stop overdoing cardio and hit the damn weights!!!

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  • Smash666
    Smash666 Posts: 42 Member
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    Being an ex cardio junkie myself... And having learned the error of my ways, it drives me bonkers to watch girls spend hours going a steady lengthy time on any cardio machine and then leave without even giving the weights a glance.
    And they wonder why they dont make any progress in the gym...
    For one... Im a firm believer in interval training... And how a mix of different intensity (fartlick) is far more beneficial in the long run then going full boar for a full 20 minutes straight.
    Two... Muscle burns cals... Even at rest... The more muscle you have the more cals you burn... Even when your sleeping... And no lifting weights won't make you manly and huge
    Unless that's what your working for and have an exercise routine to make that happen.
  • Amwhite1986
    Amwhite1986 Posts: 194 Member
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    Umm, no. I will not hit the weights. And not because I think it'll make me bulky.
    1. I don't want to.
    2. I reeeaallly enjoy walking and jogging.
    3. I have no intentions of paying for a full gym membership to have access to weights.
    4. I'm still working on losing fat, toning is for when I'm closer to my goal. I can barely do many squats or lunges right now.

    I don't get why so many people think everyone should lift. People are going to do what they enjoy.

    Well, if your goal is not a great looking body, but rather just not being fat, then keep doing whatcha doing...
    "A great looking body" is up to the individual.

    I guess that's hard for you to understand.

    Exactly. A great body for me isn't having visible muscle definition, abs or even being skinny. It's being healthy and looking the way I want to look which involves soft curves. I not only look smaller than the last time I was this weight, I look a lot healthier. My legs are a lot firmer and I'm ACTIVE. The key component for better health, being active in general.
  • Amwhite1986
    Amwhite1986 Posts: 194 Member
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    Umm, no. I will not hit the weights. And not because I think it'll make me bulky.
    1. I don't want to.
    2. I reeeaallly enjoy walking and jogging.
    3. I have no intentions of paying for a full gym membership to have access to weights.
    4. I'm still working on losing fat, toning is for when I'm closer to my goal. I can barely do many squats or lunges right now.

    I don't get why so many people think everyone should lift. People are going to do what they enjoy.

    I don't feel that anyone has to hit the weights (reasons 1-3 make sense), but your fourth reason for not doing it is that you're going to to do it eventually..? So why not start now if you're going to be doing it anyway? And not being able to do squats or lunges is more motivation to work on them so you can actually do a few.


    I said I'm going to tone eventually. Not that I'm going to lift. I have no intentions of lifting. That would be a $62/month gym membership.
    I am starting to do body weight excerises, I only started last week. Which is why I can't do much yet. And I'll do the 30 day shred. Lifting isn't the only way to tone.
  • HexyleneGlycol
    HexyleneGlycol Posts: 56
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    I do find weight lifting helps tone your body and Idk why people are saying they dont lift weights cuz they only have 5 pound weights. I have only ever used 3-5 pound weights and they work fine, its just the way you use them. If you incorporate weights into your pilates, lunges and your cardio workout, they work just as well as toning. Repetitive lifts that take your muscles to temporary fatigue is all it takes and you dont need any more than 3-8 pound weights to do that, especially if youre a woman...I am considering purchasing some 8 pound weights though...Only because I want to see more definition faster.
  • tyraun_b
    tyraun_b Posts: 65
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    Define "overdoing cardio". If someone isn't doing any strength training that doesn't mean that cardio is to blame. Why are you specifically singling out women OP? Why can't men share how lifting has made a difference? Men do things too you know?


    overdoing cardio: hours and hours of slow, low intensity, steady state cardio without barely breaking a sweat day in and day out. and this would be their only type of exercise PERIOD!!! another definition would be....either hours and hours of high/moderate intensity cardio without incorporating ANY type of resistance exercise. hence.....one of these will cause the person to look exactly the same (they would be better off staying home or walking to the corner store..which would be damn near equivalent), or they end up doing so much that they burn away the muscle that they already had. WHICH could POSSIBLY result them in having a higher fat percentage then they originally had.

    this is not intended to be a sexist topic where i'm just picking on women, because this goes for EVERYONE!!!! it's just simple conversation and something i wanted to express and hear the views of, because it's something i see and hear way too often. and yes ALOT of MEN fall into this category too. i even have some of my friends who are like this. it just doesn't normally apply to most guys as it does with women, because men have a tendency to wanna be muscular and not too skinny. to top this off i enjoy hearing how women go hard in the gym. i like to hear that women aren't shy/intimidated to bang with the fellas in the gym.
    it's something that i believe would help push them harder. it would allow them to set a higher bar for themselves so they could reach their goals!!!

    from the famous Ronnie Coleman: "people wanna get stronger but people don't wanna lift no heavy a#% weight!!"
    to break that down for you....that means lifting more than what you're use to in order to stimulate muscle growth..but at the same time not doing more than what you can really handle!!!
  • kelly_e_montana
    kelly_e_montana Posts: 1,999 Member
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    I think a lot of people don't understand how intimidating it is for a woman to start lifting. I do some body weight exercises at home and will work on weight machines in the gym but the free weight room is full of huge guys, I just don't feel welcomed and my efforts were sometimes laughed at. Additionally I feel to properly lift heavy you really need instruction, or can risk some serious injuries, and I definitely cannot afford a personal trainer!

    You were laughed at?

    I have never been laughed at (that I know of). Usually I have found guys to be pretty encouraging.

    We had a women's area at my gym when I started lifting. I worked out there for years until it became open to both men and women. Still, it's mostly women. I've gotten more into barbells lately and have ventured into the main weight area (I've only seen another woman in there once). The guys give me a lot of weird looks and in fact sometimes, roll their eyes and leave the room when I walk in. I know proper form. I've had a trainer.

    I have thought about switching to another gym but frankly I won't because they just have one main area and I'd rather deal with the smaller woman-inhabited weight area at my current gym. I get a lot of support from guys when I'm lifting in CrossFit but even then there are a few haters who always say I didn't do as many reps as I did or who contradict all of my coaches and tell them I shouldn't try lifting that heavy or I shouldn't try setting new personal records. For example, when I had a female coach, my deadlift was 200 and before that all the guys in my class were telling me to stick with 145 two weeks earlier. That being said, I do have some great male coaches who encourage me and I appreciate them very much for understanding I can try more and just drop weight if my form starts breaking down (and making me do so).

    So my point is, I get where you are at. If I had continued doing it on my own at the gym, I was ready to seek out a male lifting partner. The fear is way, way more challenging than anything you will lift.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
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    At the end of the day: lifting is challenging. It's supposed to be.

    If you are being put off from doing it because you are bothered by the looks that you think other people are giving you, well you're going to have to get over that real quick if you are going to make a go of it.

    Man, women, girl, boy. There's someone out there stronger than you. There's someone out there faster than you. There's someone out there who knows more than you. You're getting older and losing what you had, they're younger than you and getting better. Welcome to life.

    Time to get out of the pity mindset and just move the damn Iron. Get into a relationship with it. Forget about the rest of the bullsh!t that's either already in the weight room, or you bring in with you.

    Get it done for yourself. Other people and your thoughts on them are irrelevant.
  • kelly_e_montana
    kelly_e_montana Posts: 1,999 Member
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    At the end of the day: lifting is challenging. It's supposed to be.

    If you are being put off from doing it because you are bothered by the looks that you think other people are giving you, well you're going to have to get over that real quick if you are going to make a go of it.

    Man, women, girl, boy. There's someone out there stronger than you. There's someone out there faster than you. There's someone out there who knows more than you. You're getting older and losing what you had, they're younger than you and getting better. Welcome to life.

    Time to get out of the pity mindset and just move the damn Iron. Get into a relationship with it. Forget about the rest of the bullsh!t that's either already in the weight room, or you bring in with you.

    Get it done for yourself. Other people and your thoughts on them are irrelevant.

    Not exactly. I lift and have been lifting for years. I disagree. You are a man and I am a woman and you really can't put yourself ini my place, so your thoughts on this are not relevant to me.


    P.S. Come to pole dance class with me and see if you feel comfortable. It is a great total bodyweight and flexibility building program. I bet you would feel strange the first few times.
    I definitely think there are ways to lift weights that are less intimidating to women, so I'm not encouraging women not to do it. However, the process of going to a gym and lifting is much harder than the actual exercise. Don't let it stop you, ladies, but don't let a man tell you your feelings aren't valid.
  • Rai007
    Rai007 Posts: 387 Member
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    I would love to lift after losing some more weight.
    but i need a gym and proper guidance as how to lift.
    and hiring a trainer seems to be expensive in my city.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
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    I definitely think there are ways to lift weights that are less intimidating to women, so I'm not encouraging women not to do it. However, the process of going to a gym and lifting is much harder than the actual exercise. Don't let it stop you, ladies, but don't let a man tell you your feelings aren't valid.

    You misunderstand me. I'm not saying your feelings aren't valid.

    I'm saying that you need to transcend them.

    People are always trying to put you in boxes. Don't put yourself in one.
  • Nicolee_2014
    Nicolee_2014 Posts: 1,572 Member
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    I try to do more lifting but I like cardio more......I will take your advice :smile: thanking you :happy:
  • xLaPetiteFille
    xLaPetiteFille Posts: 76
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    Weights have done wonders on my body
  • robinsondel
    robinsondel Posts: 47
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    At the end of the day: lifting is challenging. It's supposed to be.

    If you are being put off from doing it because you are bothered by the looks that you think other people are giving you, well you're going to have to get over that real quick if you are going to make a go of it.

    Man, women, girl, boy. There's someone out there stronger than you. There's someone out there faster than you. There's someone out there who knows more than you. You're getting older and losing what you had, they're younger than you and getting better. Welcome to life.

    Time to get out of the pity mindset and just move the damn Iron. Get into a relationship with it. Forget about the rest of the bullsh!t that's either already in the weight room, or you bring in with you.

    Get it done for yourself. Other people and your thoughts on them are irrelevant.

    ^^this.... I usually go to my gym late at night, because I just don't like being seen with all my nearly 500lbs of fat flabbing around. You'd think fitness minded people would actually think it's cool that a fatty is trying to do something about it, but there are a lot of people who are there to put on a show and flit around looking at themselves in the mirrors and admire how they look, and I'm not talking about the women at my local gym acting like that, it's the dudes. The other night, I was in a situation to go early, or not go at all and I didn't want to miss, so I went. Sure enough, it was semi-crowded and some of those types were there and I really didn't want to go in, but I decided to suck it up and do it. I did get quite a few of those "eww, what's your fat *kitten* doing here" looks and attitude but I climbed my mountainous self on the treadmill and did my 30 minutes.

    I almost skipped my weight training all together, because I didn't want to leave the relative isolation of the cardio area, I say "relative" because other than people coming in and out or going to the water fountain, you're separated rated from view of the gym floor. Bad part, a couple of the ones who kept giving me the ugly looks when they'd come to the water fountain were EMT's, hopefully my life never depends on them lol, but anyways, I digress. I decided to suck it up and do my weight training. I actually hate the cardio and love the lifting weights, so I wasn't going to skip it because of attitude. I'm really glad I did and I think it will actually make me more comfortable going again when I'm not guaranteed to be alone. In the end, I'm doing this for me and don't give a damn what people think, so I shouldn't care what they think while I'm in the process.
  • Rai007
    Rai007 Posts: 387 Member
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    i think everyone who promotes lifting is doing a great job!!
    because cardio leads to low fat but low muscle as well
    and for being healthy we need low fat but good muscle
    and lifting actully does this.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    I think a lot of people don't understand how intimidating it is for a woman to start lifting. I do some body weight exercises at home and will work on weight machines in the gym but the free weight room is full of huge guys, I just don't feel welcomed and my efforts were sometimes laughed at. Additionally I feel to properly lift heavy you really need instruction, or can risk some serious injuries, and I definitely cannot afford a personal trainer!

    You were laughed at?

    I have never been laughed at (that I know of). Usually I have found guys to be pretty encouraging.

    We had a women's area at my gym when I started lifting. I worked out there for years until it became open to both men and women. Still, it's mostly women. I've gotten more into barbells lately and have ventured into the main weight area (I've only seen another woman in there once). The guys give me a lot of weird looks and in fact sometimes, roll their eyes and leave the room when I walk in. I know proper form. I've had a trainer.

    I have thought about switching to another gym but frankly I won't because they just have one main area and I'd rather deal with the smaller woman-inhabited weight area at my current gym. I get a lot of support from guys when I'm lifting in CrossFit but even then there are a few haters who always say I didn't do as many reps as I did or who contradict all of my coaches and tell them I shouldn't try lifting that heavy or I shouldn't try setting new personal records. For example, when I had a female coach, my deadlift was 200 and before that all the guys in my class were telling me to stick with 145 two weeks earlier. That being said, I do have some great male coaches who encourage me and I appreciate them very much for understanding I can try more and just drop weight if my form starts breaking down (and making me do so).

    So my point is, I get where you are at. If I had continued doing it on my own at the gym, I was ready to seek out a male lifting partner. The fear is way, way more challenging than anything you will lift.

    If they leave the room - more equipment for you is freed up :wink:

    Unfortunately you get idiots all over the place. I just keep myself in my own zone in my head, knowing that my form is better than the majority of people there.

    I do get you though, the challenge is getting into that zone. After a while it really does get easier - it's like anything new.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    Umm, no. I will not hit the weights. And not because I think it'll make me bulky.
    1. I don't want to.
    2. I reeeaallly enjoy walking and jogging.
    3. I have no intentions of paying for a full gym membership to have access to weights.
    4. I'm still working on losing fat, toning is for when I'm closer to my goal. I can barely do many squats or lunges right now.

    I don't get why so many people think everyone should lift. People are going to do what they enjoy.

    I don't feel that anyone has to hit the weights (reasons 1-3 make sense), but your fourth reason for not doing it is that you're going to to do it eventually..? So why not start now if you're going to be doing it anyway? And not being able to do squats or lunges is more motivation to work on them so you can actually do a few.


    I said I'm going to tone eventually. Not that I'm going to lift. I have no intentions of lifting. That would be a $62/month gym membership.
    I am starting to do body weight excerises, I only started last week. Which is why I can't do much yet. And I'll do the 30 day shred. Lifting isn't the only way to tone.

    Programs like Convict Conditioning and You Are Your Own Gym are a good way to get some resistance training that incorporates progressive loading - they are body weight routines. Something to look into.
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
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    i think everyone who promotes lifting is doing a great job!!
    because cardio leads to low fat but low muscle as well
    and for being healthy we need low fat but good muscle
    and lifting actully does this.
    Saying "cardio leads to low fat but low muscle as well" is way too broad.

    Very low calorie intake coupled with too much cardio, and no resistance training can (most probably will) lead to "low fat but low muscle".

    That is why general statements are bad, especially when they are not in the correct context.
  • fashionosack
    fashionosack Posts: 94
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    I suggest you use it healthy weight loss, healthy weight loss is not difficult, in one sentence, exercise plus diet, it must pay attention to diet: balanced nutrition, but also strictly control the intake of calories, this is my personal experience, I before eating hormone, a lot of fat, sick after a good man like bread made ​​up of the same, but, after nearly two years to lose weight, I've been close to ordinary people!
  • DemetersRest
    DemetersRest Posts: 2
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    I do both, but the feeling I get from doing a cardio session, whether that be a Park Run, 10km, Half Marathon, whatever far outweighs that which I feel after a weights session. Psychologically I feel like I ahve achieved more... I KNOW it's not the case but it feels that way. Although I would suggest this is probably not the reason that stops most women lifting.
  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
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    I do both, but the feeling I get from doing a cardio session, whether that be a Park Run, 10km, Half Marathon, whatever far outweighs that which I feel after a weights session. Psychologically I feel like I ahve achieved more... I KNOW it's not the case but it feels that way. Although I would suggest this is probably not the reason that stops most women lifting.

    I think that's a good point.

    Cardio does have more of an instant gratification aspect than weights in my experience. In addition there are less barriers to entry for women when it comes to cardio than weights. You can put on a pair of shoes and off you go. With weights you have more of a process and learning curve to get through before you can even begin. Couple that with it takes a little longer to see results, the fear that weights rooms are male environments and the fear of looking bulky and therefore "unfeminine" and you have a lot to get past.

    It's a shame really as I think on an intellectual level many women actually know there are huge benefits to weight training but practicalities and emotional hold them back.

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