Cut cardio/increase lifting & lose weight?

[lopaw]

Hi all! I'm a newbie here, and wanted to get your opinion on something (and if this exact issue has been addressed before, I do apologize!)

I have been doing my usual workout routine for awhile now - 2 days/week cardio, 3 days weights. I have been lifting for strength & size, rather than just toning. My bodyweight is stable, and I was merrily going along in a sort of maintenance mode. Well, I tweaked my hamstring 4 weeks ago, and that put my cardio completely on hold (including the 2.5 mile walk each day to work & back). To compensate, I am now doing 5 days/weights, and continuing to increase the amount of weights lifted. I've lost 4 pounds in 4 weeks, and still losing. I'm stunned! I was abit concerned about cutting the cardio completely, for fear of gaining weight. I know that more muscle=increased metabolism, but I didn't expect this. Although I'm lifting like crazy, how much of the lost weight could be muscle? This greatly concerns me! I'm 5'7" / 147 lbs. / BF 22%.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!!

[BuffedWildCat]

That sounds GREAT to me!!

First, it's highly unlikely that you would LOSE muscle from adding more weight training days per week and dropping cardio, that combo is exactly the recipe for building muscle and losing fat (as long as your diet is right)!

Secondly, the fact that you stated that you are continuing to increase the amount of weight you're lifting would signify BUILDING muscle mass. You don't get stronger while LOSING muscle mass.

So give yourself a big hand, that's awesome progress!!

Oh, and dang, I think this needs to be a sticky, cause you're a testimony to what so many of us keep trying to tell all the newbies (and just plain stubborn people), is that it takes a lot of HEAVY WEIGHT TRAINING and a GOOD DIET to build muscle and lose fat (which will inevitably give women that toned look they so desire), NOT tons of cardio!!!

So glad you posted this to share with everyone!!!!

[AmyJ]

Everyone is so concerned about not getting X amount of cardio days in each week, but they forget that lifting heavy weights burns alot of calories! Although it doesn't provide the cardiovascular health that running does, lifting (heavy) weight does burn a ton of calories and builds lean mass that will raise your metabolism. In my opinion, to loose fat all you need is a good diet and good lifting program, cardio is an added bonus if you can fit it in.

[TurbulentFluid]

Originally Posted by AmyJ

Everyone is so concerned about not getting X amount of cardio days in each week, but they forget that lifting heavy weights burns alot of calories!

Oooh BUUUMP! I always wondered WTF is it, that no one mentions THAT detail when talking about weightlifting! It's always "you build muscle and extra muscle mass burns extra kcal thus raising your BMR". And while it's so true, it's not the ONLY thing that happens!

So it wexes me: how MUCH kcal DOES a weightlifting w/o burn? How can I calculate that for my w/os? It'd be a great thing to know!!

[SumthinOrNuthin]

Originally Posted by TurbulentFluid

So it wexes me: how MUCH kcal DOES a weightlifting w/o burn? How can I calculate that for my w/os? It'd be a great thing to know!!

According to Fitday, 40 minutes of "Weight lifting (free weight, nautilus, or universal-type), power lifting or body building, vigorous effort" will burn 195 cals. No idea if that's accurate or not but its a starting point!

[Miranda]

Originally Posted by TurbulentFluid

So it wexes me: how MUCH kcal DOES a weightlifting w/o burn? How can I calculate that for my w/os? It'd be a great thing to know!!

buy a HR monitor - my WO's burn ca. 500-600 cal/hour.

[dortress]

I'm working out, doing a 5-day split, along with cardio every day (30 minutes). (I'm posting in a journal, so the work's in here - http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=1621791) I have a HR monitor, so I know I'm working (usually) between 75-85% for the majority of the sessions. I am eating as clean I can and a typical day goes something like what you see in the image attached. I *was* losing, but now am stalled - and like the OP - frustrated that the amount of effort isn't resulting in anything.

Am I stronger yes? Proportions changing (yes - some). Losing weight? Nope. I keep reading that cardio is important if you want to lose weight, but I don't seem to be losing (in the middle of my third largely static week - in fact, I'm up today). And yes, I have alot to lose and given the calories I"m burning now, I had not expected to stall.

Based on this post though, should I be scaling back the cardio and working harder / heavier at the weights? I have to be honest, I'm starting to get confused at how I should balance the priorities now. Scale back to 2-3 cardio sessions a week?

I apologize if this question should be moved to losing weight - it just seemed related to this OP.

[BuffedWildCat]

Originally Posted by dortress

I'm working out, doing a 5-day split, along with cardio every day (30 minutes). (I'm posting in a journal, so the work's in here - http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=1621791) I have a HR monitor, so I know I'm working (usually) between 75-85% for the majority of the sessions. I am eating as clean I can and a typical day goes something like what you see in the image attached. I *was* losing, but now am stalled - and like the OP - frustrated that the amount of effort isn't resulting in anything.

Am I stronger yes? Proportions changing (yes - some). Losing weight? Nope. I keep reading that cardio is important if you want to lose weight, but I don't seem to be losing (in the middle of my third largely static week - in fact, I'm up today). And yes, I have alot to lose and given the calories I"m burning now, I had not expected to stall.

Based on this post though, should I be scaling back the cardio and working harder / heavier at the weights? I have to be honest, I'm starting to get confused at how I should balance the priorities now. Scale back to 2-3 cardio sessions a week?

I apologize if this question should be moved to losing weight - it just seemed related to this OP.

Part of bodybuilding (or changing your body composition) is figuring out what works and what doesn't, for YOU as an individual. So, why not give a try and see? Scale back your cardio to twice a week and focus more on the heavy weight training. More than likely you started off with too much cardio from the beginning, I see it ALL THE TIME. When one first starts an exercise program to build muscle and lose fat (become toned), one should start with the MINIMUM of cardio, like don't even start with any cardio at all or at least keep it to no more than ONCE a week. Cause that way, if your fat loss stalls later down the road, you can just add in another day of cardio, go from there. The problem with starting your program doing cardio EVERYDAY is that then you have NOWHERE to go when your fat loss stalls! So yeah, if it's not your diet, then I'd start by cutting back on the cardio and shifting your focus to lifting more.

[beby24]

Originally Posted by Miranda

buy a HR monitor - my WO's burn ca. 500-600 cal/hour.

I have one and depending on some exercises, it doesnt read it. Like for example, when i am in the lying leg curl or a seated leg press, I am sweating and my heart is pumping but for some reason the hear rate monitor doesnt register that, now when I am standing that is another story...

[Miranda]

Originally Posted by beby24

I have one and depending on some exercises, it doesnt read it. Like for example, when i am in the lying leg curl or a seated leg press, I am sweating and my heart is pumping but for some reason the hear rate monitor doesnt register that, now when I am standing that is another story...

is the strap attached correctly?
it happens to me as well if i lean forward too much.

[imperfectly_lou]

Originally Posted by Miranda

buy a HR monitor - my WO's burn ca. 500-600 cal/hour.

Yup - same here.

[imperfectly_lou]

Originally Posted by Miranda

is the strap attached correctly?
it happens to me as well if i lean forward too much.

yes, same, or if I haven't wet the sensor enough

[beby24]

Originally Posted by imperfectly_lou

yes, same, or if I haven't wet the sensor enough

wet the sensor? Well to my knowlegde i think is right and i dont wet it, am I missing something?

[imperfectly_lou]

Originally Posted by beby24

wet the sensor? Well to my knowlegde i think is right and i dont wet it, am I missing something?

Depends which type you have... I have a Polar with a chest strap which needs to be thoroughly wet before use to conduct.

[Miranda]

Originally Posted by imperfectly_lou

I have a Polar with a chest strap which needs to be thoroughly wet before use to conduct.

saliva works fine as well

[dortress]

Thanks for the advice Buffed.

I'm going to scale back the cardio and I've started upping the weights today. We'll see where it goes.