Exercise? Cardio or Weights?

If you go everyday alternation is good. But I can only get to the gym 4-5
times a week,

Oh, that's plenty! I only go 3, and these are the days I do my full-body
resistance training on the machines AND 30 minutes of cardio. It takes me a
total of one hour. 2 more days a week, I do 30 minutes on the treadmill at
home, walking 4.5 mph.

Sheila
Size 10 to 2 in 5 months (since 2001), thanks to Atkins!
http://www.SugarFreeSheila.com - My Success Story, Extensive FAQ, & More!

SugarFreeSheila wrote:
:: Definitely do both; doing both regularly is like having the Army
:: *and* Navy working for you. In my own experience, low-carbing and
:: exercise together make one look great naked ... but low-carbing,
:: exercise, AND the right kind of resistance training will make you
:: look AMAZING naked. It couldn't hurt to give it a shot for a few
:: months! Good lcuk!
::

If you go everyday alternation is good. But I can only get to the gym 4-5
times a week,

Oh, that's plenty! I only go 3, and these are the days I do my full-body
resistance training on the machines AND 30 minutes of cardio. It takes me a
total of one hour. 2 more days a week, I do 30 minutes on the treadmill at
home, walking 4.5 mph.

Sheila

LOL! Yeah, but I'm fat, and you're not. I need it more. ;-)

LCing since 12/01/03-
Me- 5'7" 265/202/140
& hubby- 6' 310/215/180

I'm not setting myself to fail, just being completely honest with myself. I
have no intention of failing. This is something I have to do.

When I had more time, pre-childbirth - I was a member of a gym. I went very
regularly. I wouldn't say I enjoyed it, but it was something I had
to/needed to do. There may be some people who go skipping to the gym
everyday with excited anticipation. I'm just not one of them. ;o)

JD

JCD wrote:
:: I'm not setting myself to fail, just being completely honest with
:: myself. I have no intention of failing. This is something I have
:: to do.
::
:: When I had more time, pre-childbirth - I was a member of a gym. I
:: went very regularly. I wouldn't say I enjoyed it, but it was
:: something I had to/needed to do. There may be some people who go
:: skipping to the gym everyday with excited anticipation.

Yeah, those are the ones that keep doing it....

:: I'm just not one of them. ;o)

Perhaps you might trying bicycling?

Overall, lifting weights is the best thing you can do for your body. Cardio
to a point is helpful, imo, but at some it becomes better just to eat less.

This depends on what you want. If you want to get in shape, you will need
to do cardio. Lifting weights really doesn't do much for being in shape.
You can lift weights and be very out of shape as many find out when they
walk up stairs or whatever.

Weight lifting has some very good benefits however. The more muscle you
carry the more you will burn at rest. It is hard to gain lots of muscle.
You will see some really good gains in the first two or three months and
then it becomes much harder to gain muscle. I personally like free weights
only and here is why. I have been lifting on and off for many years and
play lots of sports. Free weights work all those little stabilization
muscles which is important if you want to be injury free. If you work
machines all the time those muscles get left out. Working out on machines
is a good place to start however, but once you get past 3-6 months you
really should move to free.

You will lose weight quicker by running or jogging or if you have access to
an elliptical trainer that is quite good.

If it was me paying for a trainer, which I did for a year, several years
ago. I would go in 1/2 hour before my session with the trainer to get at
least 20 minutes of cardio in and then lift with the trainer. Cardio is
really something you don't need a trainer for. Lifting is something you
will really benefit with a trainer. They can spot you and teach you lots of
different exercises. You will also be warmed up after your cardio and you
will not waste time that way warming up for the trainer.

JMHO,
Curt

"JCD" wrote in message
...
I've been going to the gym for 10 days now. I had been concentrating on
cardio, to see how I managed. But this also let me control my exercise,
as
I was familiar with the equipment. I have my first 121 session with a
trainer tomorrow.

But I'd like some opinions please. Talking to a friend, her personal
trainer is recommending she only do weights, as this will have the pounds
"dropping off". I had never heard this before.

I don't care what type of exercise I do, as long as I do it. Whatever I
do,
I'll probably not enjoy. (Unless someone can start a raquet ball club for
me in this part of England!) But I would like to at least do the most
ideal
exercise for losing weight and keeping it off......

Let me know your thoughts!

Thanks

JD

262/208.5/140
Started 5th Jan, 2004
May Challenge 8lbs/so far 5lbs

dtk wrote:

I train people at a local gym near me, however i stay away from people
trying to lose weight, i center more on people trying to go for brute
strength, and gain size, and those training for powerlifting, but i
can offer you some basic advice. Just keep in mind low rep weight
training makes you big and strong, & high rep weight training, and
cardio makes you lean and "healthy" looking. Just from seeing that
your a female, i doubt you wanna go for that big and strong look, so
your best bet would be a mix of medium to high rep weight training and
cardio.

Low rep weight training is not going to make women "big and strong"
unless they take hormones. Strong certainly, but we don't put on muscle
mass like men do. We get "small and strong".

I started doing a high rep workout suggested to me by one of the Y's
trainers, a typical girly workout with low weight and high reps.
Progress was pretty slow doing that. I was pretty much only able to
increase weight around once a month and less often than that on some
exercises.

Recommendations here were to focus on a handful of basic, compound
exercises and do drop sets. I do almost all of my weight training as
drop sets now. My workout takes about half the time and my strength
increases much more rapidly, I have an increase in 1 RM on at least 1
exercise nearly every time. It's greatly effected my cardio also, my
improvements on the treadmill and swimming are a heck of a lot faster
than they were with the high rep/low weight regime.

The notion that women are best off doing doing high reps with low
weights has been debunked by quite a lot of women. I'm not an exercise
expert by any means, but I've read the stuff of strong women who lift
real weights, taken their advice, and enjoy the rapid improvement
lifting causes.

Seeing definite, measurable improvements regularly is a lot more
encouraging than just doing the same workout with no results day after
day. I *like* getting stronger. It makes a huge difference in my
day-to-day life and feels good.

--
As you accelerate your food, it takes exponentially more and more energy
to increase its velocity, until you hit a limit at C. This energy has
to come from somewhere; in this case, from the food's nutritional value.
Thus, the faster the food is, the worse it gets.
-- Mark Hughes, comprehending the taste of fast food

Jackie Patti wrote:
:: dtk wrote:
::
::: I train people at a local gym near me, however i stay away from
::: people trying to lose weight, i center more on people trying to go
::: for brute strength, and gain size, and those training for
::: powerlifting, but i can offer you some basic advice. Just keep in
::: mind low rep weight training makes you big and strong, & high rep
::: weight training, and cardio makes you lean and "healthy" looking.
::: Just from seeing that your a female, i doubt you wanna go for that
::: big and strong look, so your best bet would be a mix of medium to
::: high rep weight training and cardio.
::
:: Low rep weight training is not going to make women "big and strong"
:: unless they take hormones. Strong certainly, but we don't put on
:: muscle mass like men do. We get "small and strong".

It won't make men "big" either unless they eat for it. Actually, the lower
rep work is best for pure strength training, more so than hypertrophy.

::
:: I started doing a high rep workout suggested to me by one of the Y's
:: trainers, a typical girly workout with low weight and high reps.
:: Progress was pretty slow doing that. I was pretty much only able to
:: increase weight around once a month and less often than that on some
:: exercises.
::
:: Recommendations here were to focus on a handful of basic, compound
:: exercises and do drop sets. I do almost all of my weight training as
:: drop sets now. My workout takes about half the time and my strength
:: increases much more rapidly, I have an increase in 1 RM on at least 1
:: exercise nearly every time. It's greatly effected my cardio also, my
:: improvements on the treadmill and swimming are a heck of a lot faster
:: than they were with the high rep/low weight regime.

Strength increases are very common and rapid for newbies. After a while,
thou, lower rep work will likely been needed if you want to continue
increasing in strength.

::
:: The notion that women are best off doing doing high reps with low
:: weights has been debunked by quite a lot of women. I'm not an
:: exercise expert by any means, but I've read the stuff of strong
:: women who lift real weights, taken their advice, and enjoy the rapid
:: improvement lifting causes.

No arguments there...

::
:: Seeing definite, measurable improvements regularly is a lot more
:: encouraging than just doing the same workout with no results day
:: after day. I *like* getting stronger. It makes a huge difference
:: in my day-to-day life and feels good.

Yes, and it makes your body look better, once the fat is gone.

curt wrote:
:: This depends on what you want. If you want to get in shape, you
:: will need to do cardio. Lifting weights really doesn't do much for
:: being in shape. You can lift weights and be very out of shape as
:: many find out when they walk up stairs or whatever.

You need to define terms, here, curt. One can very easily get "in shape"
lifting weights. They key is to control food intake to lose bodyfat *while*
lifting weights. I know several people are are in very good shape but
refuse to do any form of cardio.

::
:: Weight lifting has some very good benefits however. The more muscle
:: you carry the more you will burn at rest. It is hard to gain lots
:: of muscle. You will see some really good gains in the first two or
:: three months and then it becomes much harder to gain muscle. I
:: personally like free weights only and here is why. I have been
:: lifting on and off for many years and play lots of sports. Free
:: weights work all those little stabilization muscles which is
:: important if you want to be injury free. If you work machines all
:: the time those muscles get left out. Working out on machines is a
:: good place to start however, but once you get past 3-6 months you
:: really should move to free.
::
:: You will lose weight quicker by running or jogging or if you have
:: access to an elliptical trainer that is quite good.

Well, again, it depends. If one simply eats less, the benefits in terms of
weight loss can be achived. The advantage of doing cardio, is that it will
let you eat more, plus you will improve endurance, but only to a point.

::
:: If it was me paying for a trainer, which I did for a year, several
:: years ago. I would go in 1/2 hour before my session with the
:: trainer to get at least 20 minutes of cardio in and then lift with
:: the trainer. Cardio is really something you don't need a trainer
:: for. Lifting is something you will really benefit with a trainer.
:: They can spot you and teach you lots of different exercises. You
:: will also be warmed up after your cardio and you will not waste time
:: that way warming up for the trainer.

You paid a trainer for a year? Why? IMO, you can learn most of what you
need from a book or a website, and the rest you can pick up using common
sense.

::
:: JMHO,
:: Curt
::
:: "JCD" wrote in message
:: ...
::: I've been going to the gym for 10 days now. I had been
::: concentrating on cardio, to see how I managed. But this also let
::: me control my exercise, as I was familiar with the equipment. I
::: have my first 121 session with a trainer tomorrow.
:::
::: But I'd like some opinions please. Talking to a friend, her
::: personal trainer is recommending she only do weights, as this will
::: have the pounds "dropping off". I had never heard this before.
:::
::: I don't care what type of exercise I do, as long as I do it.
::: Whatever I do, I'll probably not enjoy. (Unless someone can start
::: a raquet ball club for me in this part of England!) But I would
::: like to at least do the most ideal exercise for losing weight and
::: keeping it off......
:::
::: Let me know your thoughts!
:::
::: Thanks
:::
::: JD
:::
::: 262/208.5/140
::: Started 5th Jan, 2004
::: May Challenge 8lbs/so far 5lbs

"Roger Zoul" wrote in message
...
curt wrote:
:: This depends on what you want. If you want to get in shape, you
:: will need to do cardio. Lifting weights really doesn't do much for
:: being in shape. You can lift weights and be very out of shape as
:: many find out when they walk up stairs or whatever.

You need to define terms, here, curt. One can very easily get "in shape"
lifting weights. They key is to control food intake to lose bodyfat
*while*
lifting weights. I know several people are are in very good shape but
refuse to do any form of cardio.

IMO, being in shape means you are fit. You can not get fit or
cardiovascular in shape by lifting weights unless you do fast circuit
training. If you don't get your heart rate up for an extended period of
time you will not benefit in a cardiovascular sense. You can look like you
are in shape with diet and weight lifting, but most of those guys are
huffing and puffing going up a long flight of steps. I don't call that "in
shape".. Lifting does very little in this category, but it can make you
look great.



::
:: Weight lifting has some very good benefits however. The more muscle
:: you carry the more you will burn at rest. It is hard to gain lots
:: of muscle. You will see some really good gains in the first two or
:: three months and then it becomes much harder to gain muscle. I
:: personally like free weights only and here is why. I have been
:: lifting on and off for many years and play lots of sports. Free
:: weights work all those little stabilization muscles which is
:: important if you want to be injury free. If you work machines all
:: the time those muscles get left out. Working out on machines is a
:: good place to start however, but once you get past 3-6 months you
:: really should move to free.
::
:: You will lose weight quicker by running or jogging or if you have
:: access to an elliptical trainer that is quite good.

Well, again, it depends. If one simply eats less, the benefits in terms
of
weight loss can be achived. The advantage of doing cardio, is that it will
let you eat more, plus you will improve endurance, but only to a point.

::
:: If it was me paying for a trainer, which I did for a year, several
:: years ago. I would go in 1/2 hour before my session with the
:: trainer to get at least 20 minutes of cardio in and then lift with
:: the trainer. Cardio is really something you don't need a trainer
:: for. Lifting is something you will really benefit with a trainer.
:: They can spot you and teach you lots of different exercises. You
:: will also be warmed up after your cardio and you will not waste time
:: that way warming up for the trainer.

You paid a trainer for a year? Why? IMO, you can learn most of what you
need from a book or a website, and the rest you can pick up using common
sense.

::
:: JMHO,
:: Curt
::
:: "JCD" wrote in message
:: ...
::: I've been going to the gym for 10 days now. I had been
::: concentrating on cardio, to see how I managed. But this also let
::: me control my exercise, as I was familiar with the equipment. I
::: have my first 121 session with a trainer tomorrow.
:::
::: But I'd like some opinions please. Talking to a friend, her
::: personal trainer is recommending she only do weights, as this will
::: have the pounds "dropping off". I had never heard this before.
:::
::: I don't care what type of exercise I do, as long as I do it.
::: Whatever I do, I'll probably not enjoy. (Unless someone can start
::: a raquet ball club for me in this part of England!) But I would
::: like to at least do the most ideal exercise for losing weight and
::: keeping it off......
:::
::: Let me know your thoughts!
:::
::: Thanks
:::
::: JD
:::
::: 262/208.5/140
::: Started 5th Jan, 2004
::: May Challenge 8lbs/so far 5lbs