Looking for people who have done NO CARDIO, Just weights and have lost weight!

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ctmike1980
ctmike1980 Posts: 15 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have about 130 lbs to lose to goal. I hate hate hate Cardio at the gym. I have, however, started doing strength training, aka lifting weights for the past two weeks at the gym and love it! I have read that lifting weights is better than cardio as your body will keep burning calories up to 36 hours AFTER you stop, whereas cardio your body burns and stops when you are done. Has anyone done only weights and lost weight? Thanks.
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  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
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    I started out doing cardio for a few months but ditched it afterwards. The rest of the 100lbs I lost was using just weight training. Weight loss is 75-100% diet to begin with, no cardio is actually required unless you enjoy it, enjoy the results or need it for performance reasons (for a sport, for example). If you love weights but hate cardio (like me) the choice is an easy one.
  • Mistraal1981
    Mistraal1981 Posts: 453 Member
    edited October 2015
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    You can do NO cardio and NO weights and still lose weight as the only thing you need to lose weight is your diet.

    If you want to to exercise on top of that, great. Cardio is for heart health and endurance, lifting will give you that awesome sculpted look. Either way, without less calories, all your hard work will be hidden under fat.
  • OneHundredToLose
    OneHundredToLose Posts: 8,534 Member
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    I do no significant exercise other than walk to and from work everyday, and I am losing at the exact rate predicted by MFP. Eat at a deficit and you will lose weight.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    ctmike1980 wrote: »
    I have read that lifting weights is better than cardio as your body will keep burning calories up to 36 hours AFTER you stop, whereas cardio your body burns and stops when you are done. .
    Pure irrelevant and inaccurate nonsense unfortunately.
    If you want a big calorie burn then cardio wins by a country mile. True a larger percentage of EPOC from weight training but of a much smaller number. There is EPOC from intense cardio too.

    But please, please, please don't do either weights or cardio just for calorie burns.
    They both have their different benefits. Work towards your goals and what you enjoy. If you hate cardio then don't do it - it won't be sustainable for you.


  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
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    sijomial wrote: »
    ctmike1980 wrote: »
    I have read that lifting weights is better than cardio as your body will keep burning calories up to 36 hours AFTER you stop, whereas cardio your body burns and stops when you are done. .
    Pure irrelevant and inaccurate nonsense unfortunately.
    If you want a big calorie burn then cardio wins by a country mile. True a larger percentage of EPOC from weight training but of a much smaller number. There is EPOC from intense cardio too.

    But please, please, please don't do either weights or cardio just for calorie burns.
    They both have their different benefits. Work towards your goals and what you enjoy. If you hate cardio then don't do it - it won't be sustainable for you.


    I think cardio type is going to matter the most if you're talking pure calorie burner. Is a slow mile jog versus, multiple 100m sprints, weight training could beat-out the jog; it's all subjective to what one is doing.

    But I totally agree about the 2nd point, do not do something for calorie burner. Exercise is more than just burning calories it has very good health benefits aside from supporting weight management. Figure out what you want to accomplish physically and your training should fall in-line with those goals. Your nutrition will help the most with your weight managament goals, exercise will only help augment that goal if the nutrition part is in-line.
  • gdyment
    gdyment Posts: 299 Member
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    You know those out of balance people who only do arms? Or just legs? Heart is an important muscle to work as well. You can ignore it but probably not wise.

    Not saying you'll ever love cardio, but being 130 lbs over is part of the reason you hate it. Balance.
  • williamwj2014
    williamwj2014 Posts: 750 Member
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    gdyment wrote: »
    You know those out of balance people who only do arms? Or just legs? Heart is an important muscle to work as well. You can ignore it but probably not wise.

    Not saying you'll ever love cardio, but being 130 lbs over is part of the reason you hate it. Balance.

    agreed.


    You really don't have to kill yourself for more than 10-20 mins cardio..I would say to alternate between each kind of machine. Use the bike for 5 mins, use the elliptical for 5 mins, jog for 5 mins..you don't have to kill yourself doing it, just do enough to get your heart beating and work a bit of a sweat. You might find yourself doing more eventually.

    Your diet is the most important thing, always keep that in mind.
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
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    I started in about the same boat as you. I skipped slow cardio and did HIIT instead, along with strength training - it's not pleasant, but it is more brief. I still don't like it much - it really wipes me out completely - but what keeps me doing it are the results. I'm about ten weeks in (doing 3x/week)

    My resting heart rate fell from the high 70s down into the mid-50s. My heart rate recovery is in the high 50s. Both of those together indicate very good cardiovascular fitness. My blood pressure is also down to normal levels.

    In real-world measurements, I can climb several flights of stairs and carry on a conversation, not gasp like a dying fish. I have a lot more energy than I've had in years.
  • williamwj2014
    williamwj2014 Posts: 750 Member
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    rankinsect wrote: »
    I started in about the same boat as you. I skipped slow cardio and did HIIT instead, along with strength training - it's not pleasant, but it is more brief. I still don't like it much - it really wipes me out completely - but what keeps me doing it are the results. I'm about ten weeks in (doing 3x/week)

    My resting heart rate fell from the high 70s down into the mid-50s. My heart rate recovery is in the high 50s. Both of those together indicate very good cardiovascular fitness. My blood pressure is also down to normal levels.

    In real-world measurements, I can climb several flights of stairs and carry on a conversation, not gasp like a dying fish. I have a lot more energy than I've had in years.

    awesome..HIIT is amazing. I love HIIT but I think OP needs to lose some weight before he can get there without injuring himself unless you mean using an elliptical or bike.. but sprinting is the best imo.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    I did it for a while. Then when I added cardio in some of my lifts got better.
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
    edited October 2015
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    williamwj2014 wrote: »
    awesome..HIIT is amazing. I love HIIT but I think OP needs to lose some weight before he can get there without injuring himself unless you mean using an elliptical or bike.. but sprinting is the best imo.

    Yeah, I did (and do) HIIT on a bike. I would like to sprint and probably will in the future but I've had some recurring ankle pain and I wanted something lower impact, particularly as when I began this, I was as obese as the OP. That weight just magnifies the stress on the joints.
  • williamwj2014
    williamwj2014 Posts: 750 Member
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    rankinsect wrote: »
    williamwj2014 wrote: »
    awesome..HIIT is amazing. I love HIIT but I think OP needs to lose some weight before he can get there without injuring himself unless you mean using an elliptical or bike.. but sprinting is the best imo.

    Yeah, I did (and do) HIIT on a bike. I would like to sprint and probably will in the future but I've had some recurring ankle pain and I wanted something lower impact, particularly as when I began this, I was as obese as the OP. That weight just magnifies the stress on the joints.

    yeah i can imagine. Definitely does sound like your benefiting from using the bike either way so that's good.
  • ltworide
    ltworide Posts: 342 Member
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    You could try mixing cardio and weights into a circuit. body weight or weighted squats, jumping or step jacks, lunges, step ups, marching or light jog in a spot, dancing, skipping (this is low impact...jump no more than 1/4 - 1/2 inch from ground), rows, presses, etc. as cardio also... Make a small circuit of some of these exercises..do what you can, pace yourself then try to beat yourself next time you do the same circuit by adding more weight, doing more reps/sets, increasing work time, decreasing your rest time, etc.

  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    I barely did cardio. When I was heavier, yes, I did SOME. But I eventually dropped it all. In the past 7-8 months I have maybe done it 3 times. Do a bit for heart health but if you hate it, and it stops you from getting into the gym, don't stress over it. LIFT.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    usmcmp wrote: »
    I did it for a while. Then when I added cardio in some of my lifts got better.

    How refreshing! :)

    There's often a perception that cardio harms lifting but I find being very fit means my recovery time between sets is far better so I can either lift more volume in my allotted time or have a shorter session if I'm short of time. Also means I can do high reps far easier when I'm training for strength endurance.
  • AsISmile
    AsISmile Posts: 1,004 Member
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    sijomial wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    I did it for a while. Then when I added cardio in some of my lifts got better.

    How refreshing! :)

    There's often a perception that cardio harms lifting but I find being very fit means my recovery time between sets is far better so I can either lift more volume in my allotted time or have a shorter session if I'm short of time. Also means I can do high reps far easier when I'm training for strength endurance.

    I'm so happy reading this.
    I really really enjoy lifting, but no way I am giving up my bodycombat class.

    OP, there are many more different types of cardio than machines, there's classes, dancing, swimming, cycling, etc.
    not saying that you have to, but there are options.
  • beckygammon
    beckygammon Posts: 73 Member
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    I lift and do cardio at the end and I hate cardio so much, but I just do 20 minutes HIIT 4 days a week and I have found that it helps with the soreness from lifting.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    ctmike1980 wrote: »
    I have about 130 lbs to lose to goal. I hate hate hate Cardio at the gym. I have, however, started doing strength training, aka lifting weights for the past two weeks at the gym and love it! I have read that lifting weights is better than cardio as your body will keep burning calories up to 36 hours AFTER you stop, whereas cardio your body burns and stops when you are done. Has anyone done only weights and lost weight? Thanks.

    You will not lose 130 lbs by lifting. Or by any other type of exercise, unless you plan to dedicate hours daily to exercise. You will lose weight mainly by changing how you eat.
    Exercise is for fitness and health. It plays of course a role in weight loss, but it will not have a dramatic effect, compared to changes in eating.
    Lifting will not burn a ton of calories, not while you are doing it, not hours later, if this is what you are hoping to accomplish. It will help preserve muscle as you lose weight, and will make you stronger.
    Ideally, for health, you need a mix of both cardio and resistance training. But it does not have to be at the gym. Just going for a walk is cardio.
  • ctmike1980
    ctmike1980 Posts: 15 Member
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    arditarose wrote: »
    I barely did cardio. When I was heavier, yes, I did SOME. But I eventually dropped it all. In the past 7-8 months I have maybe done it 3 times. Do a bit for heart health but if you hate it, and it stops you from getting into the gym, don't stress over it. LIFT.

    I totally agree with your feedback. If I am going to get my butt up at 5:30 am 3-4 times a week before work, I might as well do something at the gym I will ENJOY. Cardio not being one of the things I enjoy, but lifting weights I do like a lot! Plus, while lifting weights, my heart rate increases and I break out in a sweat which makes me think I am doing it correctly with positive benefits. In the end, I realize that it is 90% of what my diet consists of, as if I lift weights but overeat day in and day out, then I will never lose weight and be a strong flabby guy.
  • tekkiechikk
    tekkiechikk Posts: 375 Member
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    A trainer once told me that it's pointless to do exercise you hate, even if it pops a lot of calories fast, because eventually you'll stop exercising altogether. He'd seen so many people be all gung-ho and on fire for the first few months and then fizzle out completely... and then gained all their weight back (sadly, I didn't take his advice... that was 45 lbs ago but now I know it makes perfect sense and follow it).

    As everyone else pointed out, you can basically sit on a couch 24/7 and lose weight as long as you are expending more calories than you are consuming. Find something you like and do it. Any movement is better than no movement.

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