Weight loss and weight training

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jollyoldgeezer
jollyoldgeezer Posts: 5
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello all

I'm currently on a mission to lose an additional 55-60 lbs. During the last two years I've lost roughly 50 lbs through dieting. Now I want to step it up a notch.

During the last three weeks, I've been training with weights and I really like it. The plan is to combine it with cardio training once my body gets stronger. I have an old injury on my left knee, which is why I'm not rushing for the treadmill immediately.

So, does any of you have any experiences with weight loss through weight training combined with cardio (and dieting ofc.)? Are there any pitfalls I should look out for?

Any advice would be appreciated :)

Cheers

Replies

  • crb0077
    crb0077 Posts: 35
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    Hi, Well done with your weight loss, that's amazing!!

    I have been weight training for the past 9 months and also love it! I didn't want to lose any weight before I started and I very rarely do any cardio maybe a fast paced hill walk on the treadmill but very very rarely run!

    I have gained a stone since I started....however I have lost inches....I look a lot better than I did before I started ( I was a fat skinny person) now I'm pretty solid! Muscle is more dense than fat and a kg of fat takes up so much more space than a kg of muscle... so therefore the scales do not bother me.

    I'm not sure how you can judge this if you're on a mission to lose weight, you will be losing fat (muscle ups your metabolic rate and burns the fat) But I bet you will feel and look better...maybe use inches rather than weight!?

    Sorry I can't be of any more help.
  • danimalkeys
    danimalkeys Posts: 982 Member
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    Lifting while dieting is the best way, in my opinion. It helps preserve your muscle mass as you lose weight. Without lifting, you'll lose muscle along with the fat. I made that mistake on my 1st 50lb drop and lost a lot of muscle mass that I had spent years building thru weightlifting. I started lifting again this past Feb after a few years layoff and it's definitely helping with my body composition.
  • jollyoldgeezer
    jollyoldgeezer Posts: 5
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    Thank you for your replies, I really appreciate them. :)

    @crb0077
    I defiantly experienced an energy boost and I've already lost an inch around the waist. So that's a good sign!
    That metabolism works wonders ^^
    However, according to a bodybuilder friend of mine, I won't be able to gain muscle mass and lose weight at the same time. But then again, it's not my objective to build muscle mass or to become a body builder. Still, according to your story, I should be able to gradually transform my body into more muscle.
    But I still need to loose weight since my case is a bit different than yours.
    Still, I should be able to do it according to this article.
    http://www.mensfitness.com/training/lose-weight/trainer-qa-how-to-mix-cardio-and-strength-building-to-zap-fat

    @danimalkeys
    I think you made a good point. I've previously lost 68 lbs and I looked like a semi-fat bean stock. lol
    I just hope this won't happen again.
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
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    Just lift and do some walking.... Cardio is overrated. If you don't want to be a runner then dont train to be a runner.
  • jollyoldgeezer
    jollyoldgeezer Posts: 5
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    "A gentleman will walk but never run" - Sting
    (Unless he's chased by a raging bear) :P

    Still, I'll like to improve my stamina. Thanks for the reply :)
  • danimalkeys
    danimalkeys Posts: 982 Member
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    Just lift and do some walking.... Cardio is overrated. If you don't want to be a runner then dont train to be a runner.

    It's overrated unless you want a healthy heart and lungs. Lifting doesn't do that for you.

    I used to bench in the upper 400's and squat in the mid 600's. I didn't do any cardio, ever. To me, cardio was a waste of time, and I joked that for me, cardio was any set with more than 5 reps in it. Here was a guy who could move a refrigerator by himself, but would be out of breath from carrying a basket of laundry from the basement to the 2nd floor bedroom. Not real good for long term health. I might need help moving a fridge these days, but I can run laundry up and down the steps all day long!
  • krissynicole787
    krissynicole787 Posts: 121 Member
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    Just lift and do some walking.... Cardio is overrated. If you don't want to be a runner then dont train to be a runner.

    Cardio is NOT overrated. My asthma symptoms have decreased dramatically. Before I would have to use my inhaler just from laughing too hard. Now I can talk while running without having to take my inhaler.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    Walking is all you need for cardio. It's what humans evolved to do. Walk long distances, sprint very short distances (to escape predators.) I lift 4 days a week, and walk several miles a day. I have no issues moving refrigerators or walking up and down stairs.

    Cardio itself isn't really overrated, but running is. People latch onto running due to the calorie burns.

    If you enjoy running, by all means run, I much prefer walking.
  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
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    Just lift and do some walking.... Cardio is overrated. If you don't want to be a runner then dont train to be a runner.

    This - especially if you have knee issues. And to the hardcaor cardio peeps: good for you, but in my personal experience walking (we're not talking a stroll through the park here, btw) is just as good for your heart and lungs - my resting HR is 54, thanks - and it's WAY less stress on the body.

    OP: Have fun lifting - it's awesome!!!
  • danimalkeys
    danimalkeys Posts: 982 Member
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    Walking is all you need for cardio. It's what humans evolved to do. Walk long distances, sprint very short distances (to escape predators.) I lift 4 days a week, and walk several miles a day. I have no issues moving refrigerators or walking up and down stairs.

    Cardio itself isn't really overrated, but running is. People latch onto running due to the calorie burns.

    If you enjoy running, by all means run, I much prefer walking.

    I don't run either, but I do get on an elliptical a few days a week. Even at my heaviest, I walked a lot, at a brisk pace (2 big dogs to exercise) and still never got the heart rate going enough to be effective.
  • jollyoldgeezer
    jollyoldgeezer Posts: 5
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    I believe that cardio is very important. But I don't need to be able to run for miles and miles. That's not my aim. But I do want to be able to play with my kids without loosing my breath. :)

    I absolutely love to walk, but a good long walk takes time. I've previously lost a lot of weight simply by walking, so it defiantly works.
    However, I've read that ending each weight training session with 5-10 min cardio (elliptical or bike) work even better.

    I've never had a problem with my knee on the elliptical machines, so I guess that's the machine for me - even though I despise them lol.
  • astronomicals
    astronomicals Posts: 1,537 Member
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    When I was writing my post originally I actually typed out some stuff about ellipticals and bikes, but, I retracted it because plenty of people overdo those, too. Low impact doesn't necessarily mean injury free. I didnt say cardio is useless, I said it's overrated. The OP has preexisting injuries and didn't indicate any sort of goal besides weightloss.

    A former powerlifter saying he could barely tie his shoes without losing his breath is not a valid reasoning for a person with a history of injury to do something that may flare/aggravate that injury. An asthmatic who now can breath better is also not a reason to suggest he do something that could lead to injury. Cardio is overrated for weightloss. Is that better?
  • AZ_Gato
    AZ_Gato Posts: 1,270 Member
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    Weight loss is about creating a caloric deficiency, the real question is how to maintain your lean body.mass while losing fat, not just overall weight.

    Good luck sir!
  • YouHadMyCuriosity
    YouHadMyCuriosity Posts: 218 Member
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    From my understanding, you will not GAIN muscle mass if you are losing weight, but you will preserve more lean muscle mass and a higher percentage of the weight loss will be fat- meaning that you will end up with a better body composition. Anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.
  • EricRazorbacks
    EricRazorbacks Posts: 42 Member
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    OP, I did weight training and cardio and lost a good chunk of weight. For your cardio, I'd suggest finding something you personally enjoy and that won't hurt your knee. Hopefully, your knee gets better and your cardio options will increase. Anyway, most of my cardio originally consisted of running, but I did that so I could run better on the bball court when I got the rare opportunity to play. I have a young son too, and now I get a lot of cardio with him: swimming, running up and down a field dribbling a soccer ball, racing on foot while he rides his scooter, boogie boarding. Pretty fun stuff, especially since I'm getting to join in on the things he likes to do. Just make sure you take care of that bum knee before your son has you doing something crazy like jump from the top of the monkey bars.

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