Explain this to me

Yes. Muscle burns more calories than fat. However, it takes a lot of weight training over a long period to build enough muscle mass to make a difference. Weight training is good for the long term. It builds strength and endurance as well as strengthens your bones and keeps you from losing muscle as you get older. Cardio burns more calories in the short term which helps you lose fat faster than just dieting. It also strengthens your heart. Weight training alone doesn't make you look more cut because everyone has a layer of fat hiding their perfect, beautiful muscles. The lower your body fat percentage, the more visible your muscles are.

Kristy

I solemnly swear that I am up to no good
 
Oh, I forgot to add that cardio can burn muscle in addition to fat because your body will always try to hold on to as much fat as possible. Fat takes fewer calories to maintain so the more fat you have, the better prepared you are for starvation. Weight training will help prevent muscle loss through cardio and dieting.

Kristy

I solemnly swear that I am up to no good
 
I know for me I'm doing mainly weights and I'm having incredible results. I'm only doing cardio maybe 3 times per week and the Gym Style workouts the rest of the week. I'm wearing jeans I have not worn in over 5 years since I've started really focusing on the weights. It has not been an overnight change, but slow and steady. I'm sticking with the workouts for a long time, keeping track of my weight selections, and upping the poundage every time I possible can with good form. If I hit a plateau, then I'll change it up, but for now these workouts are doing for me what no other workouts have.
 
Ok, i agree.
I haven't really dropped many pounds lately, but clothes are getting looser .I lift as heavy as i can to fatigue.
I am not big and bulky and i am seeing more muscle definition slowly.
I have also read to keep your heart healthy you only need 20 min cardio 3 x per week.
What i am saying is won't the fat just eventually start melting off with less cardio and more weight training?
Anne
http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=8227804&uid=3969941
 
Sorry, but unfortunately it was recently discovered that muscle uses only a few more calories per day than fat. Not enough to make a difference, even to someone who has lots of muscle. :( There are still a lot of people giving lip service to the myth, but, unfortunately, it really is not much more than a myth.

-Nancy
 
Nancy:-( All I can say to that is 'Bummer Dude!!', I loooved that myth, next you're going to tell me that the abdominal sweat wrap I saw on TV early Sunday morning won't really make 2 inches disappear around my waist in 30 minutes!:+ (It works beautifully if you never, ever take another drink of water as long as you live:p ).

Take Care
Laurie:)

Mini celebration here -- Laurie's 1 000's post -- woo hoo!!! Excuse me, now back to our regular programming!:7
 
I totally agree with you, Laurie. I was very bummed to hear it too. Congratulations on your 1000 posts!! :D
-Nancy
 
Well, you gotta remember too that that extra muscle mass may make you move a bit quicker, more often, etc.......which burns extra calories.

I'll fight that myth somewhat Nancy because even when I did gobs and gobs of cardio but did not lift, I couldn't eat whatever I wanted and not notice. However, when I lifted heavy (with cardio mixed in still) I pretty much ate whatever I wanted and would never notice any gain. Compared to my friends, I could just eat and eat but never seemed to gain. I had a real metabolic advantage over them from something. And they were working out with me but had not been as heavy with the lifting and truthfully, probably not as strict with the cardio. I think the extra muscle makes you more athletic in all your movements throughout the day and possibly that is where you have the advantage? Whatdya think about that??:)
 
This may be a case of personal differences.

I don't take any of these studies too seriously because they all seem to want to paint a wide brush when in fact, it can't be done. Anyway, if you wait a week it will probably change.
 
And another one. How do you ladies find time to workout 1/12-2 hrs a day??
Me , it is either weights ir cardio. I don't have time for both. I am gone from 9am -7pm 6 days a week. I get up at 6:30 wake up , get on here have some coffee and do an hour , bath and go to work.
Come 7 pm. I cannot do another hour. If i sleep in and am tired I will work out at night.
But, by the time i finish it is after 8 then i have to get dinner together.
I tried the split days. It is too tiring.(1/2 am 1/2 pm).
If i am not into working out, it is easier to lift than jump around on a step. Less brain function.
I like my weights even though i probably should do more cardio.
Anne
http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=8227804&uid=3969941
 
I am a shift worker so I have plenty of time to workout. I am off all day today and my DD is in school, house work was done earlier this week so its just me and Cathe:)
When I work day shifts, I don't get a long workout in so I can see how that is hard for you.When I work days its 8-6:30.Sometimes I will workout for an hour after DD is in bed or I get up at 5:40 and workout from 6-7 and thats all I can manage for that day.And then there are days that I don't get anything in.
Lori:)
 
I only workout for 45 minutes to an hour a day and sometimes have 2 rest days per week. The only time my workout goes past 60 minutes is with Kick Max and Low Max because they are 70 minutes long. Like I said above, I'm having incredible results. I actually have on a pair of capris that I bought last summer and if I get any smaller, they are going to be too big. Last summer they were kind of tight. I also tried on all my shorts from last summer and most of them are too big. I have noticed the biggest difference in my legs, glutes, and low abs, but also the definition in my arms as I mentioned above. I actually started with the heavy weights and less cardio to get more definition in my arms and was pleasantly surprised when my lower half started shrinking.
 
>Well, you gotta remember too that that extra muscle mass may
>make you move a bit quicker, more often, etc.......which burns
>extra calories.
>
>I'll fight that myth somewhat Nancy because even when I did
>gobs and gobs of cardio but did not lift, I couldn't eat
>whatever I wanted and not notice. However, when I lifted heavy
>(with cardio mixed in still) I pretty much ate whatever I
>wanted and would never notice any gain. Compared to my
>friends, I could just eat and eat but never seemed to gain. I
>had a real metabolic advantage over them from something. And
>they were working out with me but had not been as heavy with
>the lifting and truthfully, probably not as strict with the
>cardio. I think the extra muscle makes you more athletic in
>all your movements throughout the day and possibly that is
>where you have the advantage? Whatdya think about that??:)

Janice, I'll just jump in to say that since I started my p90x rotation and started lifting heavier than I ever have - I'm starving!! I'm eating like a horse and don't seem to be gaining. I keep thinking I'd better stop or I'll wake up one day and be 350 lbs!!

Sparrow

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming ‘Wow - what a ride!’ — Peter Sage
 
I don't post much, but thought I'd reply to this one. True, weight training may burn less calories during the actual workout, but it is after when the burn really kicks in. Regardless of how many calories a fat pound versus a muscle pound burns, weights are still excellent for fat loss. It is during the recovery process that your metabolism is elevated. You are literally damaging the muscle and it takes a lot of fuel for them to recover and get stronger. That's why people often get hungrier when lifting heavy. Just my 2 cents.

Brad
 
AAAhhhh, yes, that is right Brad!! Very good point! I had forgotten about that!;-)
Weight lifting does have a much higher "afterburn" than cardio....
 
I agree with Sparrow. Since I started lifting heavier, I'm also eating a lot more. I find that if I feel hungry and don't eat, I actually get sick to my stomach. I also keep thinking I'm going to start gaining weight, but so far I have not.
 
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