Need to lose 150 lbs, is cardio or weights better or BOTH?

for weight loss it is the calorie deficit that matters, not if you strength train or do cardio. The calorie deficit can be created just by eating less, or by moving more and eating the same, or a combination of both.

Cardio burns more calories than strength training and helps increase endurance. Do cardio if you have endurance related goals and want to eat more.

Strength training burns less calories than cardio, but will increase your strength and helps build/maintain muscle. With 150lb to lose as a male and beginner lifter you should build some muscle while losing weight which if you have a long term goal of building muscle you might as well take advantage of now.

The CDC recommends 2.5 hours/week of moderate cardio (fast walking qualifies) and 2x/week full body strength training. This is a decent minimum goal to aim for while losing weight. When I lost my weight (original goal of 45lb) I did 3x/week full body strength training (StrongLifts 5x5) and occasionally did cardio (Ultimate Frisbee 1x/week, walking, some running on occasion after Ultimate ended for the season), but it was eating less that drove my fat loss.

I lost 35 lbs on diet alone (nearly).

When I began working out, I found that I had a much lower calorie deficit if I wanted an effective workout (keep effort/power levels up). If I did work out at a deficit, I had a ravaging hunger that I wouldn't have been able to deal with for long OR I couldn't reproduce efforts I knew I was capable of. I certainly couldn't build.

As weight loss occurred, I added just a little of both lifting and cardio (1.5-2 hrs per week total). Over time I increased levels of both (probably around 3.5 to 4 hrs now) at a ratio of about 90% cardio to 10% strength. I did this very slowly as I wanted to maintain focus on weight loss.

Now that I am within 10 lbs of my target weight, I have shifted my focus more to increased fitness and have seen the weight reduction slow quite rapidly. It is occurring... just not at the rate that it has (for multiple factors).

Most rapid reduction occurred in the beginning with just a little increase in physical activities and calorie management (weighing food on a scale, counting, etc.) using only the MFP recommended settings.

YMMV. Everyone is a little different. I have never walked a mile in your shoes so from an experience perspective, I have none.

Good Luck. You can do it.

alyhuggan wrote: »

Diet should be your primary focus.

For exercise a mix is best.

Weight lifting will help you look as good as possible after that weight loss.

Cardio can either be used to help bring your total calories down or allow you to eat more (making it easier to hit your macros)

Agreed.