Is weight lifting 4 weight loss becoming the new Myth?

12467

Replies

  • Just weight lifting alone whilst still eating the same isn't going to get you anywhere...I don't think there's any information out there suggesting that.

    I believe pretty much everyone should know by now, as well as the "experts" that a calorie deficit is what's required to lose weight. Now without exercise, such as lifting, you will be losing muscle and fat. What alot of people are trying to say is that lifting whilst losing weight will preserve muscle as it's not that what you need to lose.

    Cardio will burn your muscles off along with the fat.

    I think you've confused yourself with everything you have read.

    Athletes train for 5 hours because that is their job/career....everyday people that have worked an 8-10 hr day on top of other general everyday chores/duties will find running for more than a couple of hours daily too much.The body can only take so much.

    Cardio is good for the heart, but cardio alone won't lose you any weight if your diet isn't in a deficit.

    Cardio will what? Burn your muscles off along with the fat??

    That's a new one...
    when I a deficit you burn both muscle and fat. If you only do cardio that ratio is whatever it is. If you add strength training you are signaling to the body that the muscle is needed for more than just fuel. At this point the body changes what it burns to be more fat and less muscle.

    It's kinda if you don't use it you'll lose it.

    Yeah, what I'm saying is, I don't think this is true. At least, not for moderate amounts of cardio. Marathoners, sure.

    No, it will burn your muscles along with fat. Might not burn all of them, but you'll lose some muscle while doing just cardio. Plenty of threads have been started on here about being 'skinny fat' because the person did nothing but deficit and cardio.

    From what I understand, you lose muscle when you diet, no matter what you do. If I lose 65 lbs, there is no way that's going to be pure fat.

    Yes, you will lose both, but if you strength train while losing you won't lose so much muscle.
    thus the lifting to maintain more LBM while cutting!!
  • TMM211073
    TMM211073 Posts: 153 Member
    I didn't do any weight work until I'd lost about 4 stone (56lb) and now I still do more cardio than weight work, because to be honest I really don't enjoy it, I find it mind numbing.... But that is just me.

    I have seen some changes in my appearance since starting the weight work, whilst I was just doing cardio I was losing weight, but not really changing shape, now my shape is gradually improving, due to the weight work.

    Weight lifting is for fat loss, not weight loss, you're reducing your body fat percentage by increasing your lean muscle mass, THAT is the point of weight work.

    xXx
  • DamePiglet
    DamePiglet Posts: 3,730 Member
    I dont care WHAT is all over the news: I don't really care that George Clooney is getting married.
    They can't make me.
  • I didn't do any weight work until I'd lost about 4 stone (56lb) and now I still do more cardio than weight work, because to be honest I really don't enjoy it, I find it mind numbing.... But that is just me.

    I have seen some changes in my appearance since starting the weight work, whilst I was just doing cardio I was losing weight, but not really changing shape, now my shape is gradually improving, due to the weight work.

    Weight lifting is for fat loss, not weight loss, you're reducing your body fat percentage by increasing your lean muscle mass, THAT is the point of weight work.

    xXx
    in a deficit you are not increasing muscle mass by lifting, you are decreasing muscle loss. But yes it is what changes your bf%
  • sixout
    sixout Posts: 3,128 Member
    K0QPWo5.gif
  • PetulantOne
    PetulantOne Posts: 2,131 Member
    CfdMr95.jpg

    Yup
  • Galatea_Stone
    Galatea_Stone Posts: 2,037 Member
    Far too much TL;DR going on here and I think that response is unnecessary, juvenile and rude. If you can't be bothered to read the entire post then your response is irrelevant, start your own thread instead.

    From Urban Dictionary: "too long; didn't read." really means: (meant tongue in cheek don't get your knickers in a twist reading this, but yea I still think it is rude and childish).

    1. The inability to accept, understand or pay attention to information when not separated by a header.
    2. The ability to arbitrarily read 400 small posts but not a long one.
    3. A sign of ADD or lack of reading capability.
    4. A very cheap response and an indication of lack of wit.
    5. 90% of the time: A lie.
    6. A desperate attempt at a comeback used by people who just can't think of one.
    7. Usually used by people who've been torn apart verbally but want one last attempt at looking witty.
    8. Total failure at #7.
    7. A sign that, not only is someone too lazy and stupid to read but, clearly, too lazy and stupid to even type out four words indicating such.
    9. Collect every "tl,dr" post online, and you'll have a good estimate of the number of lazy idiots on Earth, who currently have Internet access.
    10. Should really be:
    "Too Lazy, Don't Read."

    I hear people with superiority complexes have a harder time shedding the pounds. Something about the cortisol build-up from getting bent out of shape frequently.

    You should try adding in yoga. That may help you meet your goals.
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    Far too much TL;DR going on here and I think that response is unnecessary, juvenile and rude. If you can't be bothered to read the entire post then your response is irrelevant, start your own thread instead.

    From Urban Dictionary: "too long; didn't read." really means: (meant tongue in cheek don't get your knickers in a twist reading this, but yea I still think it is rude and childish).

    1. The inability to accept, understand or pay attention to information when not separated by a header.
    2. The ability to arbitrarily read 400 small posts but not a long one.
    3. A sign of ADD or lack of reading capability.
    4. A very cheap response and an indication of lack of wit.
    5. 90% of the time: A lie.
    6. A desperate attempt at a comeback used by people who just can't think of one.
    7. Usually used by people who've been torn apart verbally but want one last attempt at looking witty.
    8. Total failure at #7.
    7. A sign that, not only is someone too lazy and stupid to read but, clearly, too lazy and stupid to even type out four words indicating such.
    9. Collect every "tl,dr" post online, and you'll have a good estimate of the number of lazy idiots on Earth, who currently have Internet access.
    10. Should really be:
    "Too Lazy, Don't Read."

    I hear people with superiority complexes have a harder time shedding the pounds. Something about the cortisol build-up from getting bent out of shape frequently.

    You should try adding in yoga. That may help you meet your goals.

    Poster got so stressed out to bring up slang dictionary. LOL
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    Eat at a deficit to lose fat.

    Do cardio for your health.

    Lift to look hot.

    /thread
  • MiloBloom83
    MiloBloom83 Posts: 2,724 Member
    You should probably take a look at the people on my FL. A lot of them lift heavy, and look amazing as a result. Weight lifting, especially for women, is great for body recomposition. My GF is a prime example. She has a side by side of her where her weight is exactly the same, but on one side she's a size 12, the other side, a size six. Hard to say weight lifting is a myth.
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    Far too much TL;DR going on here and I think that response is unnecessary, juvenile and rude. If you can't be bothered to read the entire post then your response is irrelevant, start your own thread instead.

    From Urban Dictionary: "too long; didn't read." really means: (meant tongue in cheek don't get your knickers in a twist reading this, but yea I still think it is rude and childish).

    1. The inability to accept, understand or pay attention to information when not separated by a header.
    2. The ability to arbitrarily read 400 small posts but not a long one.
    3. A sign of ADD or lack of reading capability.
    4. A very cheap response and an indication of lack of wit.
    5. 90% of the time: A lie.
    6. A desperate attempt at a comeback used by people who just can't think of one.
    7. Usually used by people who've been torn apart verbally but want one last attempt at looking witty.
    8. Total failure at #7.
    7. A sign that, not only is someone too lazy and stupid to read but, clearly, too lazy and stupid to even type out four words indicating such.
    9. Collect every "tl,dr" post online, and you'll have a good estimate of the number of lazy idiots on Earth, who currently have Internet access.
    10. Should really be:
    "Too Lazy, Don't Read."

    I hear people with superiority complexes have a harder time shedding the pounds. Something about the cortisol build-up from getting bent out of shape frequently.

    You should try adding in yoga. That may help you meet your goals.

    Poster got so stressed out to bring up slang dictionary. LOL

    I think it's funny either urban dictionary or she said that it's meant tongue in cheek and not to get your knickers in a twist...yet isn't that what she then did?
  • hellokathy
    hellokathy Posts: 540 Member
    And I hope I don't get a ton of hate

    Yeeeeaaaahhh...nope!
  • jquijas
    jquijas Posts: 222 Member
    Eat at a deficit to lose fat.

    Do cardio for your health.

    Lift to look hot.

    /thread

    LOVE THIS ONE!
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Eat at a deficit to lose weight.

    Do cardio for your health.

    Lift to look hot, and retain muscle to lower BF%

    /thread

    fixed it for you (deficit is for weight loss) some of that will be fat, some will be muscle and other LBM
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    And I hope I don't get a ton of hate

    Yeeeeaaaahhh...nope!

    I don't think anyone here has actually hated on it yet, just dispelled it as silliness.
  • ghosthackexe
    ghosthackexe Posts: 181 Member
    TL;DR

    if you don't want to retain as much lean mass as possible, no ones twisting your arm :wink:

    ^ nuff said
  • jquijas
    jquijas Posts: 222 Member
    Far too much TL;DR going on here and I think that response is unnecessary, juvenile and rude. If you can't be bothered to read the entire post then your response is irrelevant, start your own thread instead.

    From Urban Dictionary: "too long; didn't read." really means: (meant tongue in cheek don't get your knickers in a twist reading this, but yea I still think it is rude and childish).

    1. The inability to accept, understand or pay attention to information when not separated by a header.
    2. The ability to arbitrarily read 400 small posts but not a long one.
    3. A sign of ADD or lack of reading capability.
    4. A very cheap response and an indication of lack of wit.
    5. 90% of the time: A lie.
    6. A desperate attempt at a comeback used by people who just can't think of one.
    7. Usually used by people who've been torn apart verbally but want one last attempt at looking witty.
    8. Total failure at #7.
    7. A sign that, not only is someone too lazy and stupid to read but, clearly, too lazy and stupid to even type out four words indicating such.
    9. Collect every "tl,dr" post online, and you'll have a good estimate of the number of lazy idiots on Earth, who currently have Internet access.
    10. Should really be:
    "Too Lazy, Don't Read."

    I hear people with superiority complexes have a harder time shedding the pounds. Something about the cortisol build-up from getting bent out of shape frequently.

    You should try adding in yoga. That may help you meet your goals.

    Poster got so stressed out to bring up slang dictionary. LOL

    I think it's funny either urban dictionary or she said that it's meant tongue in cheek and not to get your knickers in a twist...yet isn't that what she then did?

    I was going to ask what TL;DR meant so at least she answered that question for me :smooched:
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,961 Member
    I feel like people are going to bash on this without really understanding your meaning.

    My thoughts - yep, weight lifting is overrated for the average Joe (I'm thinking non-competition weight lifters who don't aim to get super big just because) - other than for those people who love it. That's because they've found their favourite exercise and will stick to a workout plan, hence keeping fit! You will burn calories while lifting weights, and once they show in the way that you were aiming for you're going to feel great because you feel like you look great (and probably do!).

    Cardio is great, it will help to burn those higher calories and help you on a day to day basis with your calorie goals. I personally like cardio because it also helps me stave off hunger (I'm randomly less hungry after doing a cardio workout). I also think there are a lot of heart and lung benefits that are particularly emphasized in cardio exercises that can be hard to find elsewhere unless you're lifting very heavy or very quickly (which... would just be a cardio exercise haha).

    I personally think both types of exercises have their place and the benefits and consequences. It's up for each individual to decide which mix of exercise is most useful for them.

    And lets face it. You have to watch your diet no matter if you do weights or cardio.
  • hookilau
    hookilau Posts: 3,134 Member
    Far too much TL;DR going on here and I think that response is unnecessary, juvenile and rude. If you can't be bothered to read the entire post then your response is irrelevant, start your own thread instead.

    From Urban Dictionary: "too long; didn't read." really means: (meant tongue in cheek don't get your knickers in a twist reading this, but yea I still think it is rude and childish).

    1. The inability to accept, understand or pay attention to information when not separated by a header.
    2. The ability to arbitrarily read 400 small posts but not a long one.
    3. A sign of ADD or lack of reading capability.
    4. A very cheap response and an indication of lack of wit.
    5. 90% of the time: A lie.
    6. A desperate attempt at a comeback used by people who just can't think of one.
    7. Usually used by people who've been torn apart verbally but want one last attempt at looking witty.
    8. Total failure at #7.
    7. A sign that, not only is someone too lazy and stupid to read but, clearly, too lazy and stupid to even type out four words indicating such.
    9. Collect every "tl,dr" post online, and you'll have a good estimate of the number of lazy idiots on Earth, who currently have Internet access.
    10. Should really be:
    "Too Lazy, Don't Read."

    seriously
    *Forest Whitaker eye*
    TL;DR
    cue Oh Nooooes

    ethmjaU.gif
  • trinatrina1984
    trinatrina1984 Posts: 1,018 Member
    200.gif
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    My butt looks better when I squat so that's really all the proof I need.

    But in....in for the gif funnies.

    Exactly. I love me some cardio and I run several times a week.

    But give me a bar and some heavy weights and I'm a happy girl because I want a nice butt. And nice legs. And nice arms, etc, etc, etc.


    OP - I think you are making this way too complicated.
  • hookilau
    hookilau Posts: 3,134 Member
    Just weight lifting alone whilst still eating the same isn't going to get you anywhere...I don't think there's any information out there suggesting that.

    I believe pretty much everyone should know by now, as well as the "experts" that a calorie deficit is what's required to lose weight. Now without exercise, such as lifting, you will be losing muscle and fat. What alot of people are trying to say is that lifting whilst losing weight will preserve muscle as it's not that what you need to lose.

    Cardio will burn your muscles off along with the fat.

    I think you've confused yourself with everything you have read.

    Athletes train for 5 hours because that is their job/career....everyday people that have worked an 8-10 hr day on top of other general everyday chores/duties will find running for more than a couple of hours daily too much.The body can only take so much.

    Cardio is good for the heart, but cardio alone won't lose you any weight if your diet isn't in a deficit.

    Cardio will what? Burn your muscles off along with the fat??

    That's a new one...

    I suppose you've never heard of cardio being catabolic in certain scenarios?
  • rachelrb85
    rachelrb85 Posts: 579 Member
    <--- Ate at a calorie deficit and lifted heavy 3x week with no cardio and the fat came flying off while I maintained muscle mass by eating a reasonable amount of protein. And it did not leave me supah bulky.

    Now... where's all the gifs?
  • AnneCoolbreze
    AnneCoolbreze Posts: 29 Member
    My goal is to try to do cardio, weight training, plyo, agility, and stretching. Not all even amounts but balanced to help me be well rounded.

    Bottom line is do what you need to to reach YOUR goal. And don't do anything to lose weight that you won't continue to maintain your weight-loss. JMHO
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    What about the EPOC effect from lifting heavy weight? Supposedly that can last 24-48 hours after a heavy lifting session. BTW, I am female, have been lifting heavy for the past 2-3 weeks and my weight is increasing!!! WTF! Only by a few pounds, but I doubt being female I could have gained 2 lbs of muscle in 2 weeks. I am staying at my required calories, which aren't very much btw, 1200 according to mfp and I'm starving!! Where's the weight loss?? Anyone have any insight?? I would love to have some advice.

    It's water retention from just starting a heavy lifting regimen within the last 2-3 weeks.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,264 Member
    Just weight lifting alone whilst still eating the same isn't going to get you anywhere...I don't think there's any information out there suggesting that.

    I believe pretty much everyone should know by now, as well as the "experts" that a calorie deficit is what's required to lose weight. Now without exercise, such as lifting, you will be losing muscle and fat. What alot of people are trying to say is that lifting whilst losing weight will preserve muscle as it's not that what you need to lose.

    Cardio will burn your muscles off along with the fat.

    I think you've confused yourself with everything you have read.

    Athletes train for 5 hours because that is their job/career....everyday people that have worked an 8-10 hr day on top of other general everyday chores/duties will find running for more than a couple of hours daily too much.The body can only take so much.

    Cardio is good for the heart, but cardio alone won't lose you any weight if your diet isn't in a deficit.

    Cardio will what? Burn your muscles off along with the fat??

    That's a new one...

    I suppose you've never heard of cardio being catabolic in certain scenarios?
    Also gluconeogenesis happens multiple times over the course of a day......without moving a muscle.
  • Just weight lifting alone whilst still eating the same isn't going to get you anywhere...I don't think there's any information out there suggesting that.

    I believe pretty much everyone should know by now, as well as the "experts" that a calorie deficit is what's required to lose weight. Now without exercise, such as lifting, you will be losing muscle and fat. What alot of people are trying to say is that lifting whilst losing weight will preserve muscle as it's not that what you need to lose.

    Cardio will burn your muscles off along with the fat.

    I think you've confused yourself with everything you have read.

    Athletes train for 5 hours because that is their job/career....everyday people that have worked an 8-10 hr day on top of other general everyday chores/duties will find running for more than a couple of hours daily too much.The body can only take so much.

    Cardio is good for the heart, but cardio alone won't lose you any weight if your diet isn't in a deficit.

    Cardio will what? Burn your muscles off along with the fat??

    That's a new one...

    I suppose you've never heard of cardio being catabolic in certain scenarios?
    glecosegenesis
    not something the casual cardio bunny really has to worry about.
  • fivethreeone
    fivethreeone Posts: 8,196 Member
    If I may summarize your post... some trainer told you "lifting weights is the bomb, yo! " And another trainer high fived him and agreed. They both chuckled at you and asked, "Do you even lift, bro?" You swore off weights a source of evil, and this is where you vent the frustration.

    Seriously though, lifting is what it is. It's not going to cure cancer. It's there to make you stronger and look better. Bonus points for doing cleans w/ grandma's deteriorating body at Thanksgiving with the family. Oh, and that thing...you called it cardio? Yeah, this cardio you speak of is pretty cool. too.
    I died.

    Best post in here.

    But yeah, everyone has already covered it: OP completely missed the point and took way too much time doing so.
  • hookilau
    hookilau Posts: 3,134 Member
    You have been a member a month and suddenly your the expert. My advice is to get ofvthe internet and hit the road doing your cardio. Leave others to their own methods.:flowerforyou:

    Um. Read his profile. He's lost more than 100lb. You... ?

    That doesn't mean he did it the best/most efficient way. It means he found something that he could stick to, which is great, but maybe he could have been a lower BF% at this weight had he lifted the whole time.
    I agree with the first post...he's been here a month...and posts this????

    I've lost 60lbs...so does that qualify me to question what he is saying????

    Doesn't matter how much someone has lost, losing 100lbs and over doesn't qualify them as an expert on anything other than their own personal experience. It's the research that is put into their posts esp if it's about something like this...and this post alone let's us know he really didn't do a lot of checking on his thoughts...to ensure he is on the right track. Which he isn't btw.

    I wasn't going to comment on this, but this may help put things into perspective. If I remember correctly, OP recently re-started MFP about 2ish months ago I think.

    I remember the original post, because it was *just* as long haired & OP lost that 100#'s by doing VLC & a ridiculous amount of exercise.

    He had a similar zig zag post remarking about whether or not it was healthy because he eventually fell off the wagon & e-gained it all.

    OP; If my memory is off, I apologize. However, I remember that popped collar clearly :wink:
  • SLHysell
    SLHysell Posts: 247 Member
    I did read your entire post. I wouldn't comment otherwise. I think you may have been a little extreme in some of you conclusions, but I do agree with you in some aspects. I hadn't heard that lifting was the new holy grail. I've always heard and still do hear that cardio will burn off the most calories and thus contribute the most to weight loss. What I've heard about strength training isn't so much that it will make you lose weight more easily as that it will make you LOOK BETTER as the weight comes off. The reason is that you don't tend to lose muscle as much if you are weight training while dieting. That leaves you with a leaner, stronger body when it's all done. That said, here is my personal philosophy about such things:


    For me the equation for weight loss is simple, EAT LESS, MOVE MORE. I love to run. Cardio is my go-to exercise because I believe it is the best way to burn calories and frankly it makes me feel better overall. Strength training for me is more of an "icing on the cake" part of the equation. I do that 3 days a week and very much like the look and feel of my muscles as they slowly (far too slowly) strengthen and tone, but honestly, it's mostly about vanity. I am under no illusions that strength training is contributing significantly to my weight loss. I fully believe that the MAIN component to weight loss is diet. No amount of exercise (Marathoners and triathletes excepted) of any kind is going to work off eating a cheese cake for breakfast every day. Really...we can talk about more protein or less carbs or more or less fat, but the easy and simple way to look at it is just don't eat too much. It is the calories that count. That said, I am trying to just keep a healthy balance of carbs/fat/protein, but I'm not too stressed if the proportions get a little out of whack.

    I mentioned that I love to run. My main motivator to lose weight is to help me run better. Until my recent injury (likely due to weight), I was running as much as 20 to 30 miles a week, and not losing any pounds. That's because I was eating tons of calorie rich foods. Exercise of any kind is not a stand-alone answer. Diet can be. But the combination is far and away the best way to go. Exercise helps tons, and it definitely contributes to better overall health and a better look, but it can't be the answer on its own.

    Like I said, Eat less, Move more.

    Note: Edited to correct typos/grammar