Cardio vs. Strength Training

adriannenan
adriannenan Posts: 23 Member
edited September 25 in Fitness and Exercise
So here's the situation. I'm in this to loose weight, so I have been doing nothing but cardio and then when I was leaner start focusing more on the defined muscle aspect. But i was reading that most people do strength as well as cardio training even just to lose weight. So should I be doing strength traing as well or is my plan to wait until i get close to the weight I want to start an ok idea???

Replies

  • snowbaby1492
    snowbaby1492 Posts: 75
    Either is fine, but when you build muscles you burn fat faster.
  • MikeM53082
    MikeM53082 Posts: 1,199 Member
    I know guys and gals are built differently, but I do about 80% cardio and 20% weights. I've been able to drop a decent amount of weight doing this combination. Definitely focus more on cardio, but don't ignore the weights completely. Eat a good amount of protein and go easy on the carbs.. i know, easier said than done!
  • MeganMac17
    MeganMac17 Posts: 90 Member
    Once I started strength training, I found it easier to lose weight. I started working out in October and barely lost any weight until I started with the weights for a 1/2 hour a week. This probably goes back to the fact that muscle burns more than fat! I recently bumped that up to a full hour a week, so we shall see if that helps my weight loss anymore!

    Good luck to you!!
  • carl1738
    carl1738 Posts: 444 Member
    When you lose weight, you usually lose one pound of muscle foe every three pounds of fat. Muscle burns fat, so the less muscle you have, the harder it is to lose fat. By strength training, you can maintain, or even increase your lean muscle mass, which makes it easier to burn fat. For the best results, do both cardio and strength training while you're trying to lose weight.
  • mrsjcmyles
    mrsjcmyles Posts: 119 Member
    BUMP- I was wondering the exact same thing.
  • DMugga
    DMugga Posts: 1
    Balance them out
  • SomethingElseToo
    SomethingElseToo Posts: 14
    Another thing about muscle -- it takes up less space than an equal amount of fat. A pound of muscle on your body will be leaner than a pound of fat. So you look better at the same weight. Just don't over-do it. Strength training every other day will boost your fitness, weight loss, AND ego! :~)
  • ladyphoto
    ladyphoto Posts: 192 Member
    I agree with all here- focus on cardio to burn the fat, but do spend a little time on strength training- so that as that fat melts away, you will start to see lean beautiful sculpted muscles come through...I am doing strenght training only two times a week- and cardio 6 times.
  • adriannenan
    adriannenan Posts: 23 Member
    Awesome.... I think I'll go ahead and add a few days of weight training to my schedule next week and see how it goes. Thanks for the input guys! I really appreciate it!
  • BigBoneSista
    BigBoneSista Posts: 2,389 Member
    I wish I would have started strength training sooner but I've never liked the idea of lifting weights because it seems so redundant. But after I started to revamp my outlook on the whole healthier living lifestyle I decided that everything I need to be doing I might not like but I will have to bare it for the greater good. So now I'm lifting. I started in the gym first but I found a dvd series that gets me burning, ChaLean Extreme. I started it this week and I like it. It gives me direction. Takes a lot of the guess work out of it for me.

    :0)
  • ceebs9
    ceebs9 Posts: 511 Member
    Don't be a cardio bunny! Definitely lift some weights along with your cardio. You'll be amazed at how quickly your body responds!
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