Girls, Cardio or anerobic or both?

[learning_slowly]

A girlfriend of mine wants to lose some weight.

As a guy, I said weight training, would be the best as you would grow muscle and lose weight faster.

 

How of any girls on here trained to lose weight and kept it off?

 

Or is lots of cardio or a mixture a better suggestion?

[Chocolat]

Dial in diet (nutrition and calories) to lose weight; lift weights and do HIIT to lose fat.

[Phoe]

I hate cardio.

 

Like chocolat said, lifting weights, some HIIT (I did it maybe only once a week. can't stand cardio), and keeping my calories just below maintenance.

 

 

My maintenance is about 1800, so I'd eat at 1700 with lots of protein, do my bare minimum amount of cardio, and focus on weights. I gained muscle and lost fat.

 

 

However, that is a slow process.

[Smilecharmer]

I do cardio, yoga for core training and free weights. I found machine weights aren't nearly as effective. I love running and swimming and Pilates too. I eat fairly clean, but love bread and olive oil. Moderation is key.

[amaysngrace]

Bootcamp baby!

[Koopa]

Cardio is the best for losing weight, it burns more calories than weights. That along with a balanced diet is the best result. I would recommend getting on a rowing machine, its a great full body, low impact, cardio workout.

[JPMC]

85% diet. Lift weights first and then do some cardio. If way out of shape, start of slow with the cardio, then do intense cardio such as

sprinting

circuit training

hiit

jump rope.

 

additionally a 1/2 walk a day never hurt anyone just to move some calories

[Chocolat]

Cardio is the best for losing weight, it burns more calories than weights.

 

Nope. While the false read-outs on cardio machines may make it appear more calories are being burned, truth is that, if even those numbers were right, weight lifting causes calories to burned for hours after the fact.

 

In addition, since muscle has a faster metabolic rate than fat, the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn at rest, too.

 

HIIT is the clear winner for fat loss: How to burn more fat, with less effort | UNSW Newsroom

[learning_slowly]

Thanks everybody for the suggestions. I think the link in Chocolat's post is the best suggestion as it's backed up with evidence. I'll pass it on.

 

Thanks very much.

[learning_slowly]

She is already doing lighter life lite to reduce calories. I didn't think this was a great idea as it doesn't sound sustainable?

[thefooloftheyear]

Nope. While the false read-outs on cardio machines may make it appear more calories are being burned, truth is that, if even those numbers were right, weight lifting causes calories to burned for hours after the fact.

 

In addition, since muscle has a faster metabolic rate than fat, the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn at rest, too.

 

HIIT is the clear winner for fat loss: How to burn more fat, with less effort | UNSW Newsroom

 

X2

 

Ive told many women this and they dont believe it...They think if they lift weights that they wont lose any fat, and will immediately look like John Cena...

 

Resistance training is the way to go.. For men AND women..Its important to incorporate some cardio as well, but the bang for the buck is in the weightroom..

 

TFY

[Emilia]

I think the link in Chocolat's post is the best suggestion as it's backed up with evidence. I'll pass it on.

The evidence is also in the gym when you are watching women carrying on with low intensity exercise for months or years and their weight doesn't change or even gets worse.

[Babolat]

A girlfriend of mine wants to lose some weight.

As a guy, I said weight training, would be the best as you would grow muscle and lose weight faster.

 

How of any girls on here trained to lose weight and kept it off?

 

Or is lots of cardio or a mixture a better suggestion?

 

I lift weights with interval training. I keep going not allowing my heart rate to drop back to normal. For example I will do 15 reps for my chest and go right to 15 reps for my back (push pull) then back to chest, back to back, etc.

 

So I get a cardio while and I lift weights. And I do higher reps, 15 - 20 as I no longer want to bulk up; rather I want to be tone and increase strenght for the sports I play.

 

If you want to bulk up, lift heavier, reduce the reps and do what 90% of the men in my gym do; sit around and talk. Literally, last night there were 4 men on the chest machine I wanted to use, 30+ minutes talking, and it pissed me off.

 

My best female friend started working out with me 2 weeks ago. I can already see more tone in her arms, she can too.

 

I start my workout with 25 minutes on the stationary bike where I go fast for 20 seconds then drop down to a slower pace for 20 seconds (kind of like Spinning does) and wrap it up with 5 mins. Also, take a few days off to allow your body to recover and drink lots of water, alwasy.

Edited May 20, 2014 by Babolat

[Babolat]

I do cardio, yoga for core training and free weights. I found machine weights aren't nearly as effective. I love running and swimming and Pilates too. I eat fairly clean, but love bread and olive oil. Moderation is key.

 

The advantage to free weights is balance. Your muscles have to balance the weight, which works them more, and differently.

[learning_slowly]

The evidence is also in the gym when you are watching women carrying on with low intensity exercise for months or years and their weight doesn't change or even gets worse.

 

A lot of really toned women in my gym are on the running machine, and I don't see them do much else, so I imagine they do classes.

[FitChick]

To lose weight, cut calories. It doesn't matter what sort of exercise you do as long as you are CONSISTENT. If you don't like what you are doing, you won't be consistent, so keep trying different activities until you find something you like. Then do it.

[thefooloftheyear]

A lot of really toned women in my gym are on the running machine, and I don't see them do much else, so I imagine they do classes.

 

They could be naturally gifted or may incorporate some other form of training as you say..

 

These types of machines(treadmills and ellipticals, etc), wont do much for muscle tone and body sculpting....

 

YMMV

 

TFY

[jbelle6]

I find cardio just gives a smaller version of a crappy body. To change things around and look good it's weights. I like kickboxing and that's cardio, other than that it's HIIT and weights for me.

[PogoStick]

To lose weight, cut calories. It doesn't matter what sort of exercise you do as long as you are CONSISTENT. If you don't like what you are doing, you won't be consistent, so keep trying different activities until you find something you like. Then do it.

 

"Just do it" should be the message. Cardio clearly can reduce bodyfat. To say otherwise is a disservice. In fact I consider walking to be the ultimate calorie burner. Almost anyone can do it, pleasant and relaxing, and I can blast 400 calories in an hour. An hour/day walk for me can burn 35+ pounds in a year.

 

Cardio vs Resistance training

Info and results start about 2/3 down the page. Lifters lost tiny amount of fat but gained muscle. Cardio lost fat and a tiny amount of muscle. Combo group gained muscle and lost more fat than either solo group. Note the 3rd group exercised almost twice as much as the other groups. More exercise = more fat loss...we can't sell that on an infomercial!

 

As much as people want to turn it into magic: eat these combination of foods at certain times of the day, do these special exercises, drink green tea, go keto, be a caveman...weight loss is just a numbers game.