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Cardio vs Weight Training

Old 06-01-2011, 12:55 PM
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Default Cardio vs Weight Training

So I started out on my weight loss goal at 310lbs with an ultimate goal of 210lbs with no set date just whenever I get there. I do keep setting monthly weight loss targets though.

I'm down from 310 to 270lbs by doing basically all cardio. I really have not done any weight training. I actually prefer cardio, I enjoy getting the sweat going and challenging myself to burn more calories then I did the day before. I have been doing 90 minutes a day 4-5 days a week between the arc trainer and treadmill on incline with the odd jog.

I am wondering at what point I need to really start doing the weight training. At 100lbs to go I was really only concerned with losing weight. I realize having muscle burns more cals in a day but being overweight kills you. My current target is 259lbs by July 1st (Canada Day). After this target I think I need to completley change my exercise routine. What would be a good mix to go? I've heard you cant lose weight and gain muscle at the same time so should I wait until i'm down to 210 before really starting to do weights?
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Old 06-01-2011, 03:17 PM
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Why not do both? You can lose weight and gain muscle but the closer you get to an "ideal" BMI the harder it gets.
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Old 06-02-2011, 01:30 AM
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Originally Posted by 01gt4.6
Why not do both? You can lose weight and gain muscle but the closer you get to an "ideal" BMI the harder it gets.
so it sounds like for from 270 down to 230 or so I should start doing both?

Today I did a 10 minute warm up, 20 minutes of weights and then 60 minutes of cardio, does that sound like a good mix for a 270lb guy?
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Old 06-02-2011, 03:15 AM
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Originally Posted by optiquest
so it sounds like for from 270 down to 230 or so I should start doing both?

Today I did a 10 minute warm up, 20 minutes of weights and then 60 minutes of cardio, does that sound like a good mix for a 270lb guy?
My understanding of the weights/cardio thing is that it is not impossible, but pretty damn near to do both, to lose weight and actuall gain muscle at the *same time*.

What one is doing by weigh training when in a deficit is increasing the simuli so that muscle maintenance is a priority. If you don't use them, well you lose them - to some extent. You should however be sure to schedule some protein/carbs around your weight training.

Intensive cardio has a greater propensity to cause muscle breakdown. It depends upon the duration, frequency and intensity, so generally *A LOT* of both is not a great idea. The two tend to interfere with each other at some advanced point. But if you're doing moderate cardio it should not be a problem.

As you get leaner, fat loss will slow down and be harder as Mike indicated. There is a greater risk to muscle loss, so I agree with your emphasis. It's never a bad time to do weight training as far as body size goes. There is no danger that you are going to "get huge" doing 20 or 30 minutes of weights. You should try to hit your major muscle groups. If you have a choice use a lower reps (5-7) and a weight that is challenging to cause stimuli.
You should spend enough time to work all your major muscles about 2x per week minimum. Give yourself a few days of recovery between workouts.

Regarding gaining muscles during weight loss often times muscles appear larger from a diet, as they were covered under fat before. You may appear to have become more muscular but probably just more pronounced.
You may be stronger though from training previously untrained muscles.
And you will have a greater strength to weight ratio which is most important for daily life and sports as well.


Hope this helps ...

FIN
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Old 06-02-2011, 04:19 AM
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Don't ever lose that love of cardio! It's so great that you can do it. The resistance training is great but the cardio really gets that circulation pumping and burns calories.
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Old 06-02-2011, 09:35 AM
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FIN,

I agree with what you are saying. The muscles will appear as you are removing the fat covering them. But I actually gained some muscle while losing fat. I started measuring my BF% on 8/22/09. Before that point I had already lost a good bit of weight/fat and gained muscle but didn't track it. I was down almost 30 pounds. But here's my results from 8/22/09 to 6/4/10
8/22/09 weight= 182.6#, bf=17mm (20.2%), fat weight = 37lbs, lean weight = 146lbs
6/4/10 weight= 169.8#, bf= 7mm(10.5%), fat weight = 18lbs, lean weight = 152lbs.
I lost 19lbs of fat while gaining 6 pounds of muscle.

Now I'd be happy to gain a pound or 2 of muscle a year while losing fat.

Last edited by 01gt4.6; 06-02-2011 at 09:37 AM.
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Old 06-02-2011, 11:16 AM
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Originally Posted by 01gt4.6
FIN,

I agree with what you are saying. The muscles will appear as you are removing the fat covering them. But I actually gained some muscle while losing fat. I started measuring my BF% on 8/22/09. Before that point I had already lost a good bit of weight/fat and gained muscle but didn't track it. I was down almost 30 pounds. But here's my results from 8/22/09 to 6/4/10
8/22/09 weight= 182.6#, bf=17mm (20.2%), fat weight = 37lbs, lean weight = 146lbs
6/4/10 weight= 169.8#, bf= 7mm(10.5%), fat weight = 18lbs, lean weight = 152lbs.
I lost 19lbs of fat while gaining 6 pounds of muscle.

Now I'd be happy to gain a pound or 2 of muscle a year while losing fat.
Hear what you're saying Mike.

It's not impossible. I'm not an expert but I have read that new trainees may be able to.

Keep in mind there is +/- room for error in measurements. Whether if it is within that error percentage is hard to say. I believe Dexa measurement is the most exact, which uses a low intensity full body x-ray scan to measure all types of matter in the body. The downside of calipers is you may know fat, but not the make up of the lean mass (water, bones, organs and muscles). Your brain may have gained a pound Seriously , it's great to maintained muscle let alone added! Good work.

What was your weight training program may I ask?
Have you observed an increase of strength?

I see you went up 10 pounds in Sept 2010 but took it off. . Was something going on?

Cheers,

FIN
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Old 06-02-2011, 12:32 PM
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back then I was doing P90X. Now I do full body, compound lifts. I'm about to pick my cardio back up b/c I have a 1/2 marathon again in Sept.I was probably around 174# at the beginning of last Sept b/c I was training for a 1/2 marathon, after that I just ate a lot more. My diet wasn't as good as it should have been.

Last edited by 01gt4.6; 06-02-2011 at 12:35 PM.
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Old 06-06-2011, 01:26 PM
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Originally Posted by 01gt4.6
back then I was doing P90X. Now I do full body, compound lifts. I'm about to pick my cardio back up b/c I have a 1/2 marathon again in Sept.I was probably around 174# at the beginning of last Sept b/c I was training for a 1/2 marathon, after that I just ate a lot more. My diet wasn't as good as it should have been.
Nice.

I was running 5K but also encountering frequent leg muscle issues.
Had them treated (physio, chiro) which helped somewhat.
But I'm hopng that losing 7-10 pounds will make it a bit easier on the body.

Also I'm more interested more in improving my 5K time than running 10K or longer. Not sure which is more painful - running harder or longer - but they both are fairly brutal.

I've also started compound lifts. Just front squat (machine) and deadlift, about 2x week with my other weights.

Good luck in your training!

FIN
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Old 06-09-2011, 01:31 AM
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You should always be training with weights, especially as you diet down, otherwise you'll lose not just fat but a good amount of muscle too.

Generally, people with more fat are carrying more muscle too underneath. When dieting they want to see the scale move regardless and they end up losing too much muscle.

If you lose only fat the scale goes down slower, but you get to keep the muscle for the most part, which in turn gives you a more athletic look when the scale DOES go down to where you want it.
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