Cardio vs Lifting for beginners?

MeaganPorter1
MeaganPorter1 Posts: 5 Member
edited November 22 in Health and Weight Loss
Currently I am 211lbs and have been doing about 1 hour per day of cardio workout. My question is, should I also be doing weight lifting? Ultimately I am trying to cut my weight to a healthier level but I don't want to sacrifice muscle. Would it be advisable to do a few days of weight lifting etc?

Replies

  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Yes, LIFT. Lifting helps retain muscle mass while losing. Cardio is for health and to help with the deficit.
  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
    Bonus of adding muscle, muscle burns more calories, even at rest.
  • BasicGreatGuy
    BasicGreatGuy Posts: 857 Member
    Cardio and lifting compliment well with what you have briefly described.

    Depending on your current fitness level, you could start off with incorporating lifting into your current regime two days a week and see how that works for you. If you find it is working well for you, you can try 3 days a week.

    What you want to be cognizant of, is not not working the same body parts back to back. It is important to give your muscles a chance to recuperate.
  • Whittedo
    Whittedo Posts: 352 Member
    Lifting and cardio is like chocolate and peanut butter. You really get more bang if you do both.
  • trina1049
    trina1049 Posts: 593 Member
    Whittedo wrote: »
    Lifting and cardio is like chocolate and peanut butter. You really get more bang if you do both.

    This! Hi, Whittedo!
  • flamingblades
    flamingblades Posts: 311 Member
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    Yes, LIFT. Lifting helps retain muscle mass while losing. Cardio is for health and to help with the deficit.
    Awesome. I have been doing workouts with my trainer for almost a year and he has worked wonders with my body. I feel great, my clothes are getting loose, and when I "suck it in" I really feel some power in my core. NOW... I never really got into lifting per say, so can you give me an idea of some lifting activities to add to my program? I don't want to be a Schwartzenegress, so please just give me a starting point and I will take it from there. I do have 2 3lb. weights I use at home when I am watching the tube at night.

  • arb037
    arb037 Posts: 203 Member
    Lifting is what you want. Cardio is simply a tool to manipulate calories, which you can do just by increasing your calorie deficit.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    Lift now. So many people on here get to their goal weight and regret not having lifted in a deficit. It does amazing things to the body.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    Lift now. So many people on here get to their goal weight and regret not having lifted in a deficit. It does amazing things to the body.

    What she said. ^^
  • trina1049
    trina1049 Posts: 593 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    Lift now. So many people on here get to their goal weight and regret not having lifted in a deficit. It does amazing things to the body.

    +2
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    I also think that a lot of people who lift all along find they don't need to lose quite as much weight to be as happy with their body compared to those who did not lift. For my height, I could healthily drop another 15 lbs, but I saved enough muscle to feel pretty comfortable in the middle of a healthy weight range. Of course there are things that need work, but it can be done without losing more weight.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    Bonus of adding muscle, muscle burns more calories, even at rest.

    Except under specific circumstances, you can't gain muscle in a calorie deficit. You can, however, maintain your muscle as you lose, which is why it's beneficial.
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    Yes, LIFT. Lifting helps retain muscle mass while losing. Cardio is for health and to help with the deficit.
    Awesome. I have been doing workouts with my trainer for almost a year and he has worked wonders with my body. I feel great, my clothes are getting loose, and when I "suck it in" I really feel some power in my core. NOW... I never really got into lifting per say, so can you give me an idea of some lifting activities to add to my program? I don't want to be a Schwartzenegress, so please just give me a starting point and I will take it from there. I do have 2 3lb. weights I use at home when I am watching the tube at night.

    Look into a progressive lifting program: Stronglifts 5x5, Starting Strength, and New Rules of Lifting for Women are great places to start.
  • flamingblades
    flamingblades Posts: 311 Member
    I don't know the fitness lingo but I will google your suggestions. Thank You (-:
  • MeaganPorter1
    MeaganPorter1 Posts: 5 Member
    Thanks everyone! I will incorporate two days a week for now :)
  • labohn91
    labohn91 Posts: 113 Member
    Yes
  • kjm3579
    kjm3579 Posts: 3,974 Member
    I would also recommend StrongLifts 5x5 -- check out the iPhone app for it - great and easy way to track
  • shank35l
    shank35l Posts: 102 Member
    Yes, lift, lift more after that and then lift some more. No matter what the weight goal is think of it this way - what good is losing 40 lbs when after you are so weak you can't lift a tv remote.
  • mich19025
    mich19025 Posts: 55 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    Lift now. So many people on here get to their goal weight and regret not having lifted in a deficit. It does amazing things to the body.

    Seconded
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    Yes. They're both good for your health. :)
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    Yes, LIFT. Lifting helps retain muscle mass while losing. Cardio is for health and to help with the deficit.
    Awesome. I have been doing workouts with my trainer for almost a year and he has worked wonders with my body. I feel great, my clothes are getting loose, and when I "suck it in" I really feel some power in my core. NOW... I never really got into lifting per say, so can you give me an idea of some lifting activities to add to my program? I don't want to be a Schwartzenegress, so please just give me a starting point and I will take it from there. I do have 2 3lb. weights I use at home when I am watching the tube at night.

    I don't understand why you wouldn't ask your trainer about this?

    Also:

    Arnold Schwarzenegger: I encourage everyone to lift weights, it is good for everyone.

    Reporter: But I don't want to get big like you.

    Arnold: Don't worry, you never will.
  • rune1990
    rune1990 Posts: 543 Member
    So does the nerd fitness routine fit into this category?
    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

    I would eventually love to do the stronglifts 5x5, but until then would the above work?
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    rune1990 wrote: »
    So does the nerd fitness routine fit into this category?
    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

    I would eventually love to do the stronglifts 5x5, but until then would the above work?

    Body weight routines are good for helping to maintain LBM as well. Just make sure it is getting progressively more difficult for you. The nerdfitness one is good. It's been awhile since I read over it but I remember it being VERY beginner. As long as it challenging for you, it's a good start.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    edited July 2015
    There is a big focus on weightlifting as it applies to how people look and body fat percentages and that's all great, but it really is good for you, too. When you lift something heavy (and "heavy" is subjective, a person who is new can derive the same benefit using 30 pounds as someone else gets lifting 100 pounds), all kinds of good things happen.

    Your muscles aren't really separate from your bones. Bone turns into fascia, which turns into muscle. It's all connected. One long string with different makeup. Some people actually argue that it should be referred to as one system (not me, I don't argue that) because you cannot really say, "Here is where one ends and the other begins."

    You lift something heavy and the muscle tugs on the bones and it stimulates the bones to make themselves stronger. If you want strong bones, pick up heavy things. Do body weight exercise. Work your body.

    When they find a skeleton, they can tell how muscular the person had been, just by looking at the bones. The bones will be more solid of have little bumpies on them that indicate how much they got tugged on.

    That's not the only health benefit, but it's a huge one.

    I think that weight lifting gets a bad rap. It's not just for people who want big muscles. You don't have to care about your body-fat percentage to derive benefit from it. It is good for us all.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    as a matter of general fitness, pretty much everyone should be doing some combination of cardiovascular work and resistance training...it doesn't necessarily have to be weight training, but you should be doing something 2-3x per week that works all of your muscles.
  • flamingblades
    flamingblades Posts: 311 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    Yes, LIFT. Lifting helps retain muscle mass while losing. Cardio is for health and to help with the deficit.
    Awesome. I have been doing workouts with my trainer for almost a year and he has worked wonders with my body. I feel great, my clothes are getting loose, and when I "suck it in" I really feel some power in my core. NOW... I never really got into lifting per say, so can you give me an idea of some lifting activities to add to my program? I don't want to be a Schwartzenegress, so please just give me a starting point and I will take it from there. I do have 2 3lb. weights I use at home when I am watching the tube at night.

    I don't understand why you wouldn't ask your trainer about this?

    Also:

    Arnold Schwarzenegger: I encourage everyone to lift weights, it is good for everyone.

    Reporter: But I don't want to get big like you.

    Arnold: Don't worry, you never will.

    I will talk with him this morning about a lifting program.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    rune1990 wrote: »
    So does the nerd fitness routine fit into this category?
    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

    I would eventually love to do the stronglifts 5x5, but until then would the above work?

    That's a good routine

    Yes it is worth following
  • mystgrl1604
    mystgrl1604 Posts: 117 Member
    Lift! If not for the sculpting, lift for the exhilaration you'd feel when you manage to life something you thought was too heavy at first. Yeeeebah!!! I love lifting! And i still got 100+lbs to lose.
This discussion has been closed.