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    Maintaining and gaining muscle; how much cardio?

    Posts: 205
    edited January 31 in Fitness and Exercise
    I've reached my goal weight and now I just want to maintain that weight
    But now I wanna get muscle and get fit and toned.
    I wanna keep healthy and cardio, I would say, is important to have a healthy heart. So how much cardio should I do in a week?
    Thanks :ohwell:

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    • Posts: 14,025 Member
      Others will be able to answer more precisely, but I am thinking 30 minutes a few times per week is fine.

      As far as gaining muscle, have you considered a bulk/cut cycle?
    • Posts: 205
      Others will be able to answer more precisely, but I am thinking 30 minutes a few times per week is fine.

      As far as gaining muscle, have you considered a bulk/cut cycle?

      I'm not sure what that is? Can you explain it to me?
      I'm working on my plan basically right now... So... Yeah. Ha.
    • Posts: 41,865 Member
      You could do a couple rounds of bulk and cut cycles (eat at a calorie surplus to put on some muscle and then restrict calories again to shed the inevitable little bit of fat you'll gain to reveal the new muscle)...but really, I think most people can really benefit for a very long time just eating maintenance and lifting.

      For heart health, 30 minutes of walking 3-5 days per week is all you really need...if you want to maintain a certain aerobic base, obviously you'd have to do more than just walk...and if you wanted to increase your aerobic base you'd obviously have to do even more.

      I personally train in seasons...during my racing season I'm doing a lot of endurance training and cardio; I still lift, but not to the extent that I do in the "off-season". In the off-season I turn my attention towards muscle and strength and just do some cycling and jogging to maintain my aerobic base for the next season.
    • Posts: 14,025 Member
      A bulk/cut cycle is a method to gain muscle/reduce fat by eating above TDEE for a period of time, gaining muscle and some fat, then eating below TDEE for a period of time, losing fat and some muscle.

      So for instance, eating at 500 calories above TDEE for a month, then eating at 500 calories below TDEE for a month. The idea is to maximize muscle gain while minimizing fat mass gain.


      Also, try looking into HIIT cardio workouts.
    • Posts: 5,789 Member
      show previous quotes

      I'm not sure what that is? Can you explain it to me?
      I'm working on my plan basically right now... So... Yeah. Ha.

      TBH, you should have been lifting while losing weight to maintain your muscle mass. Gaining muscle is extremely hard, so it is easier for someone to maintain what they have rather than lose it and try to work it back.
    • Posts: 10 Member
      I'm not an expert, but I would think doing cardio 3x a week at a good pace that elevates your heart rate for 30mins is probably sufficient.
      I do a bootcamp fitness class 3x a week that starts off with 15mins of light cardio and then we do circuit training - which is more intense weightlifting without breaks and incorporates some cardio activities, so it's strength training with cardio also.
    • Posts: 205
      show previous quotes

      TBH, you should have been lifting while losing weight to maintain your muscle mass. Gaining muscle is extremely hard, so it is easier for someone to maintain what they have rather than lose it and try to work it back.
      Looking back now I know that, but I can't exactly go back and change it. Haha.
    • Posts: 148
      I do Brazilian Jiu Jitsu 12 times a week at an hour per class, as long as you take what you're burning into account and eat enough you can do as much cardio as you want.
    • Posts: 205
      A bulk/cut cycle is a method to gain muscle/reduce fat by eating above TDEE for a period of time, gaining muscle and some fat, then eating below TDEE for a period of time, losing fat and some muscle.

      So for instance, eating at 500 calories above TDEE for a month, then eating at 500 calories below TDEE for a month. The idea is to maximize muscle gain while minimizing fat mass gain.


      Also, try looking into HIIT cardio workouts.
      Thanks! I'll look into that(:
    • Posts: 205
      It'd be awesome if some shared their workout plans too (;
    • Posts: 14,025 Member
      show previous quotes

      TBH, you should have been lifting while losing weight to maintain your muscle mass. Gaining muscle is extremely hard, so it is easier for someone to maintain what they have rather than lose it and try to work it back.

      Too late to change that now. Besides, the muscle rebound effect will cause her to regain that lost muscle fairly quickly, especially if eating at a surplus.
    • Posts: 29,136 Member
      if you reall want muscle gains then I would go with the bulk/cut cycle already mentioned..

      Also, you should be lifting at least three times a week to start. Are you a beginner or intermediate when it comes to lifting?

      If beginner, then you should learn compound lifts - deadlifts, squats, over head press, chest press, pullups, chin ups, etc and then incorporate them into a total body workout three times a week and limit cardio to two times a week, 30 minutes at most..

      If you are more intermediate, then you can go to an upper/lower kind of routine....

      Your current training level will dictate what kind of routine you should incorporate..

      Oh, and if you are trying to add muscle, ditch the slim fast.
    • Posts: 205
      if you reall want muscle gains then I would go with the bulk/cut cycle already mentioned..

      Also, you should be lifting at least three times a week to start. Are you a beginner or intermediate when it comes to lifting?

      If beginner, then you should learn compound lifts - deadlifts, squats, over head press, chest press, pullups, chin ups, etc and then incorporate them into a total body workout three times a week and limit cardio to two times a week, 30 minutes at most..

      If you are more intermediate, then you can go to an upper/lower kind of routine....

      Your current training level will dictate what kind of routine you should incorporate..

      Oh, and if you are trying to add muscle, ditch the slim fast.

      Definitely a beginner.
      And bahhahahha. I don't drink the slimfast anymore. haven't in like a year.
      Is it good to do like
      M-upper
      T- cardio
      W- leg
      R- cardio
      F- total body
      ?

      ETA Saturday midsection
      Sunday rest
    • Posts: 1,206 Member
      As little as possible, while maintaining weight.
    • Posts: 29,136 Member
      for beginner..

      I would say - and this is just me - no expert or anything..

      Monday - total body - legs/chest/arms/shoulders/back
      tues - cardio
      wens - total body - repeat
      thurs - cardio
      firday - total body
      sat - active rest - bike/abs/yoga or just rest
      sunday rest ...

      once you have been at this routine for like three to four months then maybe go to an upper/lower split
      mon - upper -
      tues - lower -
      wens - HIIT sprints/cardio/abs
      thurs - upper -
      Friday lower

      would be interested to see what others think/suggest..
    • Posts: 205
      for beginner..

      I would say - and this is just me - no expert or anything..

      Monday - total body - legs/chest/arms/shoulders/back
      tues - cardio
      wens - total body - repeat
      thurs - cardio
      firday - total body
      sat - active rest - bike/abs/yoga or just rest
      sunday rest ...

      once you have been at this routine for like three to four months then maybe go to an upper/lower split
      mon - upper -
      tues - lower -
      wens - HIIT sprints/cardio/abs
      thurs - upper -
      Friday lower

      would be interested to see what others think/suggest..
      Thanks!
      Any clue how long the workouts should be?
      I'm learning so forgive the numerous questions(:
    • Posts: 747 Member
      Definitely a beginner.
      And bahhahahha. I don't drink the slimfast anymore. haven't in like a year.
      Is it good to do like
      M-upper
      T- cardio
      W- leg
      R- cardio
      F- total body
      ?

      ETA Saturday midsection
      Sunday rest

      Look into SL 5x5 (free program) or something by Nia Shanks (Beautiful Badass is awesome!!). These are both beginner friendly, 3x per week total body and then you can add HIIT or Tabata after lifting for cardio benefits. My workout plan is.....

      T - lift 5x5
      Th - lift 5x5
      Sat - lift 5x5

      Can't get much easier than that! I'll do planks or hanging knee raises for core after my workout and add in 4 minutes of traditional Tabata after lifting IF I have the time or energy. I get at least 10,000 steps per day so I'm active in my normal daily activities. I'm 5'8 and weigh about 158, eat 2400-2500 a day to maintain weight and have even seen myself leaning out more over the past few months.
    • Posts: 14,025 Member
      I would actually suggest doing Stronglifts 5x5 for a few months as a total beginner.
    • Posts: 5,789 Member
      show previous quotes

      Too late to change that now. Besides, the muscle rebound effect will cause her to regain that lost muscle fairly quickly, especially if eating at a surplus.

      With the quote of "I want to stay at my goal weight", I don't see a surplus coming....
    • Posts: 205
      show previous quotes

      With the quote of "I want to stay at my goal weight", I don't see a surplus coming....
      You're right. But I wanna add that I don't mind gaining weight, I just don't wanna get necessarily bigger... If that makes sense.
    • Posts: 5,789 Member
      show previous quotes
      You're right. But I wanna add that I don't mind gaining weight, I just don't wanna get necessarily bigger... If that makes sense.

      What do you mean by "bigger"?
    • Posts: 205
      show previous quotes

      What do you mean by "bigger"?
      I wanna stay small and femine... Yet cut and muscular... Like: tumblr_m7hdwhVs9B1r4rqjqo1_400.jpg
      I don't wanna bodybuild... But I wanna be muscular.
      ETA: That's the best pictre I could find that wasn't borderline porn. Lol.
    • Posts: 5,789 Member
      I wanna stay small and femine... Yet cut and muscular... Like: tumblr_m7hdwhVs9B1r4rqjqo1_400.jpg
      I don't wanna bodybuild... But I wanna be muscular.

      Unless you're taking steroids, you can't body build. Women don't naturally (minus some individual cases) have the levels of testosterone required to "body build". You can lift as heavy a weight as you possibly can, as much as you can, but if you aren't feeding the workout and taking some sort of supplement, you just won't get that big.
    • Posts: 205
      I know that. I'm just saying I don't wanna gain weight for mass.
      I know muscle weighs more than fat so I'm not gonna flip out if I gain a few lbs....
      I'm not one of those girls that has to be this weight or I hate myself.
    • Posts: 300 Member
      You're not gonna get that from a lot of cardio. That's achieved by strength training... and unless you're taking steroids, you will stay "femine."
    • Posts: 205
      You're not gonna get that from a lot of cardio. That's achieved by strength training... and unless you're taking steroids, you will stay "femine."
      Bleh. I knew i shouldn't have used those words... I know. I just couldn't figure out how to word it.
      ETA: And I'm wanting to do primarily strength training? Thats what I've been saying through the posts. Cardio for health benefits only.
    • Posts: 1,206 Member
      I would suggest limiting your Cardio to 2-3 times a week for 25-30 min. Either in the morning in a fasted state or post lifting.
    • Posts: 205
      I really am quite small.... I weight about 110 lbs and have a small frame... Would I get better results if I gained a little when lifting? I don't know that I got enough meat ta work with:laugh:
    • Posts: 205
      I would suggest limiting your Cardio to 2-3 times a week for 25-30 min. Either in the morning in a fasted state or post lifting.

      Is there a reason for the whole morning or post lifting thing?
    • Posts: 379 Member
      New Rules of Lifting 4 women

      Great resource! Exercise and diet plans. I lift 3x a week. Trust me, it IS cardio!! I also walk 3-5x a week but it's more a stroll. I try to do HIIT cardio for 20 - 30 minute 1 to 2 x a week but I don't stress if I don't get it in. I am very proactive about staying more active with gardening, Wii dancing, moving in general! Sunday is a total rest from everything but church!

      Good luck!!
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