weight training and cardio

Depends on your goals.

To look the best on yoga pants, you should be doing both.

I have no desire to be "skinny". I like big booties, thick legs and boobies, Im way to big now! Just really not sure where to start. Are the machines ok vs the free weights?

I use the machines because I have arthritis in my hands, and I can't grip free weights.

You can get a hell of a workout using the machines.



Don't be scared of the free weights though.

"New Rules of Weight Lifting for Women"

Look it up.

My gym membership comes with one personal training session. It was great and might be what you need. The trainer showed me a lot of stuff I wouldn't have tried on my own, and also a lot of exercises not requiring machines or weights for that matter.

I'd look into a quick PT session to get started on weights, then do some cardio to warm up and maybe cool down and stick with weights. So long as you're eating what MFP says and lifting you'll keep your body but lose the parts you don't want.

Let me know if you have specific questions! I'm not perfect but I can let you know what's worked for me.

Well for me personally I have really only done cardio!

I go to the gym every day I walk on thr treadmill and I lift weights I was running but I hurt my knee so now I have to take an easy good luck dont be afraid to lift.. Muscle burns fat.

It seems that a lot of women are having better luck leaning out by doing weight training ( with heavier weights) as opposed to hours of cardio. The new rules of lifting for women, might be a good place to start doing some research and try to find a competent trainer at your gym that can get you started in the right direction. Compound movements like squats and dead lifts will put muscle on you fast. Rule of thumb, start your workout with free weights when you are fresh and finish your work out with machines when you don't have to focus on balance and control, just the push or pull movement. Best of luck

DEFINITELY do weights! Cardio has it's place too, but adding muscle will increase your basal metabolic rate, which basically means you'll burn more calories all the time, not just when you're working out. I like to switch up stuff so it doesn't get boring - someone mentioned Jaime Eason's Live Fit Trainer, which I'm currently doing to add more lifting into my routines.

Another great thing to add is HIIT. I don't mean sprinting and walking - I mean doing a full body workout at high intensity for short bursts. Doing regular HIIT workouts with some additional cardio and a proper diet, I transformed my body - I got lean and muscular.
An example of a HIIT circuit I would do:
50 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest. Do the entire circuit 3-5 times as hard as you can while keeping good form, and you will sweat like a pig.
1. Burpees
2. Back lunge with bicep curl
3. Mountain climbers
4. Squat Jumps
5. Bike Abs

Seriously, HIIT is amazing. You literally torch fat and build muscle and the workouts are short because they are so intense. You get resistance training and cardio done together. Also, theres TONS of variety - you can put anything into a circuit. Lately I love doing 50 seconds of weight alternating with 40 seconds of jump rope- killer

OK SO resources:
bodyrock.tv
dailyhiit.com
http://www.pinterest.com/bodyrocktv/workouts/
https://www.youtube.com/user/mioja1978
https://www.youtube.com/user/ssolom9

I know this reply got long but I really love this stuff! It makes me sad to see women slaving away on the elliptical for 2 hours and not losing weight - that is freakin miserable! I used to do that and I never stuck with it because I hated it and I was just punishing myself. Doing these workouts has changed my relationship to my fitness and body - now I LOVE my workouts, I love to push myself, and I love my body. I'll stop now but seriously, don't be scared of the weights!!