Strength/Cardio/Weight Loss

howardheilweil
howardheilweil Posts: 604 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I know this is an old and tired topic, but I am really confused and am looking for some guidance from the experts on this board.

This all started several months ago after a doctors appointment that didn't go so well. I decided it was (past) time to do something about my weight and overall health. i started by really focusing on my terrible eating habits. I virtually cut out fast food, limited sodium, cut back on fatty red meats in favor of leaner meat and fish. My initial weight loss - first month was great, about 10 pounds, just from dietary changes. When a brief plateau hit, I decided it was time for exercise, so I joined a gym and started some pretty intense cardio, Spinning, elliptical, treadmill, etc... 4 - 5 days per week. Again, my body responded and I lost some more weight, 8 pounds or so over the month. Again, it seemed like another plateau hit. After reading a lot on these forums and elsewhere, I decided to introduce some strength training, in conjunction with the cardio, though obviously less cardio. I am now lifting about 3 days per week and doing about 2 days of cardio.

I have lost a couple of more pounds doing this - note: I am still eating at a deficit - but, I am also reading a lot of conflicting information about the wisdom of mixing cardio and strength training. I don't want to completely sabotage what's been a pretty successful weight loss so far. I am wondering if I should back away from the lifting until I hit my target weight - about another 15 pounds, drop the cardio (not inclined to do this), or keep doing what I am doing.

I will open my diary in case anyone thinks that would be helpful.

I am currently 47 years old. I started at 197 pounds and weighed in this morning at about 178.

Thanks in advance!

Replies

  • footiechick82
    footiechick82 Posts: 1,203 Member
    I didn't look at WHAT you're eating, I was looking at the calories you're consuming because you said you eat at a deficit... you're definitely not eating enough to get the nutrition your body needs in order to tone up and lose anymore weight.

    TDEE - 20%

    (fit to fat calculator)
  • Sarge516
    Sarge516 Posts: 256 Member
    My opinion -- In order to be truly successful, you need to eat right, do cardio (aerobic training of some kind), and do strength (resistance) training, all together through a typical week. A balanced approach is best for weight loss and overall health.

    You might need to just crank things up a notch. Your body will adapt if you just do the same thing over and over and the results will diminish.
  • ShannonMpls
    ShannonMpls Posts: 1,936 Member
    Hi!

    Your weight loss probably slowed because you are quite close to your goal weight. 10 pounds one month, 8 the next is REALLY fast given that you don't have much to lose. At this point, I wouldn't expect to lose any more than half a pound a week on average.

    In your place, I would NOT drop the lifting until you hit your target weight. Strength training, combined with adequate protein intake, will help you retain the lean body mass you have while cutting the fat you want to lose. It is even more important to lift as you get older to help maintain your muscle. The entire time I lost weight, I combined strength and cardio similar to your current schedule - 3 days of lifting, 2 days of cardio. I'd keep doing what you're doing. You can't expect to lose weight as fast as when you started, and you will drop the last 15 pounds - and look good doing it - by keeping the weights.

    Good luck!
  • OspreyVista
    OspreyVista Posts: 464 Member
    From what I've read on the message boards and what not, there are several mixed views. Cardio is for your heart health, while also burns calories, while strength training is for your muscles, to either help build them, or keep them. Having more muscle will make it so you burn more calories as well. Also agree with Sarge, if your doing the same thing over and over, your body is just going to adapt to it. You need to confuse your body, mix it up, do a different type of exercise or kick it up with more weights.
  • waldo56
    waldo56 Posts: 1,861 Member
    My opinion -- In order to be truly successful, you need to eat right, do cardio (aerobic training of some kind), and do strength (resistance) training, all together through a typical week. A balanced approach is best for weight loss and overall health.

    This right here.

    Cardio and strength training are both important to do.

    People knock the gov't, but even the gov't recommends that everybody, all ages and both sexes, do some cardio and strength training every week.

    http://www.choosemyplate.gov/physical-activity/amount.html
    ADULTS
    (18 to 64 years)
    Adults should do at least 2 hours and 30 minutes each week of aerobic physical activity at a moderate level OR 1 hour and 15 minutes each week of aerobic physical activity at a vigorous level. Being active 5 or more hours each week can provide even more health benefits. Spreading aerobic activity out over at least 3 days a week is best. Also, each activity should be done for at least 10 minutes at a time. Adults should also do strengthening activities, like push-ups, sit-ups and lifting weights, at least 2 days a week.
    CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS
    (6-17 years)
    Children and adolescents should do 60 minutes or more of physical activity each day. Most of the 60 minutes should be either moderate- or vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity, and should include vigorous-intensity physical activity at least 3 days a week. As part of their 60 or more minutes of daily physical activity, children and adolescents should include muscle-strengthening activities, like climbing, at least 3 days a week and bone-strengthening activities, like jumping, at least 3 days a week. Children and adolescents are often active in short bursts of time rather than for sustained periods of time, and these short bursts can add up to meet physical activity needs.
  • johnathanbeamon5
    johnathanbeamon5 Posts: 1
    Your right! You should wait until your weigh is stable before power lifting. Unstable weight mixed with heavy lifting is bad for the (heart)! Remember, your heart will adapt to the weight surrounding it, if you force it you could cause damage. Think of your heart as a motor that's has a sparks plug with wrong gaping, it starts to miss when the motor is raised right? This is similar to what happens when you raise the rate on you heart before time. Take it easy and good luck! You can find articles and a video on weight loss at www.uncommonwebshop.com. Just click on the weigh loss link.
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
    I didn't look at WHAT you're eating, I was looking at the calories you're consuming because you said you eat at a deficit... you're definitely not eating enough to get the nutrition your body needs in order to tone up and lose anymore weight.

    TDEE - 20%

    (fit to fat calculator)

    ^^^^^ this. You might try eating more. I don't think you're eating enough to support your activity level. I was 205 lbs, 6', and eating the same as you plus exercising 5 times a week. Couldn't lose a pound. Then I started eating more and started losing weight. Then I ate more and kept losing weight. I am now at 185 lbs and trying to maintain. Guess how much I have to eat to maintain 185 lbs? 2,800 cal / day. And I only lift 4 days a week now and completely stopped cardio. If I dropped back down to 2000 cal / day I would lose some weight and then stall as my body adjusts.

    Eat more.
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
    Your right! You should wait until your weigh is stable before power lifting. Unstable weight mixed with heavy lifting is bad for the (heart)! Remember, your heart will adapt to the weight surrounding it, if you force it you could cause damage. Think of your heart as a motor that's has a sparks plug with wrong gaping, it starts to miss when the motor is raised right? This is similar to what happens when you raise the rate on you heart before time. Take it easy and good luck! You can find articles and a video on weight loss at www.uncommonwebshop.com. Just click on the weigh loss link.

    Never heard this. Ever. Can you cite some research to support this?
  • howardheilweil
    howardheilweil Posts: 604 Member
    Your right! You should wait until your weigh is stable before power lifting. Unstable weight mixed with heavy lifting is bad for the (heart)! Remember, your heart will adapt to the weight surrounding it, if you force it you could cause damage. Think of your heart as a motor that's has a sparks plug with wrong gaping, it starts to miss when the motor is raised right? This is similar to what happens when you raise the rate on you heart before time. Take it easy and good luck! You can find articles and a video on weight loss at www.uncommonwebshop.com. Just click on the weigh loss link.

    Never heard this. Ever. Can you cite some research to support this?
    Yes, please do!

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