very disappointed on gym what's your thoughts ???

hlektra28 wrote: »

HJ_Fit this is exactly what I was thinking and wanting to start doing weights

Give it a try and see what happens. You can only try and see what works for you - but don't expect immediate results in the first few weeks, it's a journey so stick with it

HJ_Fit wrote: »

If you have more muscles, your body needs more energy to 'run' them, therefore you need more calories per day just to keep you and your muscles working. So, with muscles, it could be easier to create a calorie deficit because your 'running costs' (calories required per day) are higher. Obviously it takes time to create muscles but every day is a step in the right direction, just keep at it

Personally, I would recommend a balance of both cardio and strength training.
One day cardio, one day arms? Or 30 mins cardio then 30 mins strength training?

^^ This is the answer.

Your trainer sounds like a moron - quit listening to him/her.

First, it sounds like you have some estimation issues. If you are doing an hour of cardio and counting your calories, you should be losing weight. Most people underestimate food a little and overestimate exercise calories, so I'd suggest trying not eating back exercise calories if you have not been losing for a while doing an hour of cardio...

Do strength training NOW to retain muscle mass as you lose fat. Don't eat back ANY calories for strength training.

Do cardio NOW to create a bigger calorie pool to work with. Technically, if you follow MFP, you eat back your cardio exercise calories, so your deficit stays the same. But, if might be a good idea to eat back only half or none for a while to see what happens.

hlektra28 wrote: »

I didn't say I didn't lose with cardio but not as much as I expected so since it is difficult for me to continue doing cardio I wanted to do strength training instead and I get back a just don't respond from everyone I know because, I ll try to do the exact translation " fat will tighten and you will not be able to lose and you will end up looking like pregnant " and I don't understand why everyone I mean everyone I know tells me that since there isn't true .

Someone told you if you lift weights your fat will tighten and you will look pregnant??? Hmm.. Hope it doesn't happen to me...

So, you WERE losing weight doing cardio and sticking to your diet. How much did you actually lose and what was your target caloric deficit?

I've lot just over 100lb so far, the first 80lb(or so) I lost in 8 months just eating less and doing a lot of cardio (and generally becoming more active), the other 20lb I've lost over 4 months, cutting back the cardio, eating more and focusing on strength with some high intensity classes and running(if you can call my super slow pace running). The thing is, my actual weight loss may have slowed (but is still pretty good) but my body has changed drastically over the last 4 months, with the inches melting away and my body shape looks so much better. It is possible to build muscle while losing fat, I've dropped a lot of inches without dropping a lot of weight, which is because muscle takes up less space than the equivalent weight of fat. But, on average, I eat close to maintenance (around 250 deficit) and am happy to take a couple of years to lose the last 40lb.

My only regret, not focusing on strength sooner, my weight loss may have been slower but I might not have been dealing with the amount of loose skin I have right now and I might be even stronger.

I've lost 60 pounds through weight training and only now am beginning to add in cardio. The key for me was reigning in my diet because I was eating way more calories than I thought I was. As I have built more muscle my metabolism has increased which allows me to eat more food and still lose weight, which is awesome! Don't listen to your trainer if they say you cannot lose weight strength training alone. If they believe that then they probably shouldn't have been hired as a trainer in the first place. Regarding your weight training focus on compound movements such as bench press, push press, squat, and deadlift as they will build the most muscle spread over your entire body. The more muscle you have the faster your fat loss will be. However, it is important to note that your weight loss will be slower because muscle is heavier than fat. But you will look better and feel stronger faster by doing so.

I'm usually about an hour when I hit the gym. I split it mostly evenly between cardio and strength training. I eat at a deficit every day, and have lost 74lbs in a little under 8 months, so an hour can do the job. I'm no Adonis, but I am definately more muscular when I started, so, in my experience, one can add muscle while dropping fat.
Another option is to see if you can pick up a used exercise bike or treadmill. They can usually be found fairly cheap. That'd let you do more weights at the gym, and cardio at home after the kid(s) go to sleep, if that is something that interests you.
At the end of the day, as mentioned before, all you need to lose weight is the calorie deficit. Weights and cardio help improve overall health, and will let you eat a bit more while keeping the deficit.
Good luck

TavistockToad wrote: »

Look at your calorie deficit. If you're not losing weight it's because you're eating too much!

^^^ That's the #1 reason, you can run a full marathon every day and still not lose weight if you're eating too much. Weight loss happens in the kitchen, exercise is for fitness (studies have repeatedly shown that people who exercise on a regular basis are more likely to keep the wight off in the long term, but that could be correlation rather than causation)

Personally I'd recommend doing both, weights for strength and maintaining lean muscle mass & cardio for cardiovascular health.