Cardio vs Weights

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  • pdramsey
    pdramsey Posts: 2
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    Hang in there, doing something is better than doing nothing. I have been going to the gym for 7 months..but haven't seen the weight loss I wanted. I have a trainer and he varies my training schedule .. I work hard every day..but don't always do the same thing. We discussed the fact that although I am one size smaller now I only lost 16 lbs. He suggested this site for recording my food intake. He took one look at my food intake last week and "had a fit". Too many carbs and not enough protein. Starting last Friday I have doubled my protein and taken in about 1/2 the carbs. Lost 3 lbs since Friday. This week we are back to strenght training with free weights and machines with 10 minutes on the stationary bike and 10 on the ellipital. We also added 2 more sets to each exercise increasing the weights a little each time. In two weeks we will go back to cross fit. Not my favorite but I seem to have more energy today, so maybe it won't be too bad.. Yes, I am sore sometimes, but he keeps me from doing the exercises wrong so no injuries. The trainer is the best thing I have done in years and now I can add keeping a record of my food intake. Smile and enjoy!
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
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    just keep on mixing what you do every so often so you dont get bored. walking up steep hills or steps burns a lot of cals. weights tone you up and look good but if you have a lot of body fat it will bulk you up and make you look bigger than you are. i am getting my body fat off then hitting the weights to tone myself up but for now biking walking cross country hikes will have to do. i used to do the weights years ago and my weight was heavy but my body was good then but weight is weight and if its too much it is a health risk to carry a lot of baggage . you see a lot of huge body builders fall down with heart attacks so cardio i thinks much better to start with and will ease your bones back into shape before you pound them at a gym with weights.

    I fear you are mistaken. Let me address each point in turn -

    1. Weights will not 'make you bulky' if you are eating at a calorie deficit. That applies to both men and women. Growth needs to be fueled, and when fuel is in short supply the body will not prioritize muscle growth over fueling basic functions.

    2. Even at a caloric surplus, weights will not make women bulky unless they train hard toward it. Women simply do not grow at the same rate as men. Female body builders exist, of course, but they didn't walk into a gym and suddenly bulky. Check out some of our resident strong-women. They do not look like condoms stuffed with walnuts.

    3. By avoiding resistance training as you lose weight, you are losing what muscle you do have. That means you are also losing less fat than you could. Surely better to lose 50lb of fat and 2lb of muscle in a year, than lose 50lb of fat and 10lb of muscle in 14 months, then have to work hard for another 5 months to rebuild that 10lb of muscle?

    4. Fat weight and muscle weight do not have the exact same impact on your health. While additional muscle weight still adds stress to joints like fat does, the benefits outstrip the cons. And if you can focus your weight loss on fat as much as possible, it is far healthier than losing both fat and muscle.

    5. Please provide a citation for huge body builders falling down having heart attacks in large proportion than obese people, or even healthy weight people. Sorry, but I believe you made this statistic up to support your arguments.

    6. As to strengthening joints and bones with cardio 'before pounding them with weights', I barely know where to start. You have this on its head. Steady state cardio like running puts massive stress on the joints. Far, far, far more than weight lifting, even at staggering amounts of weight. Think about it. The impact your knee experiences every step is estimated at twice your weight. So if you weigh 150lb, that's a 300lb impact. Run 5 miles, and that's 5,000 reps per knee. For a total load of 1,500,000 pounds per knee. Those 25 reps of 100lb squats three times a week don't seem like such a pounding in comparison.

    I'm a runner and a lifter, by the way. I don't have a horse in this race. I believe both cardio-vascular exercise (in any form, whether steady state or via a sport) and strength training are essential for optimal health.
  • just_Jennie1
    just_Jennie1 Posts: 1,233
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    I don't know how anyone can enjoy sweating their butt of for an hour in a gym. Outdoors is enjoyable. Exercise classes are better for people who can't handle the workouts (not enjoyable) on their own. Join a gym that offers many different classes to help with that.

    Sure outside is better. For those who can get out there all the time and during the winter months. Me? I'm not going to throw on my running shoes and go for a run when it's:

    1) -30 degrees outside
    2) Spots of ice every where, some of which I can't see because they're covered by snow
    3) Pot holes that can swallow a compact car that I can't see because they're covered by snow

    I almost busted my ankle running when I fell into a pothole that I didn't see. I was a few miles from my house too. I was able to walk it off thankfully but that's not my idea of "fun".

    Exercise classes are for those people who like to do them. I used to do a high intense step and kick boxing class. I did them because I loved it and it was different than the other cardio that I normally did and kept me from getting bored. It didn't mean that I didn't have the 'discipline' to workout on my own or didn't find it 'enjoyable' because I still did my lifting and running and what have you by myself other days of the week.

    Different strokes.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    @ jonnythan I'm on a calorie deficit til I reach my goal. You're a weight loss expert if you had to lose 60lbs.

    I saw the other thread you created yesterday, asking very basic questions about calorie and macro intake. You appear to have ignored the advice you were given in that thread.

    In all seriousness. You are on a dangerous path. You are not doing this the right way. Your calorie intake is dangerously low, you are doing extreme amounts of exercise, and your macronutrient intake is totally out of whack. You are consuming virtually zero fruits or vegetables.

    The advice you're giving here is dangerous. You need to stop, right now.
  • jucooper1
    jucooper1 Posts: 4
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    You'll typically burn more calories in 45 minutes of cardio than you will in 45 minutes of weight lifting. However, there are ways to increase your caloric burn during weights, such as circuit training, supersets, etc. Ultimately, if you want to lose weight you need to burn more calories than you take in, so if you burn less calories, you can eat a little less to achieve the same weight loss effect. I would also suggest trying to walk more during the day, if possible, to increase you burn. In short, you can still achieve your goals without doing cardio. Hope this helps.
  • chrs86
    chrs86 Posts: 151 Member
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    I didn't know it was dangerous to work out 4-5 times a week? Give me a break. Worry about yourself and your own food intake. You just want to be an argumentative troll.
  • nikkylyn
    nikkylyn Posts: 325 Member
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    I think they are both Important. Cardio great for heart health. Start with weights 2x a week. If you hate machines do something else. Hiking biking walking around your neighborhood swimming etc so many options.

    I love the eliptical or swimming just gotta find what you love. Outdoor I love hiking which I have to becareful because of an old ankle injury that now sprains easily. Which is why I have to do low impact. You just gotta do what works.
  • just_Jennie1
    just_Jennie1 Posts: 1,233
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    You recorded 30 minutes of Cybex as 499 calories, or 1000 calories per hour. This is inaccurate.

    I don't know how much the OP has to lose but this is really dependent upon how much you weigh.

    My husband and I can do the arc trainer, same amount of time, same program ("weight loss), same level (5). He will burn 500+ calories and I will burn at the most 320. This is per the machine.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    I didn't know it was dangerous to work out 4-5 times a week? Give me a break. Worry about yourself and your own food intake. You just want to be an argumentative troll.

    Well you can't reach everyone. Hopefully the people reading along can differentiate the solid advice from the bunk.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    You recorded 30 minutes of Cybex as 499 calories, or 1000 calories per hour. This is inaccurate.

    I don't know how much the OP has to lose but this is really dependent upon how much you weigh.

    My husband and I can do the arc trainer, same amount of time, same program ("weight loss), same level (5). He will burn 500+ calories and I will burn at the most 320. This is per the machine.

    The user I was talking to has less than 20 lbs to lose according to his ticker. 1000 calorie burn in an hour would be rather extraordinary.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    I didn't know it was dangerous to work out 4-5 times a week? Give me a break. Worry about yourself and your own food intake. You just want to be an argumentative troll.

    Eating below 1800 net calories for a guy is dangerous, not getting in enough fat is dangerous

    Your beliefs that you know all is dangerous...probably the most dangerous of all...

    Ignorance can be fixed with education...willful ignorance which is what you are showing can't...
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    You recorded 30 minutes of Cybex as 499 calories, or 1000 calories per hour. This is inaccurate.

    I don't know how much the OP has to lose but this is really dependent upon how much you weigh.

    My husband and I can do the arc trainer, same amount of time, same program ("weight loss), same level (5). He will burn 500+ calories and I will burn at the most 320. This is per the machine.

    The user I was talking to has less than 20 lbs to lose according to his ticker. 1000 calorie burn in an hour would be rather extraordinary.

    And machines are known for over estimating as well.
  • Riemersma4
    Riemersma4 Posts: 400 Member
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    No interest in commenting on other posts as there appear to be some 'strong emotions'.

    OP, there is lots of truth being shared in the thread if you are willing to read it.

    My input is rather simple: you really can't LOVE everything about working out all of the time. If you could, there would be a LOT more fit people in the world. Bottom line, it takes some resolve and commitment. Not everyone is cut from that cloth.

    Here is a high level view of a workout week for me:
    Sunday: 4 mile, hour long walk with my dog. My favorite workout of the week (and his)
    Monday: 12 - 15 minute warm up on some cardio gear (elliptical or bike) and 30 ish minutes of upper body weights
    Tuesday: 15 minute warm up on stair machine and 30 ish minutes of lower body weights
    Wednesday: 45 minutes of cardio (kick boxing, running, etc)
    Thursday: 12 - 15 minute warm up on cardio and 30 ish minutes of shoulders, bicep and tricep weights
    Friday: 45 minute cardio (swimming in the pool preferred, run, etc)
    Saturday: 45 - 60 minute full body workout like P90X Core, Yoga and martial arts workout

    I have my macros set to 35/35/30. Pretty good shape for a 50 year old guy:
    15% BF
    RHR of 45 BPM
    I can bench my weigh 5 times and run 7 minute miles (when needed!)

    Best to all!
  • thekyleo
    thekyleo Posts: 632 Member
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    BTW, I don't do cardio (though I do play tennis and racquetball).

    That sentence can't possibly be true.

    "Do cardio" to me means that the purpose of the activity is cardiovascular exercise specifically. That's not why I play tennis. I play tennis because tennis is fun and competitive. I'd never, ever grab my tennis racquet and say that I'm going to "do cardio."

    I encourage people not to "do cardio" but to find something active they enjoy.

    ^this. Even though I enjoy running, I don't refer to it as "Cardio"
  • parkscs
    parkscs Posts: 1,639 Member
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    Are people seriously suggesting going to the gym more than "3 hours a week" is overtraining and that working out out more than 3 hours a week is never better for your health? :laugh: Honestly overtraining is a real thing, but I don't think 3 hours/week is the threshold that constitutes overtraining. The lengths people will go to to defend their own routine as the best...
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    BTW, I don't do cardio (though I do play tennis and racquetball).

    That sentence can't possibly be true.

    "Do cardio" to me means that the purpose of the activity is cardiovascular exercise specifically. That's not why I play tennis. I play tennis because tennis is fun and competitive. I'd never, ever grab my tennis racquet and say that I'm going to "do cardio."

    I encourage people not to "do cardio" but to find something active they enjoy.

    So you don't do "steady-state" cardio, but only cardio that is enjoyable. That makes more sense than, "I don't do cardio, but I play sports."
  • chrs86
    chrs86 Posts: 151 Member
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    I didn't record that number. I put the time in that I worked out and that's what MFP gave for the calories. So likely it was below that. I have been on an arc trainer for 30 minutes 100inlcine 100 resistance and burned close to 500. I was in better shape at the time although. I don't go exactly by the calories for exercise or food on MFP. I log to give myself an overview of close to where I'm at for what I want to accomplish.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
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    Are people seriously suggesting going to the gym more than "3 hours a week" is overtraining and that working out out more than 3 hours a week is never better for your health? :laugh: Honestly overtraining is a real thing, but I don't think 3 hours/week is the threshold that constitutes overtraining. The lengths people will go to to defend their own routine as the best...

    No one suggested that.

    We attacked the idea that 3 hours a week is insufficient, and we attacked the idea that more is always better.
  • vjohn04
    vjohn04 Posts: 2,276 Member
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    I didn't know it was dangerous to work out 4-5 times a week? Give me a break. Worry about yourself and your own food intake. You just want to be an argumentative troll.

    Eating below 1800 net calories for a guy is dangerous, not getting in enough fat is dangerous

    Your beliefs that you know all is dangerous...probably the most dangerous of all...

    Ignorance can be fixed with education...willful ignorance which is what you are showing can't...

    ^This.

    I don't understand why people don't eat as much as they can while still losing weight. Faster isn't always better. Less isn't always better.

    It seems to me it just makes people hangry and then just plain angry when they hurt themselves from poor nutrition choices and overexercising.
  • parkscs
    parkscs Posts: 1,639 Member
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    I can bench my weigh 5 times and run 7 minute miles (when needed!)

    Serious WTF moment when I misread that as 5x my weight. :laugh:

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