toughaintenough
Member
I'm on the road to weight loss,I usually do about an hour of cardio a day(bike)but I really love weights!Do I stick with cardio daily to strip the fat or should I mix it up?I'm afraid of adding muscle under fat.Advice??
Cardio???Weights?
- Thread starter toughaintenough
- Start date
Imafitnessfreak
Cathlete
You're **afraid** of adding muscle??? May I ask why you are afraid of adding muscle?
If your goal is to lose fat and keep muscle mass low, stick with cardio. Cardio burns 'em both.
If your goal is to lose fat and keep muscle mass low, stick with cardio. Cardio burns 'em both.
toughaintenough
Member
NO!Sorry came out wrong,I love muscle but I'm afraid that with the extra fat,I'll be too bulky.So,I should work on the fat loss first then work on my muscles?
alsrnbsn
Cathlete
Fitness Myth: Weights do not make you bulk up! Women do not have the physiological chemistry to "bulk" up, that takes testosterone (man hormone).
Weight lifting adds muscle and muscle tone, which in turn will help you lose weight (muscle burns more calories than fat). Also a pound of muscle is approx 1/3 the size of a pound of fat.
I am also on the road of weight loss/fitness. I started with cardio 3 times/week to get my body used to activity. Within 3 months, I extended that time and added weight lift for tone (BTW, muscle under fat doesn't bulk it up, it makes it less flabby!)
Weight lifting adds muscle and muscle tone, which in turn will help you lose weight (muscle burns more calories than fat). Also a pound of muscle is approx 1/3 the size of a pound of fat.
I am also on the road of weight loss/fitness. I started with cardio 3 times/week to get my body used to activity. Within 3 months, I extended that time and added weight lift for tone (BTW, muscle under fat doesn't bulk it up, it makes it less flabby!)
Imafitnessfreak
Cathlete
I saw keep your cardio but add some total body strength workouts and circuit workouts. After a few week, maybe switch to a few body parts per day on top of the cardio.
I agree with the ladies above...the weight work will help you reach your goals faster. I know some here disagree that building muscle boosts the metabolism but I am still a firm believer that it does. I dropped 15 pounds in no time by adding weight work to my cardio routine. Especially if you love doing weights...do what you love, sister!
I agree with the ladies above...the weight work will help you reach your goals faster. I know some here disagree that building muscle boosts the metabolism but I am still a firm believer that it does. I dropped 15 pounds in no time by adding weight work to my cardio routine. Especially if you love doing weights...do what you love, sister!
kathryn
Cathlete
I agree with mixing it up, and particularly with adding circuit weight workouts (that move quickly from one exercise to another without resting), or workouts that combine cardio and weights.
Building muscle takes effort, and an increase in calories. If you keep your eating under control, and don't add calories, you shouldn't build a lot of muscle (just tone what you have) but the weight work will help increase your metabolism.
If you start to get a little bigger temporarily (because of being new to weights, and fluid retention in the muscle as it gets used to the new work), don't panic! You're building some shape, and not just making what you have smaller, so the end results will be nicer.
Building muscle takes effort, and an increase in calories. If you keep your eating under control, and don't add calories, you shouldn't build a lot of muscle (just tone what you have) but the weight work will help increase your metabolism.
If you start to get a little bigger temporarily (because of being new to weights, and fluid retention in the muscle as it gets used to the new work), don't panic! You're building some shape, and not just making what you have smaller, so the end results will be nicer.