More cardio / less weight training?!? What's your opinion?

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telg1980
telg1980 Posts: 25
in Fitness and Exercise
My weight loss is at a total stand still :-(. Mostly because I cant seem to unlike good food, but also because Ive been dwindeling on my exercise lately. Here are my weekly exercise goals:

5 days cardio
2 days isolated arms
2 days isolated legs
3 days isolated abs

I have no problem with the cardio. I love cardio!!! Abs usually get done as well because I dont mind doing them. I hate hate hate doing arms and legs. I hate them so much that normally at the end of the week Ive accomplished everything but one or two days of the strength training. I just dread it soooo much. So my question is...do I REALLY need the strength training?!? Would it be more beneficial for me to replace it with extra cardio since I enjoy it and Im a lot less likely to excuse my way out of it? I figure any cardio I do is going to work my legs right?!? As far as arms go, I know I need to do something to firm, but doesnt carrying kids and grocery bags count?!? ;-)

So...continue what Im doing (or any suggestions to modify are more than welcome!!) OR replace with extra cardio and maybe burn extra calories?!?

Replies

  • sbilyeu75
    sbilyeu75 Posts: 567 Member
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    My advice would be to check out the book New Rules of Lifting for Women.
  • Nich0le
    Nich0le Posts: 2,906 Member
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    I find I get my best results when I do 30-45 minutes of vigorous cardio 5-6 days per week, I love running and spin and as good as I feel and as tired as I feel after I find that the true results come when I take body pump or spend at least 4 days getting an hour of total body weights in. Not only do I lose more weight but I get faster shape results.

    You need all the cardio you can get to hlep your heart stay healthy and the weights are the best way to lose and more importantly maintain your weight.

    If you are at a plateau I would suggest checking your calorie intake, it is possible you have lost enough weight that your caloric needs have changed AND on top of that increase your cardio by 20% for about 10 days and you should see results. You can increase time, distance or resistance.
  • elloradannon
    elloradannon Posts: 111
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    I was just thinking the same thing- I HATE doing weights (I also do 2 times a week) but after a few months, I really do feel more toned than ever before. I haven't lost a ton of weight either, but I think weight training is really good for your metabolism. Grin and bear it would be my advice :-)
  • safiresp04
    safiresp04 Posts: 29
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    Cardio is absolutely awful! If I could get away with only lifting I would. Try looking up some full body workouts online if you're unable to hire a personal trainer. Aim to train 2-3 days per week. If you can't hire a trainer, at least consult a trainer or worker at your gym that can show you proper form.

    Don't be afraid to go heavy. It will hurt. It's supposed to hurt. You're tearing your muscle fibers to build them up. And don't even let the thought of getting bulky enter your head. Women can't get bulky. We don't have the testosterone. The women you see that look like chudes are probably on 'roids or other supplements and/or have been training hard for a looooong time. Instead, you will get lean and toned - which I can only assume is what you're aiming for.

    Building muscle will burn more calories than cardio - especially when you're not working out. A pound of muscle will always burn more than a pound of fat. The more calories you burn, the more you can eat.
  • MisdemeanorM
    MisdemeanorM Posts: 3,493 Member
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    What do you do for cardio? It might be super easy to add in some pushups and squats to your cardio and voila! Strength training!
    Or if you are at a gym, do they have any strength or toning classes? I HATE the weights at the gym on my own, but I really like it in class, it also turns out to be a decent low end cardio as well - usually around 400-450 cals in a short hour. Also, you can do yoga or pilates for strength. It's not bulk up muscle building like weights, but you may find it more enjoyable and if you push yourself there is definite strength / muscle building. Or, look into some cardio / strength combo programs that use bands instead of weights.
  • Natural
    Natural Posts: 461 Member
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    i do a lot of cardio, but i'm trying to get in more weight training because it's also important. personally i would continue the strength training.

    maybe you can switch up your workout a bit, do something different. use a different machine. run outside if you run inside and vice versa.
  • freebirdsnsc
    freebirdsnsc Posts: 56 Member
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    This is the most absolutely fantastic program that I have found over the years that will pull weight off. is...Body for life for women
    Ive used it before but sadly wasnt very serious about a healthy lifestyle.....I am now


    Read about it here

    http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art32613.asp

    Read about the weight training here

    http://bodyforlife.com/library/exercise/weight-training

    Read about the cardio here

    http://bodyforlife.com/library/exercise/cardio
  • SuzanneRogers
    SuzanneRogers Posts: 250 Member
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    You can do cardio everyday if you feel like it, that never hurt anyone. Strength training is best to 2-3 days a week for the entire. Maybe check out the new dvd Jillian Michaels' "Shred It With Weights". You will enjoy it more if the weight training it shorter and working your all over body at once.

    I like to do squats and lunges and while lifting arm weight at the same time. check out you tube or hulu for weight training either with weights, bands or just using your body as a weight. Doing planks, push ups, sumo squats, burpees.
  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,549 Member
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    Combining Anaerobic and Aerobic Activity

    Aerobic exercise burns fat during exercise, but has little effect afterwards
    Aerobic exercise should begin "light" and progress to "somewhat" hard throughout the first few weeks
    Progressively longer durations and intensities
    Higher intensities
    associated with higher drop out rates for beginners
    can be implemented later for more time efficient workouts
    Intense anaerobic exercise increases the metabolism hours after exercise
    Intense exercise (eg. weight training, HIIT, plyometrics, sprints) can increase metabolic rate for hours after the vigorous workout.
    Weight training
    Restores muscle that had been lost over the years from sedentary modern lifestyle.
    One pound of muscle can burn 30 to 50 Calories a day
    One pound of fat burns only 3 Calories a day

    From http://www.exrx.net/FatLoss/Exercise.html
  • flattsfan22
    flattsfan22 Posts: 86 Member
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    Beach Body puts out a program called Chalean Extreme, Chalene Johnson from TurboJam leads it. It is absolutely amazing. Its a strength training/cardio program. ST is emphasized more so than cardio but you can add in your own cardio
  • mmmpink
    mmmpink Posts: 25
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    Don't skip the weights!
    If you lose all your weight by doing just cardio, you'll just end up being skinnyfat! The strength training will make you firm. Do you like using videos? Weights in the gym can be boring, but I find P90X, Jari Love, and Jackie Warner DVDs to be really good and the time goes by so fast! Maybe do a full body routine 2 or 3 days a week, that way you get it over and done with in one shot, and you have more days where you're only doing cardio.
  • DJH510
    DJH510 Posts: 114 Member
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    if your goal is general weight loss, then by all means forget the weights and replace them with cardio. FAR more calories burned per minute or hour doing that.
  • sbilyeu75
    sbilyeu75 Posts: 567 Member
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    if your goal is general weight loss, then by all means forget the weights and replace them with cardio. FAR more calories burned per minute or hour doing that.

    It's not just about calories burned per hour. If you do nothing but cardio, then you're more likely to be saggy. You have to do weights if for no other reason than to keep as much muscle as possible.
  • luckyluciano
    luckyluciano Posts: 12
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    I agree sbilyeu75 ... Weight training is very important... You burn a lot of calories too weight training.. I looove working my legs ..arms not so much ... Cardio is fine with me too ... My friend is a pilaties instructor and trainer and she is helping me in the gym ..we work out together... She said she will keep me from the typical plateu buy making my workouts different confusing the body... The upper body workouts r always different ... We just did the first leg workout Friday ... Even her pilates class ..the workouts r always different ... I say find new ways to weight train and like some others said on here take a class ..switch it up... Also my aster is a yoga teacher and also a trainer .... She used to be in competition ... She was big ... She did not take roids and it didn't take her years to get huge... She trained with heavy weights and got huge quick ... She is no longer that big but still pretty cut anyway good luck and start confusing that body!!! (:
  • luckyluciano
    luckyluciano Posts: 12
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    Stupid auto correction ...I meant my sister is a yoga teacher and trainer.....
  • kelsully
    kelsully Posts: 1,008 Member
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    I try to do arms and legs in a circuit kind of way. I will use hand weights and do armshoulder/back exercises in a rapid succession type way...move from one exercise to the next without ever putting the weights down...The first time I did this it was because of a time crunch but it was fun...I also will do arm/leg things together..ie a squat with hand weights...while squating do a shoulder press with hand weight..do lunges with hand weights but doing a bicep curl...etc....may not be the same as hitting a weight machine but still targets areas

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