Conflicting information

awoodnyc
awoodnyc Posts: 33 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi! I have noticed a lot of research that claims cardio is the least effective way to lose weight, and that strength training is better.
However, how to lose weight comes from a calorie deficit.

So when i'm at the gym and I spend a half hour lighting weights, I burn half the amount of calories compared to that much time doing cardio. Doesn't burning more calories = more weight loss?

I'm confused!

Replies

  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    I don't consider exercise a factor in losing weight. I do it to be healthy, plus with how MFP is set up you eat the exercise calories back so your deficit remains the same as it would if you weren't exercising.

    Cardio is good for heart health, lifting is good for retaining your lean mass as you lose.
  • Lynzdee18
    Lynzdee18 Posts: 500 Member
    Now I do piles of cardio so I can eat more. But I first lost by just restricting my intake, and added cardio and weights once I got a good loss started.

    Someone suggested I do cardio first, fairly intensely and then weights, so the burn continues more. I dunno. But that’s what I do......
  • Iheartrunning36
    Iheartrunning36 Posts: 73 Member
    Calorie deficit is the only real effective way to lose weight. Burn more then you consume. Cardio is better in many ways because you burn more calories faster then weight lifting, but I don't have any educated insight. lol I refuse to weight lift being over weight, but plan on strength training within ten pounds of goal.
  • tess5036
    tess5036 Posts: 942 Member
    edited October 2017
    Cardio helps you burn the calories which will burn both fat and muscle. Resistance training, including weights, helps to support the maintance of muscle, do you won't loose as much muscle. In turn general maintance requirements for muscle are higher than the equivalent of fat. It's not a matter of one or the other, you can do both (I do).
  • anitastevens75
    anitastevens75 Posts: 10 Member
    Great posts thanks all, I am only new too weight loss and muscle gaining.... I worry that I don’t burn enough calories when doing weights as it hard to figure out how many calories U burn from them... I now try to do weights 30min then cardio 60min ....not sure which I should do first ? - feel free to add me anyone it’s great being able to chat to people that get it :-)
  • YosemiteSlamAK
    YosemiteSlamAK Posts: 1,230 Member
    anitastevens75 wrote: »
    I now try to do weights 30min then cardio 60min ....not sure which I should do first ? :-)
    It is best to do the weights, then the cardio. Studies have shown the average person is able to strength train before cardio with little to no impact, whereas those same people tend to perform at a deficit in strength training following longer (your 60 min) cardio sessions
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    anitastevens75 wrote: »
    Great posts thanks all, I am only new too weight loss and muscle gaining.... I worry that I don’t burn enough calories when doing weights as it hard to figure out how many calories U burn from them... I now try to do weights 30min then cardio 60min ....not sure which I should do first ? - feel free to add me anyone it’s great being able to chat to people that get it :-)

    As both cardio and strength training have a huge range of intensity there's no hard and fast rule but as a generalisation do first which is your priority.
    Personally I far prefer to do all cardio one day, all strength training the next - less time wasting switching between different activities and more focus on the task at hand. Don't just exercise, train with a purpose!

    PS - just log the duration of your strength training (under CV part) of your diary. It's a very rough estimate but good enough for what is a low calorie burn.
  • awoodnyc
    awoodnyc Posts: 33 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    Doesn't burning more calories = more weight loss?
    Only if you aren't using this site as designed.

    Why do you think faster weight loss is better?

    Would be a far more healthy long term view if you saw exercise as being good for you (both cardiovascular fitness and body composition aspects) rather than as a weight loss method. Exercise isn't just about calorie burns!
    Ideally do both cardio and strength training or all the benefits of both types of exercise but fuel your exercise properly.

    But you do realise exercise can actually be enjoyable? Hint - if it isn't you are going to stop sooner rather than later.

    BTW - cardio doesn't burn muscle, that's a horrible myth. Overweight people have loads of energy to use before your body would turn to burning muscle. That would be a last resort due to a hopelessly inadequate diet.

    ...Because I'm on a site that is mainly used for weight loss, and i'm aiming for 2 lbs a week. Obviously, I know exercise is good for me, thanks for the condescending lecture. Hint- I still don't like the gym and yet I go several times a week for and not planning on stoping anytime soon.

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