WEIGHT TRAINING OR CARDIO - which is best for weight loss?

TLPad
TLPad Posts: 34
in Fitness and Exercise
I still have 51lbs to loose (already lost 19lb in 13 weeks) I do a mixture of cardio and weights in the same session twice a week. I am just wondering am I doing the right thing? Am I better off doing cardio to loose the weight then do weights to tone up once I have lost the weight? Or do I just carry on doing both. Starting Monday I am going to do more sessions now that I am getting fitter but not sure which way to go with it, I would be grateful for any advice :)

Replies

  • RonSwanson66
    RonSwanson66 Posts: 1,150 Member
    Keep doing both.

    Cardio burns more calories per unit time.

    Weight training will help you retain muscle - better for body composition.


    Separate them, if possible, to get the most out of both. If you must to them on the same day, I recommend weight training before cardio.
  • HealthfulLife
    HealthfulLife Posts: 28 Member
    You are doing the right thing, continue to do both as they are both beneficial for overall fitness...Cardio is what is going to burn fat and calories, while weight training will help you gain muscle and tone. Cardio alone will help you lose weight, but eventually you would potentially become 'skinny fat' in which you will be skinny but still have a little jiggle..So my advice is to stick with both cardio and strength training! good luck!

    And as always, don't forget a healthy diet!
  • welshae
    welshae Posts: 4 Member
    TLP -you will lose "weight" faster by doing cardio but will be much much healthier by continuing to make your body (and therefore yourself) much stronger if you continue to do weights to tone. Remember weight is just a number. You can weigh 125 llbs but if you don't have muscle definition - you won't necessarily look better (that is jiggly arms, etc). Congrats on your success thus far. Keep up your workouts but try and get 4/week in. On my non-weight days, I mix 30/40 cardio in - never doing the same thing. One day its the bike, the next stair climber, the next trying to run on a treadmill or elliptical. It keeps your muscle and body guessing and doesn't get boring. I'm no expert but in 6 weeks time have seen lost inches results but only 2 lbs on the scale.

    Remember keep working at it - get someone to push you on icky days and you'll meet your goals.
  • BigRich822
    BigRich822 Posts: 681
    Cardio is by far better for weight loss, no matter what anyone tells you. But you have to eat at a deficit otherwise you can do tons of cardio and never lose a pound. I also like weight training with cardio. You dont have to cardio everyday switch it up and hit the weights too. The more muscle you have the faster you can burn fat.
  • TLPad
    TLPad Posts: 34
    Thank you for your advice :)
  • rachmaree
    rachmaree Posts: 782 Member
    Keep doing both.

    Cardio burns more calories per unit time.

    Weight training will help you retain muscle - better for body composition.


    Separate them, if possible, to get the most out of both. If you must to them on the same day, I recommend weight training before cardio.

    This is great advice!
  • 1LRoy
    1LRoy Posts: 95 Member
    I like what someone said about cardio being more calories burned per unit. So basically, you'll burn more calories doing cardio for 30 minutes than lifting weights for 30 minutes. But I also totally agree with what everyone said about body composition, and not being jiggly, and becoming skinny-fat.

    I've also heard that muscle burnes more calories than fat. If that is correct and you have 2 people who weight the same but one of them has more muscle, the person with more muscle will have a higher resting metabolic rate than the person with more fat. So, again, if this is true then gaining more muscle can help improve your overall metabolism.
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
    Keep doing both.

    Cardio burns more calories per unit time.

    Weight training will help you retain muscle - better for body composition.


    Separate them, if possible, to get the most out of both. If you must to them on the same day, I recommend weight training before cardio.

    Good advice except the last part. Do them bother together but doesn't matter if you do them both same day or different days. Also doesn't matter which you do first or after as long as you give both cardio and weight lifting good amount of time
  • rachy867
    rachy867 Posts: 32
    interval training is best for burning fat as it increases meataboism, and helps body continue to burn calories after training. The more muscle you have the more calories you burn even when resting.

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