[savetheb]

Hey, peeps. Within the last week I started doing some weight training to burn more fat and I'm looking for a good weekly routine.

A lot of my research has indicated that rest when strength training is extremely important so I'm thinking four days of training with three days of rest in between those training days.

Any advice or pointers or routines that work for you guys?

A little backstory: Started at 337lbs, I am currently at 257. So I lost 80 pounds basically doing lots of cardio and counting calories. I hit a plateau about three weeks ago and was stalled at 264 for two weeks, and so I started with the strength training a week ago and I smashed through the wall and I now love strength training. I'd like to continue to do cardio every day. Good idea? Bad idea?

[Justwant2Bhealthy]

SAVETHEB ~ Um, I think your idea of resting EOD (every other day) is a good one. Some recommend weight-training more and some less; so you get to decide how often. When I did it in a gym, it was 3 days a week (Mon, Wed, Saturday); later on, that was cut down to 2 days, but I am a female and our goals were likely different.

I think you could definitely do cardio every day (or about 6 days a week, leaving one day of rest for that too). Maybe you could do a bit more on the days you don't lift weights. When I belonged to a gym with trainers, I did interval walking (changing speeds) & bike-riding & toning exercises even on my weight-training days (and my routine was designed by a master trainer).

Did you look in the exercise forum to see what they say over there? I'm sure some guys will be along very soon to answer your post, but many work so they come in on the weekends more.

[supermario]

Congrats, 80 pounds on cardio alone is a big deal! I'm impressed!

It can be really fun to do some weights, cardio is so humdrum. I'm too new to recommend any specific program but my trainer seems to have me on 2 workouts where we do chest/arm training with some cardio mixed in versus leg/back training with some cardio mixed in. He told me doing some cardio on my rest days is ok. If I run across a simple program I'll let you know. I am also on a Mon, Wed, Sat schedule with lifting.

One of the big things about it though seems to be form. You really have to know what you're doing or you could really make a mess of things. I had to get a trainer to keep me accountable, motivated, and doing it properly in terms of motions, breathing, picking things up, etc.

I have figured out the secret of those chain gyms is that the trainers there are in and out with massive turnover so it's impossible to develop a lasting, trusting relationship which I'm finding is very important to keeping me motivated. I had a couple guys totally disappear on me literally over the course of 1 week. My current one is a good friend of a friend so that is helping a lot.