Lose body fat without cardio?

kassiebby1124
kassiebby1124 Posts: 927 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
SO. I absolutely hate cardio, with the exception of swimming. My question is: If I lift heavy 3 times a week and a cardio warm up and a calorie deficit, will I torch body fat? I have about 47% body fat on me at the moment and one day, I will reach my goal os 18%. Not too sure how long it will take, but that's beside the point. Anyway, can one accomplish a goal like this without doing cardio?
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Replies

  • kassiebby1124
    kassiebby1124 Posts: 927 Member
    Boop.
  • emibrus1
    emibrus1 Posts: 59
    That same routine (3 -5 minuted cardio warm up and 3x weekly heavy lifting) has worked miracles on me and my body fat and I started off at just 26% BF. Seriously. Can't stand cardio and it never did NEAR what lifting has done for me in a month. You will not be disappointed! Feel free to add me if you want a fellow lifting beginner!
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    You don't need to do cardio at all to lose fat. Calorie deficit and some resistence training is all you need.
  • mycupyourcake
    mycupyourcake Posts: 279 Member
    I see the biggest results on MFP with women who do weight training. Go for the weights!
  • jennifershoo
    jennifershoo Posts: 3,198 Member
    Oh yes!
  • Shannon16385
    Shannon16385 Posts: 29
    Just remember that cardio is great for long term cardiovascular health. I use to run 15 miles a week and also lift weights and saw decent results. I've changed to lifting 5x a week and doing the stepmill or incline on the treadmill for my cardio, and am amazed by the results.
  • kassiebby1124
    kassiebby1124 Posts: 927 Member
    Thanks everyone. Does it take longer to lose weight this way? I know there is no time limit, of course. But I'm just curious.
  • kathendo1984
    kathendo1984 Posts: 111
    Im interested in this to. I hate cardio apart from swimming and walking and want to start lifting to loose fat.

    What routines are people doing as i want to start doing this at home and dont no where to start or what weights to buy.

    Please feel free to add me as i would love hints and tips from people that loose fat by lifting.

    Good luck to kassiebby1224

    :-)
  • Shr3dded
    Shr3dded Posts: 232
    You don't need to do cardio at all to lose fat. Calorie deficit and some resistence training is all you need.
  • Dr_Gains
    Dr_Gains Posts: 81 Member
    I havent did cardio in 2 years. A smart strength training routine + calorie deficit + dedication= greased up god like body :)
  • jdad1
    jdad1 Posts: 1,899 Member
    Thanks everyone. Does it take longer to lose weight this way? I know there is no time limit, of course. But I'm just curious.

    The truth is that you possibly may not lose weight at all. But if your goal is fat loss then your plan will work wonders. If, in the end, you weigh the same but have a smaller waist, lower body fat, harder body, then your doing it right. You likely will lose some weight but just keep in mind that your weight is not your main objective and keep at it. It will work at bringing you the body that you want.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    You will shrink faster. I did cardio for a year and while I lost about 10 pounds, I was still fluffy looking, puffy and flabby. Lifting is slimming me. I did put back on some scale weight but I am slimmer and have less fat. If you lift 3x a week with a full body workout, and just do a 20 minute brisk walk on the other days, you will torch fat. The walk will help lose the fat faster than zero cardio but it isn't like an hour on the treadmill and it is something that most people can fit into their life. You can do it anywhere, even walking in place while you watch t.v. or cook dinner.
  • kassiebby1124
    kassiebby1124 Posts: 927 Member
    Thanks everybody! :D

    @Jdad- I try to avoid the scale, anyway. I don't trust it.
  • sexymuffintop
    sexymuffintop Posts: 636
    You may find as you get down to near your target fat % you might have to chuck in a little cardio. I didn't used to do any at all, once I was in a good lifting routine. After a few months I found I wasn't losing fat at the rate I wanted so I started adding in 30 mins of cardio after lifting and saw an improvement in my fat loss. I dislike it too, but I have found (for me at least) it is a necessary evil.

    Also as a woman, it seems to be tough to reduce the fatty deposits we have around hips/thighs/*kitten*, and I need to add in evil cardio along with eating at a deficit to reduce mine. You may find the same...you might not...good luck!!
  • ericaforsure
    ericaforsure Posts: 4
    Do you not like any cardio at all? I didn't used to but am now addicted to Zumba! (Fun dance classes) and burns in excess of 600 calories an hour!
  • Dr_Gains
    Dr_Gains Posts: 81 Member
    You may find as you get down to near your target fat % you might have to chuck in a little cardio. I didn't used to do any at all, once I was in a good lifting routine. After a few months I found I wasn't losing fat at the rate I wanted so I started adding in 30 mins of cardio after lifting and saw an improvement in my fat loss. I dislike it too, but I have found (for me at least) it is a necessary evil.

    Also as a woman, it seems to be tough to reduce the fatty deposits we have around hips/thighs/*kitten*, and I need to add in evil cardio along with eating at a deficit to reduce mine. You may find the same...you might not...good luck!!

    I wish that's where I had to deal with the last bits of fat. Better than love handles and lower abs. I would love to have more junk in the trunk as opposed to the gut :)
  • JossFit
    JossFit Posts: 588 Member
    I know that hardly anybody actually READS links then they're posted, but I'll post this anyway; http://www.fitnessbaddies.com/category/nutrition-2/

    The title of the article is "Why lifting weights lets you eat carbs, and all about metabolism", but it's very focused on the role of cardio in losing body fat.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    i lift heavy about four times a week ..upper/lower split and do minimal cardio - one HIIT session a week - and have gotten down to around 12 percent body fat doing that ...I think I might need to bump the cardio slightly to help get me down to ten percent....but lifting heavy + eating in defecit will work wonders for you ....
  • crazypeachs
    crazypeachs Posts: 55 Member
    i have a question, relatively related.

    my husband said i should lift more often than cardio. that's fine. i don't like to sweat so much, anyway. (i know you sweat with weights, but it doesn't pour) anyway, i'm interested in free weights bec i read somewhere that that's better than machine lifting. so...what exercises does anyone recommend? i'd like to be lean, don't want to bulk (sounds like i won't on a deficit anyway, from another thread), but i want to be strong, lean, and smooth. i have access to some weights at work, and would be willing to get a couple handweights if necessary, but i don't know where to start, or where to start looking.

    i remember butterflies (i think?) and curls, but that was from high school about 50 million years ago. my knees still hurt (with stairs and a lot of walking), and legs aren't strong yet, so i don't think squats are possible (can't even do them with my own weight, let alone addition weight), but (sadly) my legs are stronger than my arms, and i honestly don't remember anything else.

    OP, please don't be upset that i include this here. i don't know how to start my own thread, and these people seem to know what they're talking about. :happy:

    thanks for any help.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    You don't have enough testosterone to bulk. Squats, deadlifts, lunges, pushups to start with. Can't do a single squat on your own? Do it with your back against a wall. Can't do a real pushup on the floor? Start doing them against a wall or on a sturdy counter top.
  • chickadelta
    chickadelta Posts: 43
    If I can only lift 30kg with real effort, like that is the heaviest for 5 reps I can bench press, is that still 'lifting heavy'?
  • Dr_Gains
    Dr_Gains Posts: 81 Member
    You don't have enough testosterone to bulk. Squats, deadlifts, lunges, pushups to start with. Can't do a single squat on your own? Do it with your back against a wall. Can't do a real pushup on the floor? Start doing them against a wall or on a sturdy counter top.

    This!! Compound lifts are the priority.
  • melindasuefritz
    melindasuefritz Posts: 3,509 Member
    i sya its not a good idea- u wont see great results-
    and


    Cardio strengthens your heart and lungs, improving your maximal oxygen capacity (known as your VO2 max). It also fine-tunes many of the hormonal systems in your body, making you more resilient in stressful situations. It improves your insulin sensitivity, and allows you to better utilize your body fat for energy. Cardio exercise reduces blood pressure, provides a boost in “good” HDL cholesterol, and helps you develop muscle stamina and overall endurance
  • melindasuefritz
    melindasuefritz Posts: 3,509 Member
    NO But weight training won’t provide everything that cardio can (in the same way that cardio can’t provide the same benefits as weight training).

    So, no, you shouldn’t skip your cardio.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    If I can only lift 30kg with real effort, like that is the heaviest for 5 reps I can bench press, is that still 'lifting heavy'?

    Lifting heavy is what is heavy for you. But then as you gain strength you add more weight.
  • luceegj
    luceegj Posts: 246 Member
    Lift :)
  • Dr_Gains
    Dr_Gains Posts: 81 Member
    For your body and strain it will put on it yes it is. Create a rep range and slowly build up. If you hit within that desired rep range for a certain weight (for example you finally bench 30kg for 3 sets of 6-8) then the next week go to 35kg and keep building it up week to week. It will create progressive overload. You should do this with all lifts and track everything.

    http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/progressive-overload/

    this right here is my go to site everything fitness related and has a ton of other helpful articles as well.
  • shrinkingWITS
    shrinkingWITS Posts: 108
    I havent did cardio in 2 years. A smart strength training routine + calorie deficit + dedication= greased up god like body :)

    Clearly the way. :love:
  • ChitownFoodie
    ChitownFoodie Posts: 1,562 Member
    Aside from walking to and from the train, I don't do cardio. I am somewhere between 18%-19% body fat. I lift heavy. I eat.
  • Topsking2010
    Topsking2010 Posts: 2,245 Member
    Bump

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