Cardio Vs. Lifting
Replies
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Come on now.Weight training burns more calories then doing cardio. I would weight train 5 days a week and walk 3-7 days a week and see how you progress. And by weight train, REALLY push yourself, keep it to 45mins.
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There wording is incorrect. Weight training (depends on factors) can burn if looked at in a 24 hour period more calories than cardio.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
Research HIIT vs slow steady cardio.
I agree with this...HIIT does great things vs slow and/or steady state cardio.
Would the HIIT be alongside the heavy lifting 3x a week?
Yes, if you don't feel overtrained. HIIT sessions are short and sweet -- they don't take up much time if you're doing them correctly. Hill sprints are one of the best HIITs out there and you can get everything done in 20 mins. Just don't overdo it. For example, with hill sprints, start out with 3 sets of 8 sec sprints -- literally, that's it. Give your full 100% for those 8 secs and then take time to recover until you're breathing normally again, then go with your next rep. Then increase your sets 1 per week until you're doing 8 sets of 8 second sprints. You'll be surprised about how a little bit of time can go a long ways -- sprinters are jacked for a reason.
I personally lift heavy twice a week (but they're full body work-outs) and do 2 sets of hill sprints a week. I also do a lot of walking/hiking -- usually 15-25 miles/week. Every 6-8 weeks or so, I'll take a rest week as I tend to feel like I'm starting to overtrain (get strangely fatigued and just feel run down) where I just walk/hike for the week. Some don't feel a need for a rest week, but that's what works best for me.
Thanks for this, very helpful.
I'm not quite up to that level of fitness to be honest. I think the last time I ran or sprinted was probably over 15 years ago lol!
I lift and do steady state cardio but feel I may be more inclined to do HIIT if it will bring me more strength and burn some cals, just need to find something I can do at home and at my size and level of fitness.0 -
First, 2lbs per week is aggressive. Why the rush? You are losing at a good rate. The faster you lose, the higher chance you will be right back here trying to lose it again! Unfortunately less than 20% of people who lose weight manage to keep it off. So take it nice and slow, make SUSTAINABLE adjustments to your lifestyle and think about the long haul not quick loss
You will lose wight at a caloric deficit (as long as there aren't medical issues preventing). I always say cardio is for your heart muscle, for fun, for extra calorie burning, for the love of sweat! It's a great tool in our fat loss arsenal belt. Lifting is absolutely necessary in the long term battle of the bulge. Muscle on your body will help keep your metabolism up, will help you look great and is your second greasiest defence against becoming part of the 80% who can't keep the weight off (your nutrition is your first defence).
It's not an cardio vs lifting... Do both, with a biased for lifting: ensure you are on a progressive lifting program 3-4 days per week, and then get in some cardio that you enjoy 2-3 times per week. Nail your nutrition, practice patience, be CONSISTENT and the scale will drop and your will unveil a toned body. This doesn't need to be that complicated in my opinion. It gets complicated at the lower weight and body fat zones
Good luck and enjoy the process!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
Research HIIT vs slow steady cardio.
I agree with this...HIIT does great things vs slow and/or steady state cardio.
Would the HIIT be alongside the heavy lifting 3x a week?
Yes, if you don't feel overtrained. HIIT sessions are short and sweet -- they don't take up much time if you're doing them correctly. Hill sprints are one of the best HIITs out there and you can get everything done in 20 mins. Just don't overdo it. For example, with hill sprints, start out with 3 sets of 8 sec sprints -- literally, that's it. Give your full 100% for those 8 secs and then take time to recover until you're breathing normally again, then go with your next rep. Then increase your sets 1 per week until you're doing 8 sets of 8 second sprints. You'll be surprised about how a little bit of time can go a long ways -- sprinters are jacked for a reason.
I personally lift heavy twice a week (but they're full body work-outs) and do 2 sets of hill sprints a week. I also do a lot of walking/hiking -- usually 15-25 miles/week. Every 6-8 weeks or so, I'll take a rest week as I tend to feel like I'm starting to overtrain (get strangely fatigued and just feel run down) where I just walk/hike for the week. Some don't feel a need for a rest week, but that's what works best for me.
Thanks for this, very helpful.
I'm not quite up to that level of fitness to be honest. I think the last time I ran or sprinted was probably over 15 years ago lol!
I lift and do steady state cardio but feel I may be more inclined to do HIIT if it will bring me more strength and burn some cals, just need to find something I can do at home and at my size and level of fitness.
I totally understand. I felt the exact same way when I started. That's why I suggest starting off slow -- just 3 sets of 8 sec sprints. Literally, that's only 24 secs of exercise (but take the full rest in between). You'll be shocked at how much you'll feel just that little bit throughout your body -- from your legs through your back and shoulders. Plus, doing them up a hill helps ensure you have good form and less likely to injure yourself (as you slow down more naturally).
Even if you only do it once a week, you get immense benefits from it. Here is a great article on it if you want to nerd out on why it's literally one of the best, if not the best, exercise for building muscle and losing fat. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/par46.htm0 -
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
Research HIIT vs slow steady cardio.
I agree with this...HIIT does great things vs slow and/or steady state cardio.
Would the HIIT be alongside the heavy lifting 3x a week?
Yes, if you don't feel overtrained. HIIT sessions are short and sweet -- they don't take up much time if you're doing them correctly. Hill sprints are one of the best HIITs out there and you can get everything done in 20 mins. Just don't overdo it. For example, with hill sprints, start out with 3 sets of 8 sec sprints -- literally, that's it. Give your full 100% for those 8 secs and then take time to recover until you're breathing normally again, then go with your next rep. Then increase your sets 1 per week until you're doing 8 sets of 8 second sprints. You'll be surprised about how a little bit of time can go a long ways -- sprinters are jacked for a reason.
I personally lift heavy twice a week (but they're full body work-outs) and do 2 sets of hill sprints a week. I also do a lot of walking/hiking -- usually 15-25 miles/week. Every 6-8 weeks or so, I'll take a rest week as I tend to feel like I'm starting to overtrain (get strangely fatigued and just feel run down) where I just walk/hike for the week. Some don't feel a need for a rest week, but that's what works best for me.
Thanks for this, very helpful.
I'm not quite up to that level of fitness to be honest. I think the last time I ran or sprinted was probably over 15 years ago lol!
I lift and do steady state cardio but feel I may be more inclined to do HIIT if it will bring me more strength and burn some cals, just need to find something I can do at home and at my size and level of fitness.
I totally understand. I felt the exact same way when I started. That's why I suggest starting off slow -- just 3 sets of 8 sec sprints. Literally, that's only 24 secs of exercise (but take the full rest in between). You'll be shocked at how much you'll feel just that little bit throughout your body -- from your legs through your back and shoulders. Plus, doing them up a hill helps ensure you have good form and less likely to injure yourself (as you slow down more naturally).
Even if you only do it once a week, you get immense benefits from it. Here is a great article on it if you want to nerd out on why it's literally one of the best, if not the best, exercise for building muscle and losing fat. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/par46.htm
I'd love to do that but I do not have the capacity to sprint in my home, it's tiny!
Have looked at videos on fitness blender but they all seem to be prancing and leaping about which at my size is going to be damn hard to do lol! I could try to modify I suppose. I love the idea of HIIT as opposed to steady state cardio and once I'm a bit lighter and some personal situations (meaning I can get to work out out of the home) change I actually want to start running as well
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[I totally understand. I felt the exact same way when I started. That's why I suggest starting off slow -- just 3 sets of 8 sec sprints. Literally, that's only 24 secs of exercise (but take the full rest in between). You'll be shocked at how much you'll feel just that little bit throughout your body -- from your legs through your back and shoulders. Plus, doing them up a hill helps ensure you have good form and less likely to injure yourself (as you slow down more naturally).
Even if you only do it once a week, you get immense benefits from it. Here is a great article on it if you want to nerd out on why it's literally one of the best, if not the best, exercise for building muscle and losing fat. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/par46.htm
I'd love to do that but I do not have the capacity to sprint in my home, it's tiny!
Have looked at videos on fitness blender but they all seem to be prancing and leaping about which at my size is going to be damn hard to do lol! I could try to modify I suppose. I love the idea of HIIT as opposed to steady state cardio and once I'm a bit lighter and some personal situations (meaning I can get to work out out of the home) change I actually want to start running as well
You can look into do HIIT on a stationary bike as well. I don't do that personally, but I've heard of it as a good alternative. The same principle holds true -- google a couple of programs and I'm sure you'll find one that should work for you.0 -
[I totally understand. I felt the exact same way when I started. That's why I suggest starting off slow -- just 3 sets of 8 sec sprints. Literally, that's only 24 secs of exercise (but take the full rest in between). You'll be shocked at how much you'll feel just that little bit throughout your body -- from your legs through your back and shoulders. Plus, doing them up a hill helps ensure you have good form and less likely to injure yourself (as you slow down more naturally).
Even if you only do it once a week, you get immense benefits from it. Here is a great article on it if you want to nerd out on why it's literally one of the best, if not the best, exercise for building muscle and losing fat. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/par46.htm
I'd love to do that but I do not have the capacity to sprint in my home, it's tiny!
Have looked at videos on fitness blender but they all seem to be prancing and leaping about which at my size is going to be damn hard to do lol! I could try to modify I suppose. I love the idea of HIIT as opposed to steady state cardio and once I'm a bit lighter and some personal situations (meaning I can get to work out out of the home) change I actually want to start running as well
You can look into do HIIT on a stationary bike as well. I don't do that personally, but I've heard of it as a good alternative. The same principle holds true -- google a couple of programs and I'm sure you'll find one that should work for you.
Thank you 0 -
You can do HIIT with almost every single workout.0
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You can do HIIT with almost every single workout.
Great, can you link me to some ideas, routines, videos?
Thanks 0 -
You can do HIIT with almost every single workout.
Great, can you link me to some ideas, routines, videos?
Thanks
One thing I must know is what your level of fitness is because HIIT is not easy to do.0 -
You can do HIIT with almost every single workout.
Great, can you link me to some ideas, routines, videos?
Thanks
One thing I must know is what your level of fitness is because HIIT is not easy to do.
fitnessblender.com has a lot of HIIT videos.0 -
You can do HIIT with almost every single workout.
Great, can you link me to some ideas, routines, videos?
Thanks
One thing I must know is what your level of fitness is because HIIT is not easy to do.
As I said above it's not great, I only started exercising again a few months ago after 15 years of nothing. I can do steady state cardio with my heart rate around 165-175 sometimes more for 65 mins though with no breaks and recover pretty well after, it's the leaping and bouncing about I feel I would struggle with.You can do HIIT with almost every single workout.
Great, can you link me to some ideas, routines, videos?
Thanks
One thing I must know is what your level of fitness is because HIIT is not easy to do.
fitnessblender.com has a lot of HIIT videos.
Yeah as I said above, I found plenty on there and they're great, I think there's 1 I could do that doesn't involve leaping and flinging around a not so strong 230lb body ^_^0 -
yopeeps ty for the FR but if you wanted to post links you could do so here.
I'll look for my own HIIT with some research.
Thanks everyone for the help! :drinker:0 -
Both are good for weight loss. Lifting improves your overall metabolism and makes the muscles burn more calories. Cardio improves your fitness level and burns large amounts of raw calories upfront and for a short while after. Basically Cardio burns calories upfront while lifting improves your bodies structure and operation to make it burn more calories generally. You should do both. But that's basically the distinction if you want to decide what to do more of. Oh and don't worry about lifting as a woman unless you take steroids or go absolutely bat **** crazy with it you won't look anything other than awesome.0
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You can do HIIT with almost every single workout.
Great, can you link me to some ideas, routines, videos?
Thanks
One thing I must know is what your level of fitness is because HIIT is not easy to do.
As I said above it's not great, I only started exercising again a few months ago after 15 years of nothing. I can do steady state cardio with my heart rate around 165-175 sometimes more for 65 mins though with no breaks and recover pretty well after, it's the leaping and bouncing about I feel I would struggle with.You can do HIIT with almost every single workout.
Great, can you link me to some ideas, routines, videos?
Thanks
One thing I must know is what your level of fitness is because HIIT is not easy to do.
fitnessblender.com has a lot of HIIT videos.
Yeah as I said above, I found plenty on there and they're great, I think there's 1 I could do that doesn't involve leaping and flinging around a not so strong 230lb body ^_^
The idea of HIIT is that you increase the intensity; that doesn't necessarily mean that you have to increase the impact. You can do low impact versions of the exercises.
Here's some examples for the cardio HIIT workout of substitutions:
http://www.fitnessblender.com/v/workout-detail/Fitness-Blender-Cardio-HIIT-Workout/ac/
Warm-up
Moving Squats->squat in place
Jog in place -> march in place
Power Skips-> knee raises
Up & Out Jacks-> Alternate feet stepping side to side
Butt kickers -> slow, low impact version of same movement
Lateral jumps-> step side to side
HIIT workout
Burpee with lateral leg raise -> step back into a lunge, raise arms up above your head, return to start, lateral leg raise. Alternate legs for lunges for the duration.
Flutter kick squats-> Squat, step one foot forward, then back together, step other foot back, then together, then squat. Alternate feet after each squat so both feet are going forward and back.
Double butt kickers -> these are basically jumps, so you can either alternate low impact butt kickers or alternate knee raises, just go as fast as you can.
Hope this helps!0 -
The idea of HIIT is that you increase the intensity; that doesn't necessarily mean that you have to increase the impact. You can do low impact versions of the exercises.
Here's some examples for the cardio HIIT workout of substitutions:
http://www.fitnessblender.com/v/workout-detail/Fitness-Blender-Cardio-HIIT-Workout/ac/
Warm-up
Moving Squats->squat in place
Jog in place -> march in place
Power Skips-> knee raises
Up & Out Jacks-> Alternate feet stepping side to side
Butt kickers -> slow, low impact version of same movement
Lateral jumps-> step side to side
HIIT workout
Burpee with lateral leg raise -> step back into a lunge, raise arms up above your head, return to start, lateral leg raise. Alternate legs for lunges for the duration.
Flutter kick squats-> Squat, step one foot forward, then back together, step other foot back, then together, then squat. Alternate feet after each squat so both feet are going forward and back.
Double butt kickers -> these are basically jumps, so you can either alternate low impact butt kickers or alternate knee raises, just go as fast as you can.
Hope this helps!
This is awesome thank you ever so much!! :drinker:0 -
All I do is run and push-ups. I love cardio! LOVE IT!! If I lift weights for one day I am hungry enough to eat a whole cow and I have not had red meat in a long time!! I am naturally muscular. I don't know how or why but I am. My leg and arm muscles are well defined and solid. I am 11 pounds away from my goal and for me cardio is the only way to reach it.0
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Lift heavy! Cardio to cool down lol -0
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I love the mantra preached in "The New Rules of Lifting for Women." Short interval workouts (20-30 mins) combined with 3x/week weight lifting for optimal results.
You're doing great though and if your workouts make you happy, stick with what you like. The weight is melting off! 5lbs/month is nothing to scoff at!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 hard
I didn't bother reading anything else because this is spot on. You can still do some cardio if you feel like it. Some women find that they see better results with it (I am one of those women) but lifting is what has completely changed my body.
Good luck.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
Research HIIT vs slow steady cardio.
I agree with this...HIIT does great things vs slow and/or steady state cardio.
Interesting thing about HIIT vs steady state....my usual routine was lifting 4 days, intense cardio 4 days and a couple of easy cardio days. Then I started riding my bike to work every day--slow pace nothing too strenuous, dropped HIIT completely and kept up my weights. Accidently (by that I mean I'm not trying to lose weight any more) lost 4 pounds in 2 weeks.
Could be the change in routine but I thought it was rather odd....0 -
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Come on now.Weight training burns more calories then doing cardio. I would weight train 5 days a week and walk 3-7 days a week and see how you progress. And by weight train, REALLY push yourself, keep it to 45mins.
There wording is incorrect. Weight training (depends on factors) can burn if looked at in a 24 hour period more calories than cardio.
If the cardio that you compare against involves moving around reaaalllllllyyyyy slloooowwwwwwlllllllyyyyy in order to avoid increasing heart rate above normal.
Most studies of the comparison between the two use 50-60% theoretical MHR as the cardio activity. That's so low that it's not a meaningful comparison.0 -
I love the idea of HIIT as opposed to steady state cardio and once I'm a bit lighter and some personal situations (meaning I can get to work out out of the home) change I actually want to start running as well
the two are complementary, while training at a higher intensity is going to lead to a higher calorie expenditure during the session, the fact that it's a very short session means that the total expenditure isn't particularly high.
Notwithstanding that the pysiological effects of steady state at a moderate intensity and high intensity intervals are somewhat different. the steady state improves endurance, the intervals have the potential to help increase oxygen uptake; VO2Max. Increasing VO2Max helps to raise the base metabolic rate over time.
The gains from high intensity intervals are significantly increased by improving aerobic endurance.
For general health it's not even cardio and resistance, its steady state moderate intensity cardio, high intensity interval cardio and resistance.
All that said, I can understand why so many whose training revolves around the gym dislike steady state cardio work, machines are incredibly boring. Personally I can't stand a treadmill for as much as ten minutes, but am quite comfortable running or cycling for 2-3 hours out in the forest.0 -
I love the idea of HIIT as opposed to steady state cardio and once I'm a bit lighter and some personal situations (meaning I can get to work out out of the home) change I actually want to start running as well
the two are complementary, while training at a higher intensity is going to lead to a higher calorie expenditure during the session, the fact that it's a very short session means that the total expenditure isn't particularly high.
Notwithstanding that the pysiological effects of steady state at a moderate intensity and high intensity intervals are somewhat different. the steady state improves endurance, the intervals have the potential to help increase oxygen uptake; VO2Max. Increasing VO2Max helps to raise the base metabolic rate over time.
The gains from high intensity intervals are significantly increased by improving aerobic endurance.
For general health it's not even cardio and resistance, its steady state moderate intensity cardio, high intensity interval cardio and resistance.
All that said, I can understand why so many whose training revolves around the gym dislike steady state cardio work, machines are incredibly boring. Personally I can't stand a treadmill for as much as ten minutes, but am quite comfortable running or cycling for 2-3 hours out in the forest.
Correct. I used to do six hours of elliptical a week. Not anymore. I might do a hour of HIIT a week now somwhere around that time. I see results not skinny-fat. Muscle definition coming in.0 -
I started lifting... the scale stayed the same but I lost 4 sizes...I'm happy but...
I still have a good 30 pounds to lose so my trainer is trying to figure it out for me. I have learned that I love lifting and now hate cardio but I have to do it if I want to lose the weight. Alot of it is diet though so even though he said I wasn't eating enough, he thinks, for me, I may have to cut my calories back again to lose the "weight".
Good luck to you!0 -
I love lifting but I think that the afterburn of cardio is being overlooked by many, as it seems people have just sort of moved towards a "you don't need cardio" mentality. I think that while this is true for people who have a higher metabolism and who generally are able to shed the pounds, an element of cardio is necessary for people who find it difficult to lose the fat. I'm not saying be a cardio bunny, but I'd keep 25-30 minutes of cardio 4-5 times a week on top of lifting, especially if you have a sedentary job. I wasn't doing cardio, I was just doing circuit training before. With the added cardio, I definitely notice some more definition poking through. I think a balance of cardio and weights is important for most females, as we tend to have a harder time shedding fat than men. I think its important to consider individual factors, as everybody obviously is different. I for one definitely hold on to bodyfat like its going out of style.. (well it is out of style, or MFP wouldn't exist.. :laugh: )0
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I love lifting but I think that the afterburn of cardio is being overlooked by many, as it seems people have just sort of moved towards a "you don't need cardio" mentality. I think that while this is true for people who have a higher metabolism and who generally are able to shed the pounds, an element of cardio is necessary for people who find it difficult to lose the fat. I'm not saying be a cardio bunny, but I'd keep 25-30 minutes of cardio 4-5 times a week on top of lifting, especially if you have a sedentary job. I wasn't doing cardio, I was just doing circuit training before. With the added cardio, I definitely notice some more definition poking through. I think a balance of cardio and weights is important for most females, as we tend to have a harder time shedding fat than men. I think its important to consider individual factors, as everybody obviously is different. I for one definitely hold on to bodyfat like its going out of style.. (well it is out of style, or MFP wouldn't exist.. :laugh: )
The main reason men have higher metabolism is testosterone. The ability to build muscle way easier. I see where your coming from though. You seem to find the balance of both.0 -
Bump0
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I love lifting but I think that the afterburn of cardio is being overlooked by many, as it seems people have just sort of moved towards a "you don't need cardio" mentality. I think that while this is true for people who have a higher metabolism and who generally are able to shed the pounds, an element of cardio is necessary for people who find it difficult to lose the fat. I'm not saying be a cardio bunny, but I'd keep 25-30 minutes of cardio 4-5 times a week on top of lifting, especially if you have a sedentary job. I wasn't doing cardio, I was just doing circuit training before. With the added cardio, I definitely notice some more definition poking through. I think a balance of cardio and weights is important for most females, as we tend to have a harder time shedding fat than men. I think its important to consider individual factors, as everybody obviously is different. I for one definitely hold on to bodyfat like its going out of style.. (well it is out of style, or MFP wouldn't exist.. :laugh: )
The main reason men have higher metabolism is testosterone. The ability to build muscle way easier. I see where your coming from though. You seem to find the balance of both.
Yes I've tried just lifting, and for me it just doesn't work. I know they say it takes a lot for women to get bulky, but I'm one of those women whose arms get bulky in no time at all.. I love it on my butt but I'd like to keep my arms a bit smaller :P0 -
I love lifting but I think that the afterburn of cardio is being overlooked by many, as it seems people have just sort of moved towards a "you don't need cardio" mentality. I think that while this is true for people who have a higher metabolism and who generally are able to shed the pounds, an element of cardio is necessary for people who find it difficult to lose the fat. I'm not saying be a cardio bunny, but I'd keep 25-30 minutes of cardio 4-5 times a week on top of lifting, especially if you have a sedentary job. I wasn't doing cardio, I was just doing circuit training before. With the added cardio, I definitely notice some more definition poking through. I think a balance of cardio and weights is important for most females, as we tend to have a harder time shedding fat than men. I think its important to consider individual factors, as everybody obviously is different. I for one definitely hold on to bodyfat like its going out of style.. (well it is out of style, or MFP wouldn't exist.. :laugh: )
The main reason men have higher metabolism is testosterone. The ability to build muscle way easier. I see where your coming from though. You seem to find the balance of both.
Yes I've tried just lifting, and for me it just doesn't work. I know they say it takes a lot for women to get bulky, but I'm one of those women whose arms get bulky in no time at all.. I love it on my butt but I'd like to keep my arms a bit smaller :P
The benefits of legs workouts for females.0
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