting on 4lb over xmas i was a bit lost as to what to do. Im going to stick to a balance of cardio and weights :) hopefully the weight will come off.
  • FITnFIRM4LIFE
    FITnFIRM4LIFE Posts: 818 Member
    Calorie deficit for fat loss.

    Weights for muscle retention. (We lose muscle when when diet. This is sad.)

    Cardio for cardio fitness, and to help maintain calorie deficit while eating more.

    ^ Another vote for this.

    ^^ and another

    To add - sufficient protein for muscle retention also.

    Indeed!
  • margojr4
    margojr4 Posts: 259 Member
    *my experience*

    I was a cario bunny for years. I used low weights and high reps for strength training, or simple DVDs like 30 Day Shred. I ate 'okay' meaning I ate low caloric plans with more processed foods (blah) The scale was good to me, I was in shape and fit but my body comp wasn't. I was a size 10-12 and roughly 28% body fat.

    Oct. 2011 I started lifting heavy weight with lower reps 3x week. Cardio dropped to 5 miles a week (1 mile trot warm ups) I was able to increase my caloric needs by 30%. Though the scale number remained the same, I dropped a dress size down to 6-8 and am currently 21% BF

    Today I eat a more cleaner, dense meal plan on the 40/30/30 macros. I recently had knee surgery, so my workouts are modified but they're still 3x week heavy weights, 2x yoga/core. Once I get the all clear for knee jumping, I will add more HIIT/plyo training as well.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Don't believe the hype

    For every pound of muscle you gain you will burn an extra 6 calories a day. That gives you about an extra peanut to eat during the day.

    For every pound of fat you lose you will burn 2 calories less per day.
    I run, eat 2500 to 3500 calories a day, and continue to lose weight.

    There are many ways to lose fat. Pick the one that you like to do and that meets your fitness goals.

    The 6 calories is the muscle at rest. It understates it as well as does not take into account the energy expenditure of working and creating the muscle in the first place. However, that is not really the main reason for strength training imo.

    However, the main issue with your statement is that on a caloric deficit you will lose LBM without sufficient protein and strength training. Losing LBM (or gaining for that matter) has a big impact on body composition.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Thanks for this thread! After putting on 4lb over xmas i was a bit lost as to what to do. Im going to stick to a balance of cardio and weights :) hopefully the weight will come off.

    The weight will come off with the correct calorie deficit. How you chose to reach that deficit is up to you... but be certain, it's about the deficit, not the exercise.
  • melvt123
    melvt123 Posts: 1 Member
    I have been doing a Program called Chalene Extreme. It is a weight training workout that you can do at home and I can see results and am more toned after jsut 30 days. It is a 90 day program and most of the workouts are about 35 minutes. I would highly recommend it.
  • plcowner
    plcowner Posts: 106 Member
    It depends on the individual. What works for one person may not work for another.

    Both weights and cardio are important. For me, eating less carbs and less refined sugar is key in order to lose fat.
  • uscdrj
    uscdrj Posts: 18
    Weights plus sensible cardio works best. Circuit training, if done correctly in a focused manner, is aerobic activity. Lean muscle burns more fat, even while you are sleeping. Check out this site for calories burned per activity: http://www.primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/calculat.htm.
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
    Weight lifting is more body composition training where cardio just shrinks the same proportions you have currently. Cardio does increase certain health aspects, but if you're talking for fat loss it's only a caloric modifier. Weight lifting will burn calories and stimulate muscle growth which is effective fat loss + more muscle burns more fat.
  • WinwillLose
    WinwillLose Posts: 101
    Everyone should do Cardio, if for nothing else than for overall fitness. :smile:
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
    Don't believe the hype

    For every pound of muscle you gain you will burn an extra 6 calories a day. That gives you about an extra peanut to eat during the day.

    For every pound of fat you lose you will burn 2 calories less per day.
    I run, eat 2500 to 3500 calories a day, and continue to lose weight.

    There are many ways to lose fat. Pick the one that you like to do and that meets your fitness goals.

    The 6 calories is the muscle at rest. It understates it as well as does not take into account the energy expenditure of working ad creating the muscle in the first place.

    However, the main issue with your statement is that on a caloric deficit you will lose LBM without sufficient protein and strength training. Losing LBM (or gaining for that matter) has a big impact on body composition.
    Losing lean body mass is not my experience. I lost 30 lbs and dropped around 15% in in bodyfat from around 25% to around 10%. Since I started at 205, 15% of that is 31 lbs. That tells me that there was negligible, if any, loss of lean body mass. No weights, running only, smart diet. No loss in strength from before to after.

    Either I am special or the hype surrounding loss of lean body mass is exaggerated or the people that lost a lot of lean body mass had poor diets and poor aerobic training guidance.
  • slacker80
    slacker80 Posts: 235 Member
    try them both.

    Light cardio 8-15 minute warm up (light jog)
    30-45 minutes weight lifting (compound exercises)
    End with a 15-20 minute run.

    Win Win situation
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Don't believe the hype

    For every pound of muscle you gain you will burn an extra 6 calories a day. That gives you about an extra peanut to eat during the day.

    For every pound of fat you lose you will burn 2 calories less per day.
    I run, eat 2500 to 3500 calories a day, and continue to lose weight.

    There are many ways to lose fat. Pick the one that you like to do and that meets your fitness goals.

    The 6 calories is the muscle at rest. It understates it as well as does not take into account the energy expenditure of working ad creating the muscle in the first place.

    However, the main issue with your statement is that on a caloric deficit you will lose LBM without sufficient protein and strength training. Losing LBM (or gaining for that matter) has a big impact on body composition.
    Losing lean body mass is not my experience. I lost 30 lbs and dropped around 15% in in bodyfat from around 25% to around 10%. Since I started at 205, 15% of that is 31 lbs. That tells me that there was negligible, if any, loss of lean body mass. No weights, running only, smart diet. No loss in strength from before to after.

    Either I am special or the hype surrounding loss of lean body mass is exaggerated or the people that lost a lot of lean body mass had poor diets and poor aerobic training guidance.

    How did you estimate your BF%?
  • trixyj
    trixyj Posts: 11 Member
    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
    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
    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
    Do both for looking great and general health.

    Don't forget a stretching program too!
  • hamonk
    hamonk Posts: 42 Member
    bump for later
  • FitMomForLifeMunro
    FitMomForLifeMunro Posts: 4
    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
    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
    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
    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
    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.

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