Cardio or Lift?

Options
rcarrjhall1
rcarrjhall1 Posts: 1 Member
edited February 2015 in Fitness and Exercise
I am trying to cut fat and lose weight. I'm having a hard time balancing cardio and weight training. I LOVE lifting and HATE cardio. I only get an hour in the gym 4 days a week, so I tend to spend most of my time lifting. Everything I have read says that weight training is needed when trying to get in shape & lose weight. Should I switch it up & focus my time doing more cardio until I get to my goal weight? Any suggestions would be appreciated!!

Replies

  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    Options
    Really neither is going to make a HUGE difference in cutting fat/losing weight, which is primarily a function of diet.

    That said, if you want to work a bit of cardio in for cardiovascular health and/or burn a couple extra calories, maybe lift 3 days and do one day of cardio? Or lift exclusively 2 days, and do 2 days of 1/2 cardio, 1/2 lifting?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
    Options
    Weight control is more about your consumption than what exercise you do. Cardio burns more calories than weight lifting which means you can eat more while still accomplishing the same things...but really it comes down to consumption.

    When I want to drop weight I don't change my exercise regimen one bit...I just eat a little less.

    Personally, if I were you I would do a solid full body lifting program 3x weekly and do some cardio on your non-lifting days...you don't have to be in the gym...go for a walk or a run or something. The only time I do cardio in the gym is when the weather is bad...like really bad...otherwise I'm out on my bike.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
    Options
    Lifting is to maintain muscle mass while losing. Cardio is for your heart and to help increase the deficit. Personally, I hate cardio as well, but still do it two out of the 5 days I work out, (along with lifting) and with lifting alone the other three.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Options
    rcarrjhall1 wrote: »
    I am trying to cut fat and lose weight. I'm having a hard time balancing cardio and weight training. I LOVE lifting and HATE cardio. I only get an hour in the gym 4 days a week, so I tend to spend most of my time lifting. Everything I have read says that weight training is needed when trying to get in shape & lose weight. Should I switch it up & focus my time doing more cardio until I get to my goal weight? Any suggestions would be appreciated!!

    I don't understand

    If "Everything I have read says that weight training is needed when trying to get in shape & lose weight." Why would you ask "Should I switch it up & focus my time doing more cardio until I get to my goal weight? "
  • Showcase_Brodown
    Showcase_Brodown Posts: 919 Member
    Options
    Both are good, but I definitely focus more time on lifting at the gym. If you are concerned about calories, it's much easier to just restrict them on the way in instead of trying to increase the calorie burn by running or something.

    While losing weight, it's important to do resistance training so that you'll encourage your body to keep the existing muscle and hopefully force most of the deficit to come from stored fat.

    If you have goals such as increasing your cardiovascular endurance, then obviously cardio is the better way to do that.

  • Noelv1976
    Noelv1976 Posts: 18,948 Member
    Options
    I do both. I mix it up. Instead of doing the usual lift, rest for 60 secs, then lift again, I do jump ropes or Jumping jacks in between. SOme days I'll do 5 straight lifting exercises, without any break (less weight, high reps) then do a minute of jump rope or jumping jacks in between. Just have to find what works for you. nothing wrong with mixing it up a bit. do what works for you.

Categories