To Lift or Not to Lift??? THAT is the Question!!!
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LaviMc
Posts: 355 Member
Hey everyone! Just wanna run something by you guys and get some insight...
Yesterday, I went for a doctor’s visit, and prior to seeing the doctor, I met with the nurse, who gave me some “tips” on losing weight. I advised her of my basic routine, which was mainly cardio, but also involved about 30-40 minutes of weights 3-4 times per week (though I’ve been slacking this last couple of weeks – don’t judge me!). Now, I haven’t been to the doctor since August, so when I saw him last, he’d advised me that he wanted me to lose 20-30 pounds in 6 months. I ended up having to reschedule my appointment twice due to a work conflict and a death in the family, so it’s now been 8 months. Anyways (back to my chat with the nurse – sorry, got sidetracked), she advised me to give up weights for a while and just focus on cardio ONLY and add weights in later. She’d lost 60lbs by doing this and, of course, reducing her food portions and eating much more healthily, all the while being monitored by the doctor. She’d advised me that weight training made you heavier, which I figured because muscle weighs more than fat, but when you have a lot to lose like she did (and I do), she says it’s more difficult to drop weight because the fat is being replaced by muscle. The reason we began this discussion is because I’d advised her that, though I’d only lose 3lbs since August, I’d dropped 2 dress sizes since then, but I was still frustrated because the scale wasn’t moving like I would have liked. My question to you guys is, have you guys tried this cardio only method without weights? If so, has it been successful for you? See… I LOVE weight training, but I want to reduce my actual weight’s number. I’m pretty healthy now, but as we age, the number on the scale can lead to other health problems and I don’t want to risk falling ill in the future.
You input is greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
Yesterday, I went for a doctor’s visit, and prior to seeing the doctor, I met with the nurse, who gave me some “tips” on losing weight. I advised her of my basic routine, which was mainly cardio, but also involved about 30-40 minutes of weights 3-4 times per week (though I’ve been slacking this last couple of weeks – don’t judge me!). Now, I haven’t been to the doctor since August, so when I saw him last, he’d advised me that he wanted me to lose 20-30 pounds in 6 months. I ended up having to reschedule my appointment twice due to a work conflict and a death in the family, so it’s now been 8 months. Anyways (back to my chat with the nurse – sorry, got sidetracked), she advised me to give up weights for a while and just focus on cardio ONLY and add weights in later. She’d lost 60lbs by doing this and, of course, reducing her food portions and eating much more healthily, all the while being monitored by the doctor. She’d advised me that weight training made you heavier, which I figured because muscle weighs more than fat, but when you have a lot to lose like she did (and I do), she says it’s more difficult to drop weight because the fat is being replaced by muscle. The reason we began this discussion is because I’d advised her that, though I’d only lose 3lbs since August, I’d dropped 2 dress sizes since then, but I was still frustrated because the scale wasn’t moving like I would have liked. My question to you guys is, have you guys tried this cardio only method without weights? If so, has it been successful for you? See… I LOVE weight training, but I want to reduce my actual weight’s number. I’m pretty healthy now, but as we age, the number on the scale can lead to other health problems and I don’t want to risk falling ill in the future.
You input is greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
1
Replies
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If your nurse actually said all those things, she needs to go back to school.
Weight training does not make you heavier.
Your body does not replace fat with muscle.3 -
I can't believe a nurse would tell you all that. Lifting weights does not make you heavier, in fact it will speed up your metabollism. I would say focus on your diet and keep doing cardio and weights. I have tried the all cardio method and although I lost weight it came right back on, you want to keep it off and do it the right way!
I sent you a friend request if you want to connect
Mary3 -
Do you know your body fat percentage or can you get an approximate number at least? Personally, I would worry more about what that is than what you weigh, but I'm no expert. You can be a "normal" weight and still have an unhealthily high amount of body fat. Heavy lifting can help prevent this. Good luck0
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Lift. It's good for you!1
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I have lost 80 lb with cardio only. Long, low-intensity workouts are best for burning calories. So walk for an hour or swim for an hour. A lot of people feel that you should add strength training - builds muscle, which uses more calories. It sounds good but I have done ok with the cardio. At one point I decided to CHANGE from cardio to strength training. Sadly I gave up on the cardio but never picked up the strength training. So I'm happy to be back in cardio-land. Some day I'll lift.0
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And the answer is lift.
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Lift weights, keep doing it! A man lifting heavy weights in a progressive routine would be lucky to put on more than a few pounds a month. Keep lifting weights it isn't your problem. Not only does it not add HUGE mass if you aren't lifting for it, but it also helps prevent injuries down the road.
TLDR; Nurse is giving BAD advice0 -
Mmm well I can understand not doing weights at first just to make things simple and ease you into a routine gradually.
But honestly, lifting weights won't make you gain *that* much mass and the mass that you do gain will be lean tissue (muscle, bone, strong organ tissue). All this extra lean tissue will need energy to exist so you'll burn more calories at rest.
I say just do weights. The lean weight you gain will be no where near the fat weight you will lose so you will see the scales go down.
The closer you are to your goal the less my previous statement holds, though. The more fat you lose the more you need to start caring about body composition (how your clothes fit, tape measurements etc) and your body fat percentage.
But for now just lift, do some cardio and most importantly control your nutrition. Controlling your nutrition is the A1, most important thing. You can workout like Lou Ferigno and not see any changes if your nutrition does not support your exercise. I don't care if you run 10k. If you then smash 2000 calories as a snack then you're undoing all of the work you did in your run.
Good luck, not that you'll need luck 0 -
Nurses do a difficult job and fair play buuuuuuutttt..... vast majority know nothing.0
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Do you know your body fat percentage or can you get an approximate number at least? Personally, I would worry more about what that is than what you weigh, but I'm no expert. You can be a "normal" weight and still have an unhealthily high amount of body fat. Heavy lifting can help prevent this. Good luck
I need to calculate it again because it's been a while, but I was considered obese back in the day and numbers-wise, I still am. But, like I said, I'm down 2 dress sizes in about 6 months. The doctor said I was doing great, but to pump it up because I'm at risk for diabetes (aka eat more small meals). I'd like to measure my bf % now, though, to see exactly where I'm at.0 -
you really ought to be able to lose weight while lifting weights if you are indeed 30+ lbs overweight.
Here's some thoughts:
I think you need to figure out really how many cals you burn lifting weights. Don't over estimate that shizz. I think if you are seriously lifting weights, like heavy weights with rest in between, it's probably legit to say about 300 cals for 1 hour (that's what I'm saying for me). If you are doing light weights high reps, maybe use an HRM to figure out your calorie burn. I think one benefit of cardio is that it's pretty easy to keep track of how much you burn (you weigh X, you ran Y speed for Z minutes) where weight training can mean a ton of things (did you lift 3x12 at 50% ORm with 2 min breaks? Or did you do 5x10 at 50% ORM with 1 min breaks? or did you do 3x3 at 80% ORM with like 10 minutes of chatting with your buddies in between?). 60 mins does not always mean 60 mins when it comes to weights.
What kind of lifting are you doing? Are you doing strength training or body building? Hypertrophy or focusing on strength gains? It makes a difference.
If you are dropping dress sizes and inches, you are doing something right!
To see more on the scale (as if 35 lbs isn't already a respectable loss!) do more cardio and tweek your diet. But lifting is how you keep the loss on the scale to be strictly fat and not muscle.
at least that's how I understand it.0 -
Lift. And calorie deficit to lose weight. BTW, weight on the scale isn't the only number one should go by. If that were true, I'm considered very overweight according to BMI.
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
Nurses do a difficult job and fair play buuuuuuutttt..... vast majority know nothing.
You've gotta point there! lol! Thanks!0 -
This was my confusion 6 months ago when I really got serious about working out. I got some saying cardio only, and most saying to do both. Even some telling me you don't need cardio at all.
Well from my personal experience, doing both cardio and weight training is a HUGE PLUS!!! I not only lost weight but INCHES. I can really start to see a change in the actual shape of my figure. Meaning, higher tighter booty, firm shapely legs, leaner arms, better posture, and of course the most exciting... smaller belly!
Cardio can assist in burning those calories, whittling fat, and will give you wiggle room to eat. Not to mention you're overall health.
Weight training will also help you burn fat hours after your done working out. What's really awesome is that it's the workout that actually shapes our figures.
So I say DO BOTH!
The scale shouldn't be the final say on your progress either. If your MD and nurse are really interested on how you are doing, they can take your fat %, measurements, and blood work. If not, you should keep track of them yourself.
Good luck! :happy:
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well technically. I suppose if you stop lifting your muscles will atrophy and you will lose all that nasty heavy muscle weight.
Just lift heavy and forget the nurse.3 -
It sounds like she was giving you her personal opinion, not based on fitness or overall health.
If you can lift, and are seeing results (which GO YOU! :drinker: ) it is better to continue lifting. Yes, the scale may not move as much do to muscle, or water retention, etc but it is better for your overall health, and it will make you look a lot better once the weight starts to melt off.1 -
Mmm well I can understand not doing weights at first just to make things simple and ease you into a routine gradually.
But honestly, lifting weights won't make you gain *that* much mass and the mass that you do gain will be lean tissue (muscle, bone, strong organ tissue). All this extra lean tissue will need energy to exist so you'll burn more calories at rest.
I say just do weights. The lean weight you gain will be no where near the fat weight you will lose so you will see the scales go down.
The closer you are to your goal the less my previous statement holds, though. The more fat you lose the more you need to start caring about body composition (how your clothes fit, tape measurements etc) and your body fat percentage.
But for now just lift, do some cardio and most importantly control your nutrition. Controlling your nutrition is the A1, most important thing. You can workout like Lou Ferigno and not see any changes if your nutrition does not support your exercise. I don't care if you run 10k. If you then smash 2000 calories as a snack then you're undoing all of the work you did in your run.
Good luck, not that you'll need luck
Awesome advice! Thank you! This is what I've been taught my whole life. Just wanted to make sure I was on the right track!1 -
Nurses do a difficult job and fair play buuuuuuutttt..... vast majority know nothing.
I'm a nurse.... and I KNOW EVERYTHING, lol!
:laugh:1 -
I think the nurses reasoning is all wrong, BUT, you will probably lose more faster just doing cardio simply because it is easier to control you appetite while just doing cardio. That doesn't mean you can't lose and lift by any means but sometimes it is easier to get the eating habits down and lose some weight first. Either way you are winning but getting healthier. Full disclosure: I lift often and avoid cardio....a lot0
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