Just cardio or weights aswell?

alicer461
alicer461 Posts: 46 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey guys I was just wondering which is best for weight loss, 5 days of pure cardio or doing some days of cardio and some of weights?

I'm obviously looking for faster results and I'm young so I would hope I can get fit fairly fast as currently I am very unfit :/. It's just some have told me weights are better for getting in shape?

If anyone could help that'd be great :) x
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Replies

  • wkwebby
    wkwebby Posts: 807 Member
    Cardio is great for the added boost of calorie loss (weight lifting isn't going to give you as much), but Weight lifting needs to be there for sure! :smiley: If your picture is any indication, it looks like you don't have much weight to lose so I'd incorporate weight lifting at least half the time (like 2 to 3 days out of your 5 days of working out). You don't want to be skinny fat, so start as soon as possible. Good luck!
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    A calorie deficit is what's needed for weight loss. Cardio strengthens your heart, weights help maintain muscle, but they won't help you lose weight if you don't know how much you're eating first.
  • amc29
    amc29 Posts: 27 Member
    I do 3 days of all cardio, and two days of weight lifting with some cardio! Be sure to make it fun, and change it up! I know I will never be "skinny" and I am ok with that I want to be fit! Good luck!
  • evileen99
    evileen99 Posts: 1,564 Member
    Lifting heavy weights will give you the kind of body you're hoping for.

    weights_zps77901ae3.jpg
  • Luv2Smile55
    Luv2Smile55 Posts: 133 Member
    The more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn. Strength training is every bit as important as cardio. :)
  • bearkara
    bearkara Posts: 5 Member
    malibu927 wrote: »
    A calorie deficit is what's needed for weight loss. Cardio strengthens your heart, weights help maintain muscle, but they won't help you lose weight if you don't know how much you're eating first.

    I second this. You need a calorie deficit to lose weight.

    Cardio and weights will help to build and tone the muscle underneath the fat! :)

    I recommend 3-5 times a week of HIIT cardio, and weights 3-5 times a week depending on your program. I personally do strong lifts 5x5. Its a great weight program and relatively easy to learn. The HIIT cardio is pretty customizable, so do the most you can do.

    Please don't avoid weights as many women think they'll get "bulky" and "manly" from them. You won't unless you supplement with steroids. lol.

    Doing a combo of cardio and weights its best as you get the benefits of each. Also, have some protein after working out to get the most muscle growth.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    Both as they do different complementary things.
  • madhatter2013
    madhatter2013 Posts: 1,547 Member
    Both are good for you but a calorie deficit is all you need to lose the weight. If it makes a difference, almost everyone that waits to start lifting until after they have lost the weight, regrets not lifting sooner.
  • ellesMFP93
    ellesMFP93 Posts: 43 Member
    I find weights to be so much more effective than cardio for weight loss. My standard workout is 15-20 minutes on the elliptical or treadmill as a warm up, aiming to keep my heart rate at a fat burning rate (50-60% of your maximum heart rate). Then I do high reps of low weights with shorter rests in between. Very easy to do with small dumbbells or resistance bands if you don't have a gym membership. I work out for an hour to an hour and a half, 2-5 days a week and I've lost 17.5kgs over 3 months. Your body needs more calories to maintain muscle than it does to maintain fat so it will help your metabolism but you also need to be in cal deficit to see results. Feel free to add me :)
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    Both. I was very consistent lifting weights for a long time. I got a dog, start walking him several miles a day, and stopped lifting regularly. I felt like I looked less defined, so I got on the scale and weighed myself for the first time in about two months. I'd lost 3 lbs, but looked puffy and less "toned". Needless to say, I've been pushing myself to get back on my regular lifting schedule.
  • powerpuffgirl66
    powerpuffgirl66 Posts: 143 Member
    edited June 2015
    As others have already mentioned, it is mostly all about your diet. Eat at a deficit to lose weight. Lift big weights to maintain as much muscle as possible. You'll be a lot happier with how your body looks if you maintain (and even built) your muscles. Plus more muscles = burn more calories = eat more food. :)

    I personally lift 5x5-style three days a week, yoga twice a week and a hiit step-style class once a week for my heart. I 10000000000000000000% prefer how my body looks with increased lifting. It is also great to feel strong. No more lower back or joint pain! :D

    Edited to add: Make sure you study proper form when lifting weights. You do not want to unnecessarily injure yourself. With proper form you will also properly target the right muscles, increasing the effectiveness of your workouts. Check out Stronglifts 5x5. It's a great beginner program.
  • alicer461
    alicer461 Posts: 46 Member
    thanks for all the help guys, i think i will change and do cardio 3 days and 2 days of weights/ cardio mix :). when people say cardio deficit what does this mean? burning off more than you eat? I'm sticking to a strict 1200 calories to beguine with
  • darrenj1987
    darrenj1987 Posts: 9 Member
    Try looking for a metabolic circuit training plan its great for weight loss and includes weights depending on the circuit but alot of muscle fitness I just finished a 8 week plan lost 40lb and gaining alot of muscle growth
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    edited June 2015
    alicer461 wrote: »
    thanks for all the help guys, i think i will change and do cardio 3 days and 2 days of weights/ cardio mix :). when people say cardio deficit what does this mean? burning off more than you eat? I'm sticking to a strict 1200 calories to beguine with

    Yes. A deficit would be eating less calories than you burn, a surplus would be eating more than you burn.
  • ungeneric
    ungeneric Posts: 60 Member
    I was recommended to do strength training as well as cardio so that I maintain my muscle mass and bone density while losing weight.
  • alicer461
    alicer461 Posts: 46 Member
    god wow! I'm going to have to step up my cardio then to burn 1200 calories haha
  • DaddieCat
    DaddieCat Posts: 3,643 Member
    darrenj1987 wrote: »
    Try looking for a metabolic circuit training plan its great for weight loss and includes weights depending on the circuit but alot of muscle fitness I just finished a 8 week plan lost 40lb and gaining alot of muscle growth

    This person seems to float around threads giving exactly the same answer.

    The answer is that everyone has different goals and methods work differently for everyone. Try both, find what you like and what you think works. If you lift, find a program that you like and stick with it for a while. Don't program hop or you will defeat your purposes. If you like cardio, do cardio. They both have different purposes and lead to different results. It depends on your goals.
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    edited June 2015
    alicer461 wrote: »
    god wow! I'm going to have to step up my cardio then to burn 1200 calories haha

    No you won't. Your body probably burns more than 1200 calories just by existing. Your heart beating, lungs working, cell repair. You burn calories when you eat, sleep, drive a car, take a shower, etc.. Most of the calories we burn per day are due to normal body functions and day to day activities.
  • alicer461
    alicer461 Posts: 46 Member
    phew thats not as dauwnting now :) thanks everyone, its great to have help from such knoledgeable people on here:)
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    edited June 2015
    alicer461 wrote: »
    god wow! I'm going to have to step up my cardio then to burn 1200 calories haha

    No. You don't have to burn 1200 calories during your workouts. Your body is constantly burning calories, even while you sleep. "Eating less than your body is burning" refers to ALL the calories your body burns throughout the day. In other words, your TDEE, which is different from your BMR, which is the amount of calories your body would burn per day if you were in a coma - just what's required to keep you alive and functioning. Eating below your BMR is a bad idea if you're also exercising. My guess is that 1200 calories is below your BMR. I hope you're eating back some exercise calories.

    There's no need to eat so little when you're working out five days per week. Your body probably isn't performing nearly as well as it could if you gave it more fuel. I lost most of my weight eating 1850 calories per day and I have a desk job. I'm no special snowflake - don't be scared to eat.

    As for all cardio vs. cardio and some weights, I vote all weights, no cardio. However, a mixture of both is ideal.
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    edited June 2015
    alicer461 wrote: »
    phew thats not as dauwnting now :) thanks everyone, its great to have help from such knoledgeable people on here:)

    You could probably sit on the couch and watch TV all day and burn 1200 calories. (depending on your age, weight and height...although I wouldn't recommend it). You should probably play around with some TDEE calculators. TDEE = total daily energy expenditure. This is an estimate of how many calories you burn per day, including exercise and activity. Your BMR is your basal metabolic rate. This is the amount of calories you burn based on body functions alone. If your BMR is 1300 calories, you ate 1200 for the day, and did absolutely nothing, you'd still be in a calorie deficit. Make sense?

    http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/

  • darrenj1987
    darrenj1987 Posts: 9 Member
    BecomingBane wrote: »
    darrenj1987 wrote: »
    Try looking for a metabolic circuit training plan its great for weight loss and includes weights depending on the circuit but alot of muscle fitness I just finished a 8 week plan lost 40lb and gaining alot of muscle growth

    This person seems to float around threads giving exactly the same answer.

    The answer is that everyone has different goals and methods work differently for everyone. Try both, find what you like and what you think works. If you lift, find a program that you like and stick with it for a while. Don't program hop or you will defeat your purposes. If you like cardio, do cardio. They both have different purposes and lead to different results. It depends on your goals.

    No not exactly how I work on these if you saw the same answer I gave on another thread it's because I felt the same answer applied sure advice is advice regardless if it's copied or taken from elsewhere is it not? Why try writing it twice when some clever sod created copy and paste :
  • LolaKarwowski
    LolaKarwowski Posts: 217 Member
    I lift heavy and will now incorporate HIIT workouts.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    edited June 2015
    alicer461 wrote: »
    thanks for all the help guys, i think i will change and do cardio 3 days and 2 days of weights/ cardio mix :). when people say cardio deficit what does this mean? burning off more than you eat? I'm sticking to a strict 1200 calories to beguine with

    1200 calories + exercise calories* is eating at a deficit. *Exercise calories are overestimated...just eat a portion back.

    The term is skinny-fat.....not skinny. Think of it like this: diet with zero exercise is a smaller version of the current you. If you have some "puffiness" some jiggle.....zero exercise will help you maintain the puffiness and the jiggle. Adding all cardio will have virtually the same effect....only you get there faster because you burn some additional calories.

    Strength training helps you keep existing lean muscle. This helps you get rid of the puffiness & the jiggle because you are losing (mostly) fat.

    Skip the strength/cardio ....just do strength days. OR you could cut back on "just" cardio because your strength/cardio is taking care of that.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    as a matter of general fitness, both are pretty important.
  • daniwilford
    daniwilford Posts: 1,030 Member
    darrenj1987 wrote: »
    Try looking for a metabolic circuit training plan its great for weight loss and includes weights depending on the circuit but alot of muscle fitness I just finished a 8 week plan lost 40lb and gaining alot of muscle growth
    How is losing 40 pounds in eight weeks healthy, assuming one is not morbidly obese? How is it possible without giving birth to multiples?
  • darrenj1987
    darrenj1987 Posts: 9 Member
    daniwilford wrote: »
    darrenj1987 wrote: »
    Try looking for a metabolic circuit training plan its great for weight loss and includes weights depending on the circuit but alot of muscle fitness I just finished a 8 week plan lost 40lb and gaining alot of muscle growth
    How is losing 40 pounds in eight weeks healthy, assuming one is not morbidly obese? How is it possible without giving birth to multiples?

    Being 273lbs currently now 221lbs I was in the gym 3 to 4 times a week invested in a personal trainer to get me working on what I needed to for a few weeks so hard work and a good diet how can losing weight become unhealthy? There is not real limit to how much you can lose in a space of time as long as it's done in the correct way. I have just done 5 weeks of maintaining weight and back this week on a diet and high work rate to lose another 40lb I have a very active job also but I had quite alot to lose to begin with
  • DaddieCat
    DaddieCat Posts: 3,643 Member
    darrenj1987 wrote: »
    daniwilford wrote: »
    darrenj1987 wrote: »
    Try looking for a metabolic circuit training plan its great for weight loss and includes weights depending on the circuit but alot of muscle fitness I just finished a 8 week plan lost 40lb and gaining alot of muscle growth
    How is losing 40 pounds in eight weeks healthy, assuming one is not morbidly obese? How is it possible without giving birth to multiples?

    Being 273lbs currently now 221lbs I was in the gym 3 to 4 times a week invested in a personal trainer to get me working on what I needed to for a few weeks so hard work and a good diet how can losing weight become unhealthy? There is not real limit to how much you can lose in a space of time as long as it's done in the correct way. I have just done 5 weeks of maintaining weight and back this week on a diet and high work rate to lose another 40lb I have a very active job also but I had quite alot to lose to begin with

    I think the point that I and others are trying to make is that generic advice is still generic. You need to know more about the person, their goals and what works for them before telling them that your method works for everyone. No one method works for everyone and it depends on many factors. While it may work for you, you did have to hire a trainer. This trainer, provided they are worth their salt, is getting paid to find out what works for you and tailor a program specifically for you to accomplish your personal goals.

    As someone who has as much to lose as you do, and starting from the place that you are starting from, your advice might be sound... for you. Not everyone is in the same situation as you, nor are they you. Everyone's metabolic state will be different, their goals different, their dietary habits different, their personal strengths and weaknesses different. Get my drift?

    Everyone is happy that what you are doing is working for you currently, but odds are, as you lose more, even your own methods will have to change at some point or another as it gets more difficult to lose weight/body fat as the amount that you have decreases. No one is knocking your progress, just saying that what works for you might not be optimal for others and giving generic advice to someone is never the correct answer.
  • darrenj1987
    darrenj1987 Posts: 9 Member
    From what I have said you have taken it wrong I can only share my experience and tried to show that it does work. I can't be the only one it does work for and people wouldn't know unless they try. Wasn't being pushy I know all are different and built in different ways. But all I was doing was sharing an experience. It's like the others that say go hard or go slow more reps less reps can't see you jumping on them for there opionion . Also with the Pt if I considered joining a forum or a group chat before I hired a pt I would of saved myself some £££ but hey can't turn back the clock
  • daniwilford
    daniwilford Posts: 1,030 Member
    darrenj1987, askes how can losing weight become unhealthy? Answer: when it comes from muscles, which it most certainly will with quick weight loss, consisting of greater than 1% of body weight per week. As much as 25% of your loss is coming from lean tissue. A body will only metabolize a finite amount of fat in a finite time period, no matter how perfect your diet and exercise routine. The worst part about it is it can be vital organ muscle that can be depleted, like your heart.

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