[gea]

I have been reading about weights and cardio and I am somewhat confused as to whats best.

I was recommended at the gym to do weights first then cardio(20mins).

I have also been reading that its best to do weights and cardio on different days .

Or do weights and cardio in different sessions on the same day.

I am not sure what is best? Also do you find fasted cardio works better than regular cardio?


Any recommendations? Thanks.

[nelie]

The general recommendation is if you are going to do cardio and weights on the same day, that you do weights before cardio because cardio burns up the glycogen stores in your muscles that your muscles use to help them lift to their maximum potential. (If I remember correctly) Some people do cardio then weights but that is their personal preference. I usually do 10 mins warmup then weights.

If you have lots of time, you can break up your weights and cardio session in the same day, some people do that, but I know I don't Maybe if I had weights and cardio equipment at home I would.

I personally like cardio and weights on different days. It allows your muscles to rebuild and helps you get exercise every day without feeling like your life is exercise. I do BFL which alternates cardio and weights and it has made my life so much simpler.

The best is generally what is best for you. I would say take things you read as guidelines but really, you have to find what works for you.

[WaterRat]

I was recommended at the gym to do weights first then cardio(20mins).

Most people, as Nelie says, do weights first, then cardio. You may want to do 5-10 minutes of cardio to warm up before you do weights. If I come right from work to the gym that's what I usually do, as I'm stiff from sitting all day (and then in the car). If it's a weekend and I've been doing housework, or errands and then go to the gym, I usually go right to the weights. And I'd say that 20 minutes is the minimum cardio you'd want to do.

have also been reading that its best to do weights and cardio on different days Or do weights and cardio in different sessions on the same day.

Many folks, especially those of us working on losing weight do cardio most days, including the days we do weights. Personally, I don't have enough time to do two different sessions most days. I go to the gym after work, do my weights and cardio, then go home and fix dinner, and try for an hour or two with my DH before I fall into bed.

I guess the point is what's best, is what works for you! Both cardio and weights are necessary (imho ) and you need to work out a way to get them in that you'll stick with. You can get good results from doing weights as few as 2x a week, but in order to have cardio work for weight loss, you need to do it 5-7 days a week, for probably 45-60 min a day. The new federal guidelines say 60-90 minutes "most days," though of course, you work up to that, not something you need to jump into from day 1.

Keep asking, keep refining, you'll find what works for you.

[sportmom]

I've done it both ways. Normally I will do weights then cardio; somehow it makes the cardio seem so much easier and manageable. I don't know if I feel stronger or just relieved! But today, I did it reverse with cardio first, just because cardio was more important to get done today and I kept going because I was feeling strong. I don't feel a performance difference either way, but I am not a long-term serious lifter, so I can't comment on what is better per se. I do (try) cardio every day, so for me I either have to do an am/pm session or figure out a way to combine them.

[Sheila53]

I'm one who does cardio first on most days, then weights. If I do it that way, I can get in my 60 min. of cardio. When I do weights first, I can only get in 35-45 min. of cardio before I'm just too pooped to work on my abs appropriately. I do cardio and weights (three different programs) six days a week--on Sunday I actively rest. I eat either some fat-free cottage cheese w/fruit and a couple of nuts or two egg whites w/hummus and a couple of green olives before I workout. If I'm going for an extra-long session, I'll take a couple of bites of something an hour or two after I first eat, or else I run out of energy. I prefer to exercise in one long session rather than breaking it up into morning and afternoon. However, sometimes I'll go for a walk in the afternoon or do some more stretching.

[sportmom]

Wow Sheila, congrats on your great weight loss! That's awesome!

[Rumplesnat]

I just started weights this past week and will be doing it every other day, before cardio. I do my cardio 5-7 days a week. On days that I use weights, I use the treadmill and on days that I am just doing cardio, I bump up my cardio by using the elliptical.

[gea]

Thankyou everyone for your helpful posts!.

I will try weights before cardio and see how that goes and if its not working I will try cardio then weights, thanks again.