Cardio vs Weights

[Saibali]

Hi all

First post on here. I've always been up and down with my weight until the last few years where it's rocketed up. I'm very tall and have slim arms but all the weight is belly, butt and legs.

I have started eat healthy since last Monday and have completely packed in any junk food and fizzy drinks. Last Monday I weighed 254lb and this morning I weighed 235lb. That's a massive weight loss. But I have not been starving myself and am really happy with the amount I'm eating compared to the calories that the meals contain. I actually haven't started any physical exercise yet but am still playing football / soccer once a week for 90 mins.

I guess now I'm starting to think of the long term goal. My long term goal is to have a very low body fat percentage (estimating currently around 28%). I'm not unrealistic and expecting this to happen tomorrow!! It's a proper long term goal. Like a few years. I would also like to put on some muscle. Not massive but an athletic field.

When thinking about my goal I have some queries. I'm starting the gym next week. 5 days a week before work aiming to burn around 600 calories. Should I be eating more to accommodate some of the energy required for this? Not sure. Also, considering my long term goal, should I start weights now? Or is it better to lose more fat before hand?

I was considering working on the cardio 5 days a week and then maybe adding in a few weight sessions every week on top. But really a bit stumped and would appreciate help.

Thanks in advance.

[zerofear777]

Hi all

First post on here. I've always been up and down with my weight until the last few years where it's rocketed up. I'm very tall and have slim arms but all the weight is belly, butt and legs.

I have started eat healthy since last Monday and have completely packed in any junk food and fizzy drinks. Last Monday I weighed 254lb and this morning I weighed 235lb. That's a massive weight loss. But I have not been starving myself and am really happy with the amount I'm eating compared to the calories that the meals contain. I actually haven't started any physical exercise yet but am still playing football / soccer once a week for 90 mins.

I guess now I'm starting to think of the long term goal. My long term goal is to have a very low body fat percentage (estimating currently around 28%). I'm not unrealistic and expecting this to happen tomorrow!! It's a proper long term goal. Like a few years. I would also like to put on some muscle. Not massive but an athletic field.

When thinking about my goal I have some queries. I'm starting the gym next week. 5 days a week before work aiming to burn around 600 calories. Should I be eating more to accommodate some of the energy required for this? Not sure. Also, considering my long term goal, should I start weights now? Or is it better to lose more fat before hand?

I was considering working on the cardio 5 days a week and then maybe adding in a few weight sessions every week on top. But really a bit stumped and would appreciate help.

Thanks in advance.

mm Definitely start weights now. I'd cut down on the cardio but I've never been at your weight but start weights now.

[nol3afclover]

Hi all

First post on here. I've always been up and down with my weight until the last few years where it's rocketed up. I'm very tall and have slim arms but all the weight is belly, butt and legs.

I have started eat healthy since last Monday and have completely packed in any junk food and fizzy drinks. Last Monday I weighed 254lb and this morning I weighed 235lb. That's a massive weight loss. But I have not been starving myself and am really happy with the amount I'm eating compared to the calories that the meals contain. I actually haven't started any physical exercise yet but am still playing football / soccer once a week for 90 mins.

I guess now I'm starting to think of the long term goal. My long term goal is to have a very low body fat percentage (estimating currently around 28%). I'm not unrealistic and expecting this to happen tomorrow!! It's a proper long term goal. Like a few years. I would also like to put on some muscle. Not massive but an athletic field.

When thinking about my goal I have some queries. I'm starting the gym next week. 5 days a week before work aiming to burn around 600 calories. Should I be eating more to accommodate some of the energy required for this? Not sure. Also, considering my long term goal, should I start weights now? Or is it better to lose more fat before hand?

I was considering working on the cardio 5 days a week and then maybe adding in a few weight sessions every week on top. But really a bit stumped and would appreciate help.

Thanks in advance.

Disagree with zerofear777 completely.

If your goal is to lose fat, then your goal must be to reduce the overall amount of calories you expend vs. take in. You can do this via dieting or cardiovascular exercise, or a combination of both. There's nothing wrong with lifting weights, it's a great way to strengthen your muscles and improve your overall looks (once you've shedded some fat), but remember that weight lifting is an Anaerobic event and cardiovasucar workouts are Aerobic events. No matter how many reps you do or how little weight you lift, it is not cardio and you will not burn the amount of calories you need in order to make it an effective means of shedding pounds. The most important thing you need to do is look at your diet:

1. Find out HOW MUCH you're eating every day

2. Reduce a certain amount of calories from your daily intake--500 is an effective safe number

3. Perform cardio (Yes, 5 days a week is fine!)

I can go on and on and on about what you can and should do, but I'll just answer any questions you may have instead, if any. Good luck!!

[nol3afclover]

sorry, I meant INCREASE the amount of calories you expend vs. take in. Or reduce the amount you take in vs. expend.

[zerofear777]

By start weights now I don't mean to completely replace cardio. At 6'4" with ONLY cardio 5 days a week you'll look like a lanky skeleton in no time. You'd be surprised how much a basic deadlift/squat/bench schedule will burn fat not to mention make you look better. You don't have to choose weight or cardio theres a happy medium with both.

[xhenry]

By start weights now I don't mean to completely replace cardio. At 6'4" with ONLY cardio 5 days a week you'll look like a lanky skeleton in no time. You'd be surprised how much a basic deadlift/squat/bench schedule will burn fat not to mention make you look better. You don't have to choose weight or cardio theres a happy medium with both.

I agree. Lifting heavy especially when it comes to squats and deadlifts really gets my heart pumping.

OP, eat at a defecit + Work hard at the gym.

[nol3afclover]

By start weights now I don't mean to completely replace cardio. At 6'4" with ONLY cardio 5 days a week you'll look like a lanky skeleton in no time. You'd be surprised how much a basic deadlift/squat/bench schedule will burn fat not to mention make you look better. You don't have to choose weight or cardio theres a happy medium with both.

Well, to be fair, I did try to edit out the "completely" part of disagreeing with you, haha! I'm on a very slow PC at work so it didn't let me. I agree about the happy medium, I do think he needs to keep up as much cardio as he CAN, as long as he has significant fat to lose. Another point we disagree on, is that squatting/DL/bench will burn fat--cause it really won't. Anaerobic workouts deplead glycogen, burns sugar as fuel. Not to mention that it just lifting a certain weight 8 times for 12 seconds simply doesn't burn that many calories. Great things to do, but they aren't fat demolishers.

[Ralikar]

Nutrition link in my sig; rest of sig.

Plan a real fitness plan to accomplish goals like:

BMR
TDEE
Say you want to lose fat so -1000cals/day=2pounds a week
Plan Macros (P/F/C) per nutrition section stickies to accomplish goal
Plan weight plan to accomplish goals
Add cardio to accomplish task

So somthing like (sample):
M Starting Strength
T Cardio for 30 min
W SS
TH Cardio for 30 min
F SS
Sat Soccer day
Sun rest

You goals/diet/weights/cardio (exercise) all work together towards your plan.

[Former300lber]

So much misinformation ITT.


Op wanna lose weight and maintain as much mass as possible? Lift heavy, and eat protein, Use cardio as a tool to increase deficit, No other reason to do it other then cardiovascular health (which is important btw)

That's it that's all, Got it? Let's go over it 1 more time.


Move more, Eat Less, Lift weights.

Ta da. Good luck on your goals.


Oh and before evrybody else say's it..


Read stickies, calculate your TDEE etc blablabla.

Kk bye.

[Obese2Stud]

So much misinformation ITT.


Op wanna lose weight and maintain as much mass as possible? Lift heavy, and eat protein, Use cardio as a tool to increase deficit, No other reason to do it other then cardiovascular health (which is important btw)

That's it that's all, Got it? Let's go over it 1 more time.


Move more, Eat Less, Lift weights.

Ta da. Good luck on your goals.


Oh and before evrybody else say's it..


Read stickies, calculate your TDEE etc blablabla.

Kk bye.

^Listen to this guy

Learn your TDEE, Lean Body Mass, and Macro. Eat below your TDEE to lose weight. Most suggest only starting out with 500 deficit than go from there. You don't want to cut so hard that you will lack energy enough to lift heavy consistently.

TDEE Online Calculator - http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm (I prefer Katch-McCardle as it but you need to know your bodyfat %)
- This will give you an estimate on your maintenance/fat loss/extreme fat loss of calories you need to eat per day

Lean Body Mass Calculator - http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/lbm_calculator.htm (Need to know your bodyfat %)
- You need to know this to calculate your macro (Macro = Protein/Carb/Fat intake per day)

On a cut:
.4 - .5g of fat per LBM (lean body mass)
1.2g protein per LBM (to preserve muscle mass)
Fill rest with Carbs

(1g of protein is 4 calories/ 1g of fat is 9 calories/ 1g carbs is 4 calories)

[Saibali]

Wow.

Some real good advice there. My current calorie intake is at a deficit of 600. I'm not feeling weak or anything like that. I think I will start adding the lifting into the mix from next week and continue to eat how I am.

I haven't calculated any figures other than an estimate or my required calorie intake. I will have a read around and move onto that.

Thank you all very much. Now time to work hard!

[biggoron]

Lifting weights doesnt burn calories?

What?

Eat in a deficit. Do cardio. Lift weights to preserve muscle.

Cardio burns cals. Weights burn cals.

No matter what, you should be in a deficit