Cardio vs Weights

giselle9938
giselle9938 Posts: 194 Member
edited December 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
"No one who does only cardio looks good" I just read this comment on another thread and it made me think a lot cuz all I do is cardio. Plus I don't like weights.

I have read a lot of success stories about people losing a lot of weight doing Zumba, x bike or Body combat. I know weights are important but it is ok to go cardio and lose a significant amount of weight and after that tone with weights or both should be done at the same time? I don't go to a gym so I don't have anyone to tell me what to do or when should I do it. All I do is reasearch about fitness and do the best I can. So your comments on this will be appreciated! Thanks!

Replies

  • JoolieW68
    JoolieW68 Posts: 1,879 Member
    Hey Gisy. I have lost all of my weight by doing only cardio. I am just starting to add some weights a few days a week.

    So yes, it is possible.
  • SafireBleu
    SafireBleu Posts: 881 Member
    It is possible to lose weight just doing cardio. But strength training is really important. You can try body weight exercises or adding in a DVD you can do at home with some weights 2 or 3 times a week. I do Jillian Michaels DVDs and use 8 -10 lbs weights. I started with 3-5lbs though and am working up.
  • chachita7
    chachita7 Posts: 996 Member
    Cardio helps you burn the fat but it is the weight training that is going to develop the muscle and give you that nice healthy lean look that you should be seeing.
  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member
    Cardio helps you burn the fat but it is the weight training that is going to develop the muscle and give you that nice healthy lean look that you should be seeing.

    no. cardio and weight training BOTH create caloric deficits. neither of them "burn fat".



    Please lets not have the cardio vs weights thread again. The quote was taking from a thread where a girl was claiming to only have time for one, so i reccommended weights. In reality, you should make time for both. Especially if your goal is to lose weight and just be generally fit/healthy.
  • giselle9938
    giselle9938 Posts: 194 Member
    As I said on the initial post I'm not asking which one is better. I'm taking about doing BOTH. My question was about doing one at the time or doing both together thats all.
  • tacticalhippie
    tacticalhippie Posts: 596 Member
    I like kettlebells.
    You get some of the benefits of both.
  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member
    As I said on the initial post I'm not asking which one is better. I'm taking about doing BOTH. My question was about doing one at the time or doing both together thats all.

    You can go either route.
    If you do them both in the same session, do cardio after weights.

    Sometimes I have a hard weightlifting session and don't do anything else that day, I wait till the next.
    Other days I've got some energy left and might go run sprints after lifting.

    its whatever works for you
  • forgtmenot
    forgtmenot Posts: 860 Member
    Cardio helps you burn the fat but it is the weight training that is going to develop the muscle and give you that nice healthy lean look that you should be seeing.

    no. cardio and weight training BOTH create caloric deficits. neither of them "burn fat".



    Please lets not have the cardio vs weights thread again. The quote was taking from a thread where a girl was claiming to only have time for one, so i reccommended weights. In reality, you should make time for both. Especially if your goal is to lose weight and just be generally fit/healthy.

    This^^

    I do both. I usually do 20-30 mins of cardio and then I do strength training. Not necessarily "weights"though, people forget crunches, lunges, squats etc are all strength training too. I do mostly body weight exercises although I do use weights occasionally too.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    I'd have to answer your question with....it depends (on your schedule & energy levels)

    I have day where I'll do strength and cardio together (shorter runs, less intense workout on the weights or my Monday night tri class which is an hour or so on the bikes and an hour of strength & flexibility) but on days when I'm doing a longer run or a tempo run that's usually it for the day.
  • helenrs87
    helenrs87 Posts: 34
    I like kettlebells.
    You get some of the benefits of both.

    ^^

    yes! I found I didn't lose much weight doing just cardio. A proper kettlebell workout burns a lot of calories (up to 1200 kcals an hour) and you build muscle mass too and give you a killer stomach. I found circuits good for me too. But as with most things, it depends what works for you. I'd recommend Jillian Michaels DVDs as they're mostly a combination of strength and cardio. Her kettlebell workout 'shred it with weights' is awesome.
  • Cindym82
    Cindym82 Posts: 1,245 Member
    I love jillian micahel's dvd's for days where I just dont have time for the gym. But i also do cardio. I find for myself only cardio doesn't help me drop the weight
  • MeliciousGibson
    MeliciousGibson Posts: 248 Member
    I do mostly cardio because I'm a Zumba instructor 4 days/week, and don't have as much time/energy for both.

    PERSONALLY - I did lose weight doing just cardio, but not NEARLY as much as when I added strength training. Lean muscle mass also burns calories more effectively/efficiently, so building that will help you continue to burn more calories than if you just lost fat.

    I couldn't agree more about the Jillian Michael's DVD's. 30 Day Shred is only about 25 minutes out of the day, and it's a great and effective program! I have written down and memorized the first 10 day routine so that I can sneak it in after Zumba when I'm still energized from teaching. It has given me MUCH quicker results combining than when I did just Zumba alone.

    I wouldn't dare do it before, because about a half an hour after I stop, my arms go limp. LOL. What good would I be teaching if I couldn't even move my arms! It'd be fun to watch, though....
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