Losing Weight - Cardio/Weight Training vs. Just Cardio

[Pitbull]

Ok, so I'm working on losing about 40 lbs. by May '05. I'm talking with some folks in the Nutrition forum and trying to get my diet straight and now I want to get some opinions on excercise. Now, I've read plenty of literature and I'm sure I probably know the answer to this question but I'm gonna ask anyway. Would it be better to just do cardio and try to melt the fat away before rebuilding my body with weight lifting or would lifting weights and doing cardio together help me drop the bodyfat quicker?

[Newlife]

Originally posted by Pitbull:
Ok, so I'm working on losing about 40 lbs. by May '05. I'm talking with some folks in the Nutrition forum and trying to get my diet straight and now I want to get some opinions on excercise. Now, I've read plenty of literature and I'm sure I probably know the answer to this question but I'm gonna ask anyway. Would it be better to just do cardio and try to melt the fat away before rebuilding my body with weight lifting or would lifting weights and doing cardio together help me drop the bodyfat quicker?

Lifting heavy weights will help you greatly combined with intensity training like sprints.

[jcwiseesq]

do one or both and see what works for you. same with diet. unless you're fat, you'll never make it by May.
jc

[vandamme]

"

Most people don't exercise long enough or hard enough to help them lose significant amounts of fat or body weight. That's the latest word from fat loss expert Dr Suzanne Vortruba and colleagues at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

"Weight training is the most important for preservation of fat-free body mass, more than any other exercise" these scientists also concluded. Their primary recommendation for fat loss is to add weight training exercise or forget it. However, remember that exercise alone will not cause a significant loss in fat. Also, don't forget that weight training exercise provides resistance to various diseases by lowering blood fats, enhancing insulin efficiency and decreasing abdominal fat.

Nutrition Journal. 16:179-188,2000"

Definitly do both HIIT and heavy lifting. lifting has a simular affect on your matabolism as hiit does and will boost it. also any muscle you are able to build or maintain with lifting will only speed your matabolism more. you can only benefit from it.

[OldGuy]

Read this from John Berardi:

http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do...itan?id=524962

[samstar]

you want to be cardio training and weight training. the cardio should be walking with your heart rate below 130 beats per minute ( if it is above you will be exercising your heart, not lossing weight). it can get quite boring because you have to do a lot of walking so you can mix it up with interval training. like running 5 houses walking 5 houses, this way your heart rate is going up and down and using a lot of energy(calories).

with weight training though, muscle weighs a lot more than fat so it may not show on the scales but it will show on your body. you will look tighter and healthier. your posture will improve too which always makes you look slimmer. muscle also uses a lot more energy to keep healthy, so even when you are not exercising you are still burning extra calories. not to mention the matabilisim boost.

[ninja]

Originally posted by samstar:
you want to be cardio training and weight training. the cardio should be walking with your heart rate below 130 beats per minute ( if it is above you will be exercising your heart, not lossing weight).

[JustAGuy]

Ok so you want 40 lbs off by May/05. Realistically if you work hard and eat very well, you can do 2 lbs a week. That will get you maybe 30 lbs by May.

Doing cardio only or weights only is not the way. You need to do ALL things to get the results you want...nutrition, cardio, weights. Having a strong will/goal/motivation is also needed.