Weight Lifting for Fat Loss??

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  • PetulantOne
    PetulantOne Posts: 2,131 Member
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    Absolutely! It wasn't until I started lifting that anyone even noticed I was losing weight. As others have said, you don't HAVE to do cardio, but it does make it possible to eat more.
  • RobynMWilson
    RobynMWilson Posts: 1,540 Member
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    Look at my pics...I got these results from lifting heavy and a program called ChaLEAN Extreme. Some cardio IS necessary but only twice per week with this program. I'll PM you!
  • AZKristi
    AZKristi Posts: 1,801 Member
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    Strength training is far more effective for reducing body fat than cardio exercise. Do 40-60 minutes of strength training with 15-20 minutes of high intensity interval training (cardio). Your total workout time will be 55-80 minutes and it will be far more effective than doing an hour of cardio.
  • GoTeamMeaghan
    GoTeamMeaghan Posts: 347 Member
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    A combo of strength with some cardio would be the perfect storm. If you don't like treadmills, try something like kickboxing-awesome way to get out frustration too! You cold also try spin classes or zumba...there's lots of options!
  • KeepGoingRhonda
    KeepGoingRhonda Posts: 527 Member
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    Go to EM2WL (eat more 2 weigh less) website , you'll get lots of info! There are threads on MFP from EM2WL people as well.
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
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    Actually your calorie intake isn't a lot at all. Mine is at 1800 and I weight 163 and am losing weight. And yes strength training is where it is at. You burn more calories as a whole than you do with cardio. With cardio, your calorie burn session is pretty much done when you get done with the cardio. But with strength training, you can burn calories for hours after wards as your body works to restore the muscles you just worked out.

    I do both, only because I don't want to be that person who can lift a bunch of weight but can't run 1/4 a mile with out passing out (I have seen it).
  • muckermand
    muckermand Posts: 3
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    The thing about strength training is that it really doesn't burn calories as quickly as cardio. I do both and feel some combination is best since most of us want to burn calories and build strength, as well as tone and shape our bodies. I don't especially like most cardio, but riding on a stationary bike while watching Netflix on television works for me.
  • Nataliaho
    Nataliaho Posts: 878 Member
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    Eat at a deficit to lose weight.

    Strength train to preserve muscle mass while in a calorie deficit.

    If you don't enjoy cardio then don't do it.

    Totally agree!!

    I would add that once you've lost some weight and gained a little more confidence you might feel differently about cardio. I'm still not a 'runner', its always a chore for me. However I have found that alot of my dislike for running (and other forms of cardio) was because I felt heavy, wobbly and unsightly. For me I just felt so gross jumping around in a class and I'd had some bad experiences while out running that turned me off (people yelling out of car windows at me). So by all means, weight train and create a deficit through diet... but don't close the door on cardio - things change :)
  • Riemersma4
    Riemersma4 Posts: 400 Member
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    Eat at a deficit to lose weight.

    Strength train to preserve muscle mass while in a calorie deficit.

    If you don't enjoy cardio then don't do it.

    I'm going to add a vote for this but with a suggestion that you will get better weight loss results if you do a little cardio. I'm talking 20 minutes 3-4 times a week but at a fairly high intensity level. Also you can't hate ALL cardio so keep trying new things until you find something you love, like or at least can live with. Boxing is fun!

    Cardio that isn't HIIT (or similar) is often just occupying time vs changing physiology. Watching people slogging away on a treadmill for 60 minutes vs truly exercising their heart makes me shake my head.
  • Em7b5
    Em7b5 Posts: 31 Member
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    Strength training is far more effective for reducing body fat than cardio exercise. Do 40-60 minutes of strength training with 15-20 minutes of high intensity interval training (cardio). Your total workout time will be 55-80 minutes and it will be far more effective than doing an hour of cardio.

    40-60 minutes of strength training? how many sets and reps do you do? do you focus on arms one day, then core, and then legs? i can't fathom spending 40 minutes on strength training, and usually, i'm pretty tired after plugging away on the elliptical for an hour, so i spend 25 minutes doing the weight machines and leave.
  • lvtruu1
    lvtruu1 Posts: 211 Member
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    Actually your calorie intake isn't a lot at all. Mine is at 1800 and I weight 163 and am losing weight. And yes strength training is where it is at. You burn more calories as a whole than you do with cardio. With cardio, your calorie burn session is pretty much done when you get done with the cardio. But with strength training, you can burn calories for hours after wards as your body works to restore the muscles you just worked out.

    I do both, only because I don't want to be that person who can lift a bunch of weight but can't run 1/4 a mile with out passing out (I have seen it).

    This has been proven to be mostly false. Burn after is a myth.

    This isn't a knock on lifting. I lift 5 times a week. I also do cardio 3-4 times a week in half hour sessions.
  • apriltrainer
    apriltrainer Posts: 732 Member
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    I did a transformation contest...where I dropped all my cardio. Prior to that I hit a wall..nothing was working. I decided to concentrate on lifting...

    I now make lifting my "main course". Cardio is just my dessert.
  • angel101netta
    angel101netta Posts: 152 Member
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    Bump for later :)
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
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    Strength training is far more effective for reducing body fat than cardio exercise. Do 40-60 minutes of strength training with 15-20 minutes of high intensity interval training (cardio). Your total workout time will be 55-80 minutes and it will be far more effective than doing an hour of cardio.

    40-60 minutes of strength training? how many sets and reps do you do? do you focus on arms one day, then core, and then legs? i can't fathom spending 40 minutes on strength training, and usually, i'm pretty tired after plugging away on the elliptical for an hour, so i spend 25 minutes doing the weight machines and leave.
    I do the exact opposite - a full-body lifting routine (that takes 45-60 minutes) 3 days a week, and 30 minutes of light cardio on my non-lifting days (and I don't even always do the cardio). On lifting days, I spend 5-10 minutes on one of the cardio machines (elliptical, treadmill or bike) as a warm-up prior to lifting. I can't fathom spending 60 minutes on a treadmill or elliptical.

    To the OP - calorie deficit is what causes the fat loss. Strength training will help you retain lean muscle mass so less of it is lost along with the fat as you're losing weight. Cardio certainly has it's own health benefits, but it isn't necessary for weight loss and/or body recomposition.
  • Cr01502
    Cr01502 Posts: 3,614 Member
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    If you don't enjoy cardio then don't do it.

    True on paper, but not always feasible.

    I was going to suggest something along the lines of HIIT or sprint intervals but she said she was a beginner.

    Don't get me wrong, I'm all for keeping cardio to a minimum when body composition is the goal. But I find that women often have hard time maintaining a large enough deficit with lifting and diet alone.

    I agree. Cardio does give you a little extra room as far as a deficit was concerned.

    I was just trying to point out that it is possible to lose bodyfat without doing cardio.

    Although technically she doesn't need to strength train for that either. :happy:
  • Cr01502
    Cr01502 Posts: 3,614 Member
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    I did a transformation contest...where I dropped all my cardio. Prior to that I hit a wall..nothing was working. I decided to concentrate on lifting...

    I now make lifting my "main course". Cardio is just my dessert.

    Funny.

    That how I view cardio as well.

    But then again I enjoy it.

    And it helps with fighting.

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