Strength training for weight loss

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Replies

  • stephxo1
    stephxo1 Posts: 191 Member
    Cocoa1020 wrote: »
    stephxo1 wrote: »
    Personally, I do zero cardio and have had great results from weight lifting alone. Dropped body fat from 31% to 19% in the space of 6 months last year through weight lifting and diet alone. This year I've packed on 15lbs during a bulk cycle and am just starting back into a cut to see how much muscle I've built. For me, cardio is about cardiovascular health and mine probably sucks but I can lift heavy *kitten* weights and my body shape has changed dramatically. Now pass me those dumbbells...and not the pink ones either ;) Oh and I am currently following the Power Muscle Burn progaramme doing a 5 day split and changing it up to the PHUL program next week to change things up a bit. Whatever you decide to do though, it's all about consistency!

    thats great! to each their own right?

    Exactly! What works for one doesn't necessarily work for everyone plus it totally depends what sort of look you're wanting to achieve. For me, it's all about looking like I lift and I love the whole process. Lift big, eat big, that's my motto. And maintaining at 2500cals can't be all bad right?!? :)
  • Cocoa1020
    Cocoa1020 Posts: 197 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    Cardio burns a lot of calories.

    Not the way I do it.

    how do you do your cardio?
  • Cocoa1020
    Cocoa1020 Posts: 197 Member
    stephxo1 wrote: »
    Cocoa1020 wrote: »
    stephxo1 wrote: »
    Personally, I do zero cardio and have had great results from weight lifting alone. Dropped body fat from 31% to 19% in the space of 6 months last year through weight lifting and diet alone. This year I've packed on 15lbs during a bulk cycle and am just starting back into a cut to see how much muscle I've built. For me, cardio is about cardiovascular health and mine probably sucks but I can lift heavy *kitten* weights and my body shape has changed dramatically. Now pass me those dumbbells...and not the pink ones either ;) Oh and I am currently following the Power Muscle Burn progaramme doing a 5 day split and changing it up to the PHUL program next week to change things up a bit. Whatever you decide to do though, it's all about consistency!

    thats great! to each their own right?

    Exactly! What works for one doesn't necessarily work for everyone plus it totally depends what sort of look you're wanting to achieve. For me, it's all about looking like I lift and I love the whole process. Lift big, eat big, that's my motto. And maintaining at 2500cals can't be all bad right?!? :)

    I would love to eat 2500 cal's to maintain hahaha if i do that, ill be the size of a house :(
  • Cocoa1020
    Cocoa1020 Posts: 197 Member
    Cocoa1020 wrote: »
    stephxo1 wrote: »
    Cocoa1020 wrote: »
    stephxo1 wrote: »
    Personally, I do zero cardio and have had great results from weight lifting alone. Dropped body fat from 31% to 19% in the space of 6 months last year through weight lifting and diet alone. This year I've packed on 15lbs during a bulk cycle and am just starting back into a cut to see how much muscle I've built. For me, cardio is about cardiovascular health and mine probably sucks but I can lift heavy *kitten* weights and my body shape has changed dramatically. Now pass me those dumbbells...and not the pink ones either ;) Oh and I am currently following the Power Muscle Burn progaramme doing a 5 day split and changing it up to the PHUL program next week to change things up a bit. Whatever you decide to do though, it's all about consistency!

    thats great! to each their own right?

    Exactly! What works for one doesn't necessarily work for everyone plus it totally depends what sort of look you're wanting to achieve. For me, it's all about looking like I lift and I love the whole process. Lift big, eat big, that's my motto. And maintaining at 2500cals can't be all bad right?!? :)

    I would love to eat 2500 cal's to maintain hahaha if i do that, ill be the size of a house :(

    also i could never create enough of a caloric deficit with just diet alone. I eat pretty healthy. there's nothing major i should cut out from my everyday diet. the cardio helps me burn those calories.
  • Wiseandcurious
    Wiseandcurious Posts: 730 Member
    Cocoa1020 wrote: »
    Cocoa1020 wrote: »
    stephxo1 wrote: »
    Cocoa1020 wrote: »
    stephxo1 wrote: »
    Personally, I do zero cardio and have had great results from weight lifting alone. Dropped body fat from 31% to 19% in the space of 6 months last year through weight lifting and diet alone. This year I've packed on 15lbs during a bulk cycle and am just starting back into a cut to see how much muscle I've built. For me, cardio is about cardiovascular health and mine probably sucks but I can lift heavy *kitten* weights and my body shape has changed dramatically. Now pass me those dumbbells...and not the pink ones either ;) Oh and I am currently following the Power Muscle Burn progaramme doing a 5 day split and changing it up to the PHUL program next week to change things up a bit. Whatever you decide to do though, it's all about consistency!

    thats great! to each their own right?

    Exactly! What works for one doesn't necessarily work for everyone plus it totally depends what sort of look you're wanting to achieve. For me, it's all about looking like I lift and I love the whole process. Lift big, eat big, that's my motto. And maintaining at 2500cals can't be all bad right?!? :)

    I would love to eat 2500 cal's to maintain hahaha if i do that, ill be the size of a house :(

    also i could never create enough of a caloric deficit with just diet alone. I eat pretty healthy. there's nothing major i should cut out from my everyday diet. the cardio helps me burn those calories.

    Why would you have to cut anything out to achieve a deficit? Just eat less of everything, weigh and log to be certain of your deficit and the weight loss will follow.
  • ckspores1018
    ckspores1018 Posts: 168 Member
    I do both, strength at least 3 times a week. I don't track it, though. I'm following the 6 month plan in the new rules of lifting for women.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    All forms of exercise have their benefits. I do mostly weight training and flexibility training and hiit a few days a week. But overall, i do each to complement the others.
  • jamileed
    jamileed Posts: 9 Member
    I do 20 mins of cardio & 5 mins stomach crunchs. Then 15 mins of strength training with 5 lb dumbbells. Then I stretch. I sweat so bad. I feel sore all day mostly in my legs.
  • llUndecidedll
    llUndecidedll Posts: 724 Member
    My routine varies, but in the past I've used both strength training and cardio for weight loss. Currently, at the bare minimum, my goal is to hit the gym every other day. It doesn't matter if I do cardio or strength training, as long as I do something. Last month, I did no cardio, lifted every other day, ate at or above maintenance, and dropped 10 lbs and inches around my hips and waist [MFP recommended I recheck my stats because the loss was more than what was projected]. I was really surprised because as I stated before, I was eating above maintenance and doing no cardio with a sedentary lifestyle. Right now, I'm maintaining until I get my diet under control.

    So, at the moment my routine is still just lifting every other day. I have been too lazy/sleepy to do cardio. I'm starting to dislike strength training as well, but I love the muscle definition I see..... :neutral:
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    edited June 2015
    My routine varies, but in the past I've used both strength training and cardio for weight loss. Currently, at the bare minimum, my goal is to hit the gym every other day. It doesn't matter if I do cardio or strength training, as long as I do something. Last month, I did no cardio, lifted every other day, ate at or above maintenance, and dropped 10 lbs and inches around my hips and waist [MFP recommended I recheck my stats because the loss was more than what was projected]. I was really surprised because as I stated before, I was eating above maintenance and doing no cardio with a sedentary lifestyle. Right now, I'm maintaining until I get my diet under control.

    So, at the moment my routine is still just lifting every other day. I have been too lazy/sleepy to do cardio. I'm starting to dislike strength training as well, but I love the muscle definition I see..... :neutral:


    You cant lose weight eating above maintenance (true maintenance levels). You can lose weight eating above the projected maintenance that MFP indicates as its just a basic calculator.

    The mere definition of maintenance is the level of calories required to maintain. So if you lost, you were in a deficit.

    Ex - MFP suggesr i maintain at 2800 calories but tracking has suggested i am at 3000 or a bit over. It just means the algorithms that MFP uses isnt an accurate number for me.
  • llUndecidedll
    llUndecidedll Posts: 724 Member
    edited June 2015
    psulemon wrote: »
    You cant lose weight eating above maintenance (true maintenance levels). You can lose weight eating above the projected maintenance that MFP indicates as its just a basic calculator.

    The mere definition of maintenance is the level of calories required to maintain. So if you lost, you were in a deficit.

    Ex - MFP suggesr i maintain at 2800 calories but tracking has suggested i am at 3000 or a bit over. It just means the algorithms that MFP uses isnt an accurate number for me.

    3000 calories? I would love to have your stats. Well, that makes sense, but I just don't know how far I want to stray and test to see what my actual maintenance level is.

    Yes, there are no special snowflakes, lol. In my mind since I was/am so out of shape, I just concluded that my body was burning a lot of calories after my [hard and horrible] strength training sessions. If my taste buds didn't prefer pizza and burgers, this weight loss thing would be so much easier.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    edited June 2015
    psulemon wrote: »
    You cant lose weight eating above maintenance (true maintenance levels). You can lose weight eating above the projected maintenance that MFP indicates as its just a basic calculator.

    The mere definition of maintenance is the level of calories required to maintain. So if you lost, you were in a deficit.

    Ex - MFP suggesr i maintain at 2800 calories but tracking has suggested i am at 3000 or a bit over. It just means the algorithms that MFP uses isnt an accurate number for me.

    3000 calories? I would love to have your stats. Well, that makes sense, but I just don't know how far I want to stray and test to see what my actual maintenance level is.

    Yes, there are no special snowflakes, lol. In my mind since I was/am so out of shape, I just concluded that my body was burning a lot of calories after my [hard and horrible] strength training sessions. If my taste buds didn't prefer pizza and burgers, this weight loss thing would be so much easier.


    Male, 32yo, 5'11, 173lbs, desk job and i work out 6hrs a week (3 weight training, 1.5 - 2 hrs of hiit, 1 - 1.5 of yoga).


    Also, its not hard to find your real maintenance calories. Just track intake and weight loss for 4 to 8 weeks. I eat 2500 a day, lose 1 lb per week, so the math is 2500 + (3500/7) = 3000.

  • TaurianDoll
    TaurianDoll Posts: 111 Member
    I do both, but neither for weight loss. What I do is:
    - Eat less for weight loss
    - Strength train for preserving muscle and to be stronger for all the other stuff
    - Run for cardio-vascular health
    - Throw in cycling/hiking/ice-skating/swimming etc for family fun on weekends
    - And almost daily walks on the river bank, for my sanity :)

    THIS to a tee.

    My nutrition is what guides my weight loss. I strength train for (a) variety and (b) for building and preserving muscle. Run because...FUN and HEALTHY! Other to just enjoy life...and I walk to work everyday because it's the only alone time I get to listen to music/podcasts/my thoughts and not someone saying "Doll, where is the...I need you to...Can you..."

  • dolliesdaughter
    dolliesdaughter Posts: 544 Member
    I hate cardio, but I do it. I have 2 3-4 mile runs per week and a long run on Saturdays. Other than that my workouts are lifting.
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
    I probably do a third of the cardio I use to do and I weight train 3x more than I use to.... I wish I would have started my weight loss journey doing more weights than cardio... better late than never I guess...
  • MamaOfThree88
    MamaOfThree88 Posts: 54 Member
    Cardio<weight training.
  • Kst76
    Kst76 Posts: 935 Member
    I do weight training 4 times a week for an hour at the time. I do cardio for at least an hour 5 days a week.
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