Breaking up with Cardio

boymom121
boymom121 Posts: 33 Member
edited November 26 in Fitness and Exercise
This year I'm going to try something different. Last year I did alot of bodyweight and cardio/running for the majority of my workouts.

This time I want to make lifting weights the main course of working out. Last night I did a arm/shoulder workout and a quick workout of bodyweight full body type thing. The weights took longer than the quick bodyweight sess.

By the end of my weights workout my arms were feeling it and felt like a good workout but because I'm not drenched in sweat like if you did cardio I questioned ok was that a good enough workout? I broke a little sweat, little red faced but that shouldn't have any indication of anything right?

So I'm trying to mentally switch gears of thinking that I'm not going to get results because I'm not doing sweat drenching cardio sessions and trying to trust that if I continue lifting weights and progressing in that area I will see results, maybe even better than just cardio only.

My husband wants to start running again so I'll do that a couple times a week with him but other than that I want to do alot more weight training.

What are your thoughts? Anyone else have this similar type of thinking?

Replies

  • Zodikosis
    Zodikosis Posts: 149 Member
    edited May 2018
    I will second that sometimes lifting definitely feels like a very lazy workout. You don't really break that much of a sweat most sessions (assuming you're indoors), and all those 60-90 second rest periods between sets...I feel like I am lazing around looking at my phone most of the time.

    But, you can't argue with the results. A lot of the perceptions of a good workout are just that, perception. Some people seem to think your workouts need to be punishing in order to be effective. It's a weirdly masochistic attitude, as if they think this workout is an atonement for some wrongdoing. Harder isn't always better -- it's a bell curve, not a linear progression. I saw so many people at my old gym wearing heavy sweatsuits while running indoors and doing calisthenics in the sauna. At least some of them do it because they think sweating more burns more calories, even though objectively it really doesn't help you burn more calories and may even be more dangerous in some situations.
  • peleroja
    peleroja Posts: 3,979 Member
    What's your goal?

    If you are looking for overall health, aerobic exercise is important as well as strength training, but you can get that a lot of places besides a cardio machine.

    If you just want to look better, then you might find that strength training alone does what you want for your body.

    If you are looking for weight loss, you are probably going to burn more calories running for an hour over lifting for an hour (assuming you're doing a typical strength training program with reasonable rests, etc), but both are going to help you burn calories and there is some evidence that lower body fat percentage/higher muscle mass burn slightly more calories at rest than a body of the same weight but more fat, so building muscle mass might have some benefit there too. But, then, a lot of cardio exercise will also help build muscle (squats never did as much for my butt as cycling every day has, for an anecdote on that), so doing cardio does not equal no muscle, either.

    I think the bottom line is that if you don't have a specific goal other than "look better", anything you do consistently and at a suitable intensity is going to help if combined with the appropriate nutrition.
  • boymom121
    boymom121 Posts: 33 Member
    Stats 5'4 around 130's weight, had my body fat checked not too long ago and was like 29%, my arms keep the least amount of fat and most of my fat is in my thigh area and a little around my stomach. Which my stomach is pretty flat, can hardly pinch any on my hip bones.

    My goal is to get defined muscles so I was thinking weight training was going to get me there more than a ton of cardio. I dont care about having abs as long as my stomach is flat lol But arms, legs etc I want definition.

    So it's a combo of looking better definition wise and also feeling better. We have a young child so being able to keep up and play outside with him for years to come is important.
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    aerobic and strength training are two different things.
    cardio will burn off some fat. strength training will increase muscle mass
  • h1udd
    h1udd Posts: 623 Member
    cardio ... weights .... the best thing to do is both .. AND, if you are lifting and throwing in a couple of runs with your husband, then you are doing both ... sounds like a marvelous plan to me
  • jayemes
    jayemes Posts: 865 Member
    Less calories to lose fat/weight
    Cardio for heart health/keeping up with running after kids
    Strength training for preserving/building muscle mass that you will see when body fat is lower

    This is a great lifting thread https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
    You also may want to look into recomp.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    I've leaned down with lifting, with or without cardio. Obviously for health reasons I would recommend adding some cardio, but making lifting your focus is a great way to do it. That is how I do it and as long as the cardio doesn't interfere with my strength training/ recovery, it's good.

    As long as you are hitting your calorie goals, getting adequate protein and lifting with progression, you should see results with or without cardio.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    edited May 2018
    I do agree that lifting weights makes me feel like I’m not really working out, with all of the resting and just standing around looking at everybody. But I think that’s a good thing. I’m just doing something I enjoy doing and is good for me. I do think it’s good for your general health to do something to get your heart rate up sometimes though too. I do cardio 2x a week.
  • midlomel1971
    midlomel1971 Posts: 1,283 Member
    When I lift I do the circuit at the gym which includes a minute or so of cardio in between in machine. It keeps my heart rate up. At the end of the 30 minute circuit I definitely feel like I've worked out. I'm somewhat sweaty.
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    midlomel1971 wrote: »
    When I lift I do the circuit at the gym which includes a minute or so of cardio in between in machine. It keeps my heart rate up. At the end of the 30 minute circuit I definitely feel like I've worked out. I'm somewhat sweaty.

    because you are doing both
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Running and weights sounds good!
  • HoneyBadger302
    HoneyBadger302 Posts: 2,085 Member
    I enjoy lifting - therefore, I'm much more likely to stick with it (besides needing the strength for my sport). I loathe steady state cardio, so I avoid it most of the time (I do more in the winter/off season to kick it up a level). Most of my cardio now comes in the form of rides and my martial arts.

    You will burn fewer calories weight lifting than you did doing your cardio, so you may need to adjust your eating habits a bit, but that's about it.
  • Davidsdottir
    Davidsdottir Posts: 1,285 Member
    boymom121 wrote: »
    Stats 5'4 around 130's weight, had my body fat checked not too long ago and was like 29%, my arms keep the least amount of fat and most of my fat is in my thigh area and a little around my stomach. Which my stomach is pretty flat, can hardly pinch any on my hip bones.

    My goal is to get defined muscles so I was thinking weight training was going to get me there more than a ton of cardio. I dont care about having abs as long as my stomach is flat lol But arms, legs etc I want definition.

    So it's a combo of looking better definition wise and also feeling better. We have a young child so being able to keep up and play outside with him for years to come is important.

    We have comparable stats.... I'm 5'5", 138 lbs, but around 20% bf (I'm nearing the end of a long bulk). You might not, sweat much, but I promise you'll be happy with how you look lifting weights.
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