Cardio vs strength training

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carrie145
carrie145 Posts: 297
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been going to the gym for about five months and I have lost 11 pounds. I still have about 50 more to go. My current routine consists of 45 minutes of cardio, usually on the elliptical machine, and about 20 minutes of strength training. My question is, should I continue with this routine, or focus on more cardio until I lose about half of the weight I need to lose?
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Replies

  • kmarowski
    kmarowski Posts: 9
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    Building muscle through strength training helps you burn calories for longer AFTER your work out, so it is of significant benefit in weight loss. However, you may see weight gain as you build muscle rather than weight loss. Muscle weighs more than fat. So, it requires a re-focusing.... you watch for lost inches instead of a loss of pounds. Pick an outfit (top that is long sleeved & pants) that is too tight now. As you increase muscle, it should become less and less tight. You can also just measure key areas of your body - bust, waist, hips, etc....
  • AmandaR910
    AmandaR910 Posts: 991
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    For me, changing it up works best. Usually I'll do 2 days of only cardio, 1 day of only strength, and 3 days of both.
  • jamie1888
    jamie1888 Posts: 1,704 Member
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    Don't give up the strenght training! This is a common misconception.... "focus on cardio first, then add strength straining".
    Doing strength training will help create lean muscle mass. More lean muscle mass means you burn more calories even while at rest! It's also how you will start to see those arms and legs firm up!
  • naughtydoguk
    naughtydoguk Posts: 120
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    Maybe a few personal training sessions will help. I try and have 1 or 2 per week to keep me on track.
  • superwmn
    superwmn Posts: 936
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    Focus on both. What you have going on is GREAT!

    Charmagne
  • jamie1888
    jamie1888 Posts: 1,704 Member
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    Yes, changing up your routine helps..... use the elliptical, treadmill, bikes, stair climber, swim, go outside for a fast walk, slow jog, etc.... change duration & intensity. Your body might be used to what you are doing. And your diet isn't public so I can't offer any advice there. But, you should really focus on getting your nutrition in check and drink lots of water!
  • platoon
    platoon Posts: 340
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    My PT has me doing intermittent cardio and strength training. That is, I'll run up and down some stairs 20 times... take a few seconds to breath... then dive right into 100 pushups... and then 50 jumping jacks... then squats with weights, etc.

    This works for me. My heart rate is up and down, and I'm killing two birds with one stone.

    Good luck on your journey... :-)
  • carrie145
    carrie145 Posts: 297
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    Building muscle through strength training helps you burn calories for longer AFTER your work out, so it is of significant benefit in weight loss. However, you may see weight gain as you build muscle rather than weight loss. Muscle weighs more than fat. So, it requires a re-focusing.... you watch for lost inches instead of a loss of pounds. Pick an outfit (top that is long sleeved & pants) that is too tight now. As you increase muscle, it should become less and less tight. You can also just measure key areas of your body - bust, waist, hips, etc....


    I have went down a pants size, but the scale doesn't seem to be moving much..maybe that's why.
  • Bamacraft
    Bamacraft Posts: 175 Member
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    Keep doing both but ease back on the leg days. if your doing 45 minutes on elliptical then squats, leg extensions etc..that may be too much for a leg day, for upper body days no problem. Keep doing it as long as its working and you feel fine. you'll know if you are over training. If your routine stops producing results change it up. Actually i would change it every other month regardless.

    How many days / week are you doing this? Do you have cardio only days/ days off/ how much rest between weights days per muscle group?
  • jamie1888
    jamie1888 Posts: 1,704 Member
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    Building muscle through strength training helps you burn calories for longer AFTER your work out, so it is of significant benefit in weight loss. However, you may see weight gain as you build muscle rather than weight loss. Muscle weighs more than fat. So, it requires a re-focusing.... you watch for lost inches instead of a loss of pounds. Pick an outfit (top that is long sleeved & pants) that is too tight now. As you increase muscle, it should become less and less tight. You can also just measure key areas of your body - bust, waist, hips, etc....


    I have went down a pants size, but the scale doesn't seem to be moving much..maybe that's why.

    Yes! You are changing your body composition! That's a good thing! I get VERY frustrated not seeing the scale move. But, I can SEE that I'm making a difference and my body is changing! That part lessens my frustration! :wink:
  • GorillaNJ
    GorillaNJ Posts: 4,052 Member
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    Have you ever considered trying HIIT, where instead of doing 45 minutes at a constant speed you break your workout up into sprints and recoveries?

    Also I would not give up on the strength training like someone else said, the act of you muscles recovering will help you continue burning calories long after you get home from the gym.
  • edorice
    edorice Posts: 4,519 Member
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    A balanced program has both.
    Strength training makes you firm, less fluffy and giggly.
  • laurawms
    laurawms Posts: 2 Member
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    As Catherine Wilbert says in her book 'Minding Your Metabolism' - next time you are at the gym, look at the bodies lifting weights and look at the bodies on the cardio equipment. The answer will be evident... :) But you do need the cardio for your heart - and for training for triathlons...
  • hamiltonba
    hamiltonba Posts: 474 Member
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    Muscle weighs more than fat? I thought a pound was a pound. A pound of muscle weighs the same as fat. The difference is muscle is denser and takes up less space.
  • Crookmama
    Crookmama Posts: 2
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    I lost my first 86 lbs with 90% cardio only, now I do cardio 5 days a week and strength training 3 of the 5.... I totally agree with the switching up what kind of cardio you are doing...Zumba class is great burns tons of calories plus tones, circuit class is great as well or make your own circuit routine, I found my passion is spin class and road biking! I have 25 more to go so I am trying to do whatever works....
  • NeuroticVirgo
    NeuroticVirgo Posts: 3,671 Member
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    Have you ever considered trying HIIT, where instead of doing 45 minutes at a constant speed you break your workout up into sprints and recoveries?

    Also I would not give up on the strength training like someone else said, the act of you muscles recovering will help you continue burning calories long after you get home from the gym.

    Can you give more of an example of this? I'm looking it up, but in case i still don't understand haha Do you switch what your doing? Or is it just more like...run..walk...run..walk kind of thing?
  • NeuroticVirgo
    NeuroticVirgo Posts: 3,671 Member
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    Muscle weighs more than fat? I thought a pound was a pound. A pound of muscle weighs the same as fat. The difference is muscle is denser and takes up less space.

    I've actually heard that before too, that muscle doesn't actually weight more than fat. When I thought I was getting messed up from walking I was searching around for exercise making you gain, and I found these....there were more I read, but I can't find them now :(

    http://health.msn.com/fitness/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100185373

    http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=8311&sc=128
  • lloydrt
    lloydrt Posts: 1,121 Member
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    I only started exercise in my 3 rd month, before, its was only diet 0 lbs gone as of Feb 1, 2010
    I then did only cardio, the tread mill for 4 months.......... 74 lbs gone as of July 27, 2010
    I do 40 mins of weight training equipment, 60 - 90 mins of cardio. 108 lbs gone as of Oct 21, 2010


    Im older , 55, yet I had to start somewhere, esp with exercise induced asthma......Just be patient. Hey, know something?

    For me, and again, this applied to me., I just kept moving in the beginning, then around May, I just started walking, weather was nice, did yard work, and started at 10 mins on the tread mill at 1.0, ugh.......

    At the gym today, 3.6 at an incline of 5.0., and I did that for 70 minutes after I did about 40 mins of weight machines and then 30 more mins on the bike ....and Im 55 with exercise induced asthma..........I didnt have any plan, just kept moving and kept my cardio going, as my ultimate goal is to get off of blood pressure meds, which Im now on a lower dosage , and come Christmas, Ill be taken off completely.........

    Just keep moving, baby steps really do add up............Lloyd
  • Bamacraft
    Bamacraft Posts: 175 Member
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    I think GorillaNJ has a copy of the TNT. You may find some info on Spartacus (sp?) too. Do the HIIT no more than 3 x per week.

    Basically HIIT examples are:

    Warm up for 5 minutes
    Get on a track or treadmill and..
    sprint for 20 seconds
    Walk for 10 - 15 seconds
    Loop this for MAX of 20 minutes

    You may not make it to 20 minutes so do what you can do and work your way up. you can also start with longer walks but keep in mind HIIT does stand for "high intensity interval training". These are typically very tough if done right.

    Alternative EXAMPLE to this can be:

    lay out a plan with 6 different exercises (example: curls, shoulder press, step ups, squats, lunge, jumping jacks). You'll need light weight dumbells to use.

    Warm up ~ 5min
    with no rest between these
    step ups 60 seconds
    curls 30 seconds
    squats 30 seconds
    shoulder press 30 seconds
    lunge 30 seconds
    jumping jacks 30 seconds
    rest 1-2 minutes
    Now repeat again

    you should try to do this 3 times through. ~15minutes.
  • carrie145
    carrie145 Posts: 297
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    Keep doing both but ease back on the leg days. if your doing 45 minutes on elliptical then squats, leg extensions etc..that may be too much for a leg day, for upper body days no problem. Keep doing it as long as its working and you feel fine. you'll know if you are over training. If your routine stops producing results change it up. Actually i would change it every other month regardless.

    How many days / week are you doing this? Do you have cardio only days/ days off/ how much rest between weights days per muscle group?

    I go to the gym 4-5 days a week. I don't go on the weekends, and I do both cardio and weights everyday. I'm gonna switch it up next week

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