Heavy lifting vs cardio for weight loss??
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LinzMargaret
Posts: 15 Member
This question is probably pretty common: I'm currently 145, and want to look a little thinner and more toned by my October 1st wedding. Two trainers have told me I need to do heavy lifting. I already have decent muscle mass, but there is that layer of fat on top that I'd really like to get rid of.
If I wanted to be 135 with tone (but just a little - still want to look soft and effeminate), should I be lifting heavy or doing more cardio to get rid of that layer of fat? And if I should be lifting heavy, do I need to worry as much about the number on the scale?
If I wanted to be 135 with tone (but just a little - still want to look soft and effeminate), should I be lifting heavy or doing more cardio to get rid of that layer of fat? And if I should be lifting heavy, do I need to worry as much about the number on the scale?
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Replies
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Definitely heaving lifting. Being in a slight calorie deficit will cause the fat loss, the only reason cardio can be needed when you are trying to lose body fat is if you cannot create a large enough deficit by cutting calories (like me, I like to eat). Lifting heavy will help retain muscle mass you have and hopefully the weight you do lose will be mostly body fat instead of both!1
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Calorie deficit reduces body fat. Strength training is always good for muscle preservation & definition. Cardio is great for heart health & earning more calories.
Congratulations on your wedding!3 -
Both. With a small deficit.3
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Do whichever you enjoy, you can be consistent with, and you would be happy to continue with.0
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the more muscle you have the more fat you will burn.1
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For your specific goals, you should certainly incorporate some degree of weight training. To achieve the look you desire, you also need to lose body fat and the only way to accomplish that is through a calorie deficit. Cardio can be implemented as well to help achieve the deficit, but diet is key. You do still need to be paying attention to the scale. If you are completely new to weight training then some muscle gain is possible while in a calorie deficit, but you will not gain muscle at the same rate you lose fat. Aside from the first week or two that will have accompanied water retention, the scale should still be showing a downward trend over time. If it isn't, it is not due to muscle gain. This is a trap many people fall into. If the scale isn't moving down, you are not in a calorie deficit. Don't worry about not looking "soft and effeminate", this will not occur, especially if you are in a calorie deficit.LinzMargaret wrote: »This question is probably pretty common: I'm currently 145, and want to look a little thinner and more toned by my October 1st wedding. Two trainers have told me I need to do heavy lifting. I already have decent muscle mass, but there is that layer of fat on top that I'd really like to get rid of.
If I wanted to be 135 with tone (but just a little - still want to look soft and effeminate), should I be lifting heavy or doing more cardio to get rid of that layer of fat? And if I should be lifting heavy, do I need to worry as much about the number on the scale?
While it's true that having more lean mass causes your body to burn more calories per day, the amount at which this occurs is often overstated. A completely untrained female might hope to gain 10-12 lbs of lean mass while eating in a surplus and lifting for a whole year. A pound of lean muscle will add a calorie burn of about 7-13 calories per day. That's a low estimate of 70 calories and a high estimate of 150 calories burned on 10-12 lbs of muscle gained. For the OP, she will not gain anywhere near 10-12 lbs of lean mass eating in a deficit. While weight lifting is important for aesthetic reasons, added fat loss (calorie burn) is so minor that it's not really the reason she should worry about it.Mystical64 wrote: »the more muscle you have the more fat you will burn.11 -
skittlebitz wrote: »Definitely heaving lifting. Being in a slight calorie deficit will cause the fat loss, the only reason cardio can be needed when you are trying to lose body fat is if you cannot create a large enough deficit by cutting calories (like me, I like to eat). Lifting heavy will help retain muscle mass you have and hopefully the weight you do lose will be mostly body fat instead of both!
^^^0 -
Ask yourself this...if either of those things were for weight loss then why do people who are fit and not trying to lose weight do them?
As a matter of general fitness you should do both cardio for your cardiovascular health and fitness as well as resistance training. More specific fitness goals would dictate what you are doing...your rep ranges, what cardio you're doing, etc. Try looking at fitness for the sake of fitness and your overall health and well being.
Diet for weight management; exercise for fitness.0 -
You are going to do more to lose weight with your diet than anything. The exercise isn't going to really help you there. What I would do is be sure and get lots of protein and lift heavy so you maintain your muscle mass as much as possible while you are losing weight.0
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Set your diary to lose .5 pounds a week and lift heavy.
You're going to look amazing.1 -
LinzMargaret wrote: »This question is probably pretty common: I'm currently 145, and want to look a little thinner and more toned by my October 1st wedding. Two trainers have told me I need to do heavy lifting. I already have decent muscle mass, but there is that layer of fat on top that I'd really like to get rid of.
If I wanted to be 135 with tone (but just a little - still want to look soft and effeminate), should I be lifting heavy or doing more cardio to get rid of that layer of fat? And if I should be lifting heavy, do I need to worry as much about the number on the scale?
Heavy lifting. For sure. You will automatically lose some fat, and then when the time gets closer that you are aiming for weight loss you will already have a large build up of muscle from lifting, can continue lifting at a maintenance weight and take a slight cut to your calories to get your ideal shape.1 -
No. You will not "automatically lose some fat." The closest thing to "automatically" losing fat is eating at a Caloric deficit.4
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If after reading this thread you still have any worries about weight lifting ruining your effeminate look, see The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess which was available through my library system, so perhaps yours as well.1
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diet diet diet. Abs are made in the kitchen. (even if you don't want "abs")... 90% of your layer of fat being lost will be done in the kitchen.0
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Fork putdowns and table pushaways
Diet is king. The rest is for your personal preference.3 -
I've been lifting for 3 years...I still have a layer of fat around my middle....If I want that gone I have to tighten up logging, not go on vacation...yah no.
Basically what I am saying is the calorie deficit is to get rid of fat...I lift to be strong and preserve muscle mass...2 -
There's a little misinterpretation going on here that I hope I can verbalize in a different light. When you eat at a caloric deficit you with loose body "mass" not just fat but fat and muscle and possibly bone (if you're not getting the nutrients you need like calcium). By strength training, you force the body to maintain the muscle and bone (since your taxing them) and use other sources of energy like fat.
Second, the body has three types of fuel sources that being quick fuel (survival/fight or flight energy), proteins (muscle etc) and endurance fuel (fat). Quick fuel (Glycogen - stored in the liver basically sugar) is used first since the body can easily metabolize it and it's quickly replaced by eating. Fat is used primarily only when the glycogen is depleted but the body still needs large amounts of fuel. OR when the body has been programmed to recognize that it is performing a long taxing task requiring large energy amounts over long periods of time (ie running). However, if you body is not programmed and the task is new to it, it will use glycogen and or potentially muscle mass before it switches to fat because fat is harder for the body to metabolize as compared to simple proteins and sugars.
If you doing cardio only - your body will just use the glycogen unless you work out long enough which most beginners don't. So they kill themselves doing cardio and completely undo everything by eating right afterwards thus replacing the glycogen and not producing an energy deficit requiring the burning of fat.
The best method to ramp up your weight loss is to strength-train ( or HIIT) first to burn up the glycogen and follow that up with any type of cardio (walking, biking, running). This way the body says "we're under a heavy load - burn up the sugars." "Still working hard here Don't burn the proteins, we need that to rebuild." Still going but we need energy, switch to fat!"
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There's a little misinterpretation going on here that I hope I can verbalize in a different light. When you eat at a caloric deficit you with loose body "mass" not just fat but fat and muscle and possibly bone (if you're not getting the nutrients you need like calcium). By strength training, you force the body to maintain the muscle and bone (since your taxing them) and use other sources of energy like fat.
Second, the body has three types of fuel sources that being quick fuel (survival/fight or flight energy), proteins (muscle etc) and endurance fuel (fat). Quick fuel (Glycogen - stored in the liver basically sugar) is used first since the body can easily metabolize it and it's quickly replaced by eating. Fat is used primarily only when the glycogen is depleted but the body still needs large amounts of fuel. OR when the body has been programmed to recognize that it is performing a long taxing task requiring large energy amounts over long periods of time (ie running). However, if you body is not programmed and the task is new to it, it will use glycogen and or potentially muscle mass before it switches to fat because fat is harder for the body to metabolize as compared to simple proteins and sugars.
If you doing cardio only - your body will just use the glycogen unless you work out long enough which most beginners don't. So they kill themselves doing cardio and completely undo everything by eating right afterwards thus replacing the glycogen and not producing an energy deficit requiring the burning of fat.
The best method to ramp up your weight loss is to strength-train ( or HIIT) first to burn up the glycogen and follow that up with any type of cardio (walking, biking, running). This way the body says "we're under a heavy load - burn up the sugars." "Still working hard here Don't burn the proteins, we need that to rebuild." Still going but we need energy, switch to fat!"
Sorry but this is completely and utterly false - you do not burn glycogen first and fat second.
Virtually all the time you are exercising you are using a combination of both.
When you are at rest and have digested your last meal your are burning virtually all fat. Zero special "tricks" needed. At my multi hour cycling pace I'm burning approx. 50/50 carbs and fat for example.
If you had ever truly ever got to the point of using up all your glycogen (c. 2hrs of intense and unfuelled cardio) you simply would not be able to exercise anymore. Hitting the wall as marathon runners call it or bonking as cyclists call it. Crushing fatigue and mental confusion tells you when you have got there.
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What are you people talking about?
Cardio burns tons more calories than lifting.
That said, one loses weight by eating less. As mentioned.1
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