Cardio Vs. Lifting
rijana12
Posts: 81 Member
Happy Friday everyone! So, I have a question that I've been getting mixed information on for quite a while now. I have been slowly losing weight for a while now. A little too slow (at most 5 pounds a month) and I would like to be closer to 2 pounds a week. I talked to a trainer at my gym yesterday and he said I should be lifting more rather than doing cardio. Right now, I do cardio 4-5 times a week and weight training about 3 times a week. He said I should even really be concerned with cardio as much, but rather lifting and building up muscle. I did some research on lifting and if I went that route, I should be eating a lot more than my 1500 calories I do today. Anyone have any advice with this? What is the best method for the fastest results with weight/fat loss without sacrificing muscle loss? Any advice you have would be greatly appreciated! :flowerforyou:
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Replies
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PRetty much all goes by a caloric deficit.Happy Friday everyone! So, I have a question that I've been getting mixed information on for quite a while now. I have been slowly losing weight for a while now. A little too slow (at most 5 pounds a month) and I would like to be closer to 2 pounds a week. I talked to a trainer at my gym yesterday and he said I should be lifting more rather than doing cardio. Right now, I do cardio 4-5 times a week and weight training about 3 times a week. He said I should even really be concerned with cardio as much, but rather lifting and building up muscle. I did some research on lifting and if I went that route, I should be eating a lot more than my 1500 calories I do today. Anyone have any advice with this? What is the best method for the fastest results with weight/fat loss without sacrificing muscle loss? Any advice you have would be greatly appreciated! :flowerforyou:
If it was me, I would keep up that routine and take alook at your intake calories.0 -
definitely lift, it helps retain muscle in the weight loss process, itll help you see progress better and you dont want to reach your goal weight and realize you have no muscle left! lifting doesnt necessarily mean you have to eat more, only if building muscle is your main goal would that be the case.
but i should mention that when it comes to weight loss/gain, diet is 90% of what matters. it is much easier to abstain from eating a calorie in the first place than it is to burn it off
5lbs/month is a very decent pace, i wouldnt push yourself too hard0 -
Do only cardio and by the time you hit your weight goal you will look like this.
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No one said to do only cardio.Do only cardio and by the time you hit your weight goal you will look like this.
OP said does cardio and lifts 3 x a week.0 -
http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/
http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/
http://iifym.com/bmr-calculator/
How I got started!
But keep in mind if you start seriously lifting, the scale may not move as much as you would like. I would get your bodyfat tested by a professional on a weekly basis (if that) and do it at the same time of the day every time wo food or water..that is what has worked best for ME. Just go with what you want but have fun and be healthy!0 -
I did mostly cardio,then started feeding in lifting sessions as well. IMO both are needed along with the calorie deficit.0
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Personally I weight training way more than cardio and see the weight loss result.0
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Your rate of loss is actually good. Lifting with cardio? Nothing but win.0
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http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/
http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/
http://iifym.com/bmr-calculator/
How I got started!
But keep in mind if you start seriously lifting, the scale may not move as much as you would like. I would get your bodyfat tested by a professional on a weekly basis (if that) and do it at the same time of the day every time wo food or water..that is what has worked best for ME. Just go with what you want but have fun and be healthy!
^^^ Absolutely this ^^^
If you can't get your BF% measured, do take measurements. Seriously. Smaller numbers on the tape measure took the sting out of the scale numbers not moving terribly fast.0 -
What is the best method for the fastest results with weight/fat loss without sacrificing muscle loss? Any advice you have would be
Fast = muscle loss
Your weekly weight loss goal should not be 2 pounds a week until you reach goal. You taper it down because your body has less reserves.
If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.0 -
What is the best method for the fastest results with weight/fat loss without sacrificing muscle loss?
Why the rush? 5 pounds a month is really good actually. But yes, lifting is important, but so is cardio. No need to have a "vs" there. 3 strength training sessions a week seems appropriate since you are trying to cut fat/retain muscle mass. However, you might want to talk to the trainer about a specific routine during your 3 sessions a week.0 -
Relax, it's not a race. Continue to exercise, keep you calories under control and be patient.I have been slowly losing weight for a while now. A little too slow (at most 5 pounds a month) and I would like to be closer to 2 pounds a week...
...What is the best method for the fastest results...0 -
What is the best method for the fastest results with weight/fat loss without sacrificing muscle loss?
Why the rush? 5 pounds a month is really good actually. But yes, lifting is important, but so is cardio. No need to have a "vs" there. 3 strength training sessions a week seems appropriate since you are trying to cut fat/retain muscle mass. However, you might want to talk to the trainer about a specific routine during your 3 sessions a week.
calorie cycling0 -
so this may sound crazy but i was doing cardio 5 sometimes 6 days aweek for 30min a day and seeing 3lb weight loss a month! I have started with weights on wedensday and up the carido to 35 mins and i'm already seeing the scale move!!! Idk if its just luck or what but give it a try what could it hurt!!0
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Happy Friday everyone! So, I have a question that I've been getting mixed information on for quite a while now. I have been slowly losing weight for a while now. A little too slow (at most 5 pounds a month) and I would like to be closer to 2 pounds a week. I talked to a trainer at my gym yesterday and he said I should be lifting more rather than doing cardio. Right now, I do cardio 4-5 times a week and weight training about 3 times a week. He said I should even really be concerned with cardio as much, but rather lifting and building up muscle. I did some research on lifting and if I went that route, I should be eating a lot more than my 1500 calories I do today. Anyone have any advice with this? What is the best method for the fastest results with weight/fat loss without sacrificing muscle loss? Any advice you have would be greatly appreciated! :flowerforyou:
what your doing seems fine to me.
you want to lift so that you don't lose muscle during a calorie defecit. If you were only going to do one or the other, i would choose lifting but thats because muscle is important to me.
don't ever assume that eating more is going to equal more fat burned0 -
http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/
http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/
http://iifym.com/bmr-calculator/
How I got started!
But keep in mind if you start seriously lifting, the scale may not move as much as you would like. I would get your bodyfat tested by a professional on a weekly basis (if that) and do it at the same time of the day every time wo food or water..that is what has worked best for ME. Just go with what you want but have fun and be healthy!
This is true I am almost same weight and am smaller thanks to LIFTING HEAVY0 -
What is the best method for the fastest results with weight/fat loss without sacrificing muscle loss?
Why the rush? 5 pounds a month is really good actually. But yes, lifting is important, but so is cardio. No need to have a "vs" there. 3 strength training sessions a week seems appropriate since you are trying to cut fat/retain muscle mass. However, you might want to talk to the trainer about a specific routine during your 3 sessions a week.
people (myself included) get way to wrapped up in 'not wanting to lose muscle'.
no one wants to lose what they've worked for, but you wont lose THAT much if your lifting, it comes back faster then it took to make it in the first place, and the net result is that you look more muscular anyway.
I don't think the OP needs to change a thing0 -
Happy Friday everyone! So, I have a question that I've been getting mixed information on for quite a while now. I have been slowly losing weight for a while now. A little too slow (at most 5 pounds a month) and I would like to be closer to 2 pounds a week. I talked to a trainer at my gym yesterday and he said I should be lifting more rather than doing cardio. Right now, I do cardio 4-5 times a week and weight training about 3 times a week. He said I should even really be concerned with cardio as much, but rather lifting and building up muscle. I did some research on lifting and if I went that route, I should be eating a lot more than my 1500 calories I do today. Anyone have any advice with this? What is the best method for the fastest results with weight/fat loss without sacrificing muscle loss? Any advice you have would be greatly appreciated! :flowerforyou:
As others have said, 5lbs a month is good. When you hit a real plateau you will be begging to lose that much. What you're doing now seems fine. I can't offer any critique of your lifting routine because we don't have that information. Even if you gave it, I still probably couldn't offer advice other than to suggest progressive lifting routine that uses compound lifts.
It's not cardio vs weights. It's cardio *and* weights. Weight training will help build strength and maintain muscle mass as you lose weight; it helps you lift stuff and look good naked. Cardio promotes heart health and provides a number of other health benefits. It also happens to be more efficient (in terms of time) at creating a caloric deficit than weights. That doesn't mean you should necessarily favor one over the other.
Putting the health benefits of cardio aside for a moment, the most efficient way of creating a caloric deficit is just to not consume as many calories. That is, you could just lift weights and not eat as much. You'd want to make sure you're getting adequate nutrition (enough protein and fats along with micronutrients). But to lose weight, you don't need cardio. I wouldn't stop doing it due to the aforementioned health benefits.
I would also say that resistance training does not burn very many calories. Favoring lifting weights over cardio, when weight loss is the goal and all other factors remain equal, seems silly. Again, that's not to suggest that one stop lifting weights.0 -
How about you do a little of both?
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you don't need to do either one to lose wieght.
but if you want to look muscular then you need to lift.
if you want to be fit, you need to do some kind of heart workout0 -
5-ish pounds a month is actually a pretty good rate to be at.
Maybe lessen your time for doing cardio (say you're doing 45 mins, do 20-30 instead) and then start adding in more lifting days. Or maybe even dip your feet into HIIT training, which is what I usually do on days that I lift.
Sooo many options to do really, check out bodybuilding.com they have a crapload of routines and free training plans 0 -
I would stick with what you are doing. 5 pounds a month is great, but I can understand wanting the 2 pounds per week. I do cardio 6-7 days a week (sometimes just a walk other times HIIT) and strength training 4 times a week (2 upper, 2 lower) and since I've started lifting I retain water a lot more which makes the scale not go down but I can tell the differences in my clothes and body, which is what really matters. Like others have said diet is really important when it comes to weight loss, but I will honestly say the I have seen a bigger difference in the way my body looks with weight training. To me it really matters what you like most, I like doing both so that's what I do.0
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How about you do a little of both?
here a example of a workout plan Monday Wednesday Friday upper body weight lifting. Tuesday Thursday legs weight lifting. Cardio it depends on your goals of what you want.0 -
A couple of things to consider:
1) Muscle weighs more than fat. While I do highly recommend weight lifting, keep in mind that while you'll be losing fat you will also be gaining muscle. In this instance your BMI will be deceitful, but your clothes will tell the truth. Your weight may not shift very much when you first start to put on muscle, but your clothes will definitely fit better AND you will feel better.
2) Adding additional muscle on your frame will actually assist your metabolism as you will be burning more calories at idle times (such as sleeping) just to sustain this additional muscle. Lifting might not produce results as fast as you might like, but in the long run it will definitely help you reach your goal.
3) Sleep! If you start lifting more you will definitely need to be sure you're getting enough sleep. Gaining muscle is a result of literally tearing muscle, and it rebuilds primarily while you're sleeping.
4) Eat more protein. You already know you'll need to consume a few more calories if you'll be lifting more, so please be sure to try to make a good portion of these new calories come from protein-rich foods such as fish or chicken.
I hope this helps. I always recommend mixing in some weight lifting to supplement your cardio routines and reach your ideal health.0 -
A couple of things to consider:
1) Muscle weighs more than fat. While I do highly recommend weight lifting, keep in mind that while you'll be losing fat you will also be gaining muscle. In this instance your BMI will be deceitful, but your clothes will tell the truth. Your weight may not shift very much when you first start to put on muscle, but your clothes will definitely fit better AND you will feel better.
2) Adding additional muscle on your frame will actually assist your metabolism as you will be burning more calories at idle times (such as sleeping) just to sustain this additional muscle. Lifting might not produce results as fast as you might like, but in the long run it will definitely help you reach your goal.
3) Sleep! If you start lifting more you will definitely need to be sure you're getting enough sleep. Gaining muscle is a result of literally tearing muscle, and it rebuilds primarily while you're sleeping.
4) Eat more protein. You already know you'll need to consume a few more calories if you'll be lifting more, so please be sure to try to make a good portion of these new calories come from protein-rich foods such as fish or chicken.
I hope this helps. I always recommend mixing in some weight lifting to supplement your cardio routines and reach your ideal health.
A pound of muscle takes up way less room than a pound of fat.0 -
And muscle does not weigh more than fat...a pound is a pound. The space it takes up is different0
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First. Up your calories until your body normalizes to it. I don't know what your body's typical caloric needs are to maintain weight is, but do your research and eat like that for 2-3 weeks. During this time, you won't lose weight. In fact you will probably gain a couple pounds, but that is good.
Right now your body has adjusted to the 1500 calories per day, which is ridiculously low. You want your metabolism to readjust; so you can either spike your caloric intake so it is normal again or slowly up it from week to week. By upping it slowly your metabolism is better off when you start dieting to lose weight again; and you can do the diet for a longer number of weeks.
Okay. Let's assume your body is back at its normal caloric intake. You should adjust your calories so they match something like: 50g-60g of fat. And an equal carb to protein intake. Every week you want to decrease you carbs, just a little bit. So if you are taking in 200g of carbs [just an example] you decrease it to 180g of carbs while maintaining everything else. The next week you drop your fats to 40g-50g. This continues to cycle weekly until you hit your 1500 mark again. Mind you, you should be dropping your protein intake...but your protein should always be very high. So it should drop from 200 to 160, by the end; at most.
This is the diet I followed for a very long time; and still do it if I need to cut now a days. I'm not saying my body is exactly like yours, but I have suggested it to other people in the gym and it seems to work for them as well. I went from 260+ pounds to 150-ish in about a year. All I did was this diet, and cardio twice weekly.
Some precautions:
1. Some people say that having too much protein can adversely effect your liver; but only if done in extremely long durations.
2. By taking in a lot of protein...your farts will smell terrible lol.
3. You will need high fibre supplements; to counter act the large amounts of protein.
4. You want to space out your meals throughout the day. This ensures that your body does not go catabolic.You may want to take BCAA's if you care about this.
5. People saying that losing 5 pounds a week is good; are mistakening highly muscular people. If you are doing cardio and weigh-lifting as frequently as you do; that alone should stimulate 1 pound approximately of weight loss per week. That means the other pound per month is coming from your diet. 1-2 pounds from your diet is not enough. As they say 80% from the kitchen, 20% from the gym. Shouldn't be the other way around.
Remember, that this isn't a race. It takes time, trying to lose a lot of weight at first by completely dropping your caloric intake will give you good results in the first week or so, but your body adjusts and you will have to drop it even further to see anything. Slowly decrease things, it may not be as fast as dropping your calories by 1000. But in the long run [in about 4 weeks] you'll see way more progress.
Aside from that, your cardio to weight-lifting ratio seems about right. Hope this helps That's my take on it though lol 0 -
Bear in mind I'm a relative newbie here (almost 2 months in?) but during my 1st appointment my personal trainer asked me what I thought was more important: Cardio, or Strength training. I answered CARDIO.....
He said that strength training was more important and that I should do Strength Training (lifting, etc) 3x a week and cardio twice a week.
The reasoning was that cardio will increase your metabolic rate for less time than strength training will!
Also the more lean muscle mass you have, the higher your Basal Metabolic Rate is (how fast you burn calories at rest).
So I now do just that: Mon/Wed/Fri are weight days, and Tues/Thurs are cardio (elliptical till I'm under 200 to save my knees from impact damage)
That along with HONEST logging of food has worked well for me - I lose steadily with a few hiccups that I can trace back to days I ate bad. YES, when I eat bad foods I LOG IT HONESTLY so I can look back and compare my small gains in weight to what I ate and normally that's when my weight bumps up a little!
As a techie (work in the IT field) I also love MFP, MapMyWalk app on Android for lunch walks (2 or 3 miles Mon-Fri), and I use a Withings WiFi-enabled scale that sends my weight to MyFitnessPal for me... I love technology, and it keep sme motivated to keep at it!
Good luck and don't worry if you "only" lose 5 lbs a month, slower is better anyway!
Dave in Tampa0 -
Personally, I decided to do mainly cardio at first and not lift or do any weight training... to lose... however, i did the 100push-up challenge - the 200 situp challenge - the 200 squat challenge etc. (http://hundredpushups.com/) as a way to keep muscle tone...
However, now that i'm close to my goal weight I have lessen my cardio and increased my lifting... I have always found it easier to gain muscle... i'm not sure it is necessary the best way to go.. however, I decided this because i had so much to lose...0 -
Thanks for the advice everyone! I think I'll definently continue doing both for the time being, but eventually increase my weight training and lower the cardio as the pound come off. Thanks
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