Cardio VS. Weight training....
 

I think people always say that a combination of both (weight training/cardio) is the best for you. But, personally, I'm a big cardio girl myself. As for the gym, I've never really been into that. Generally, anything you can do at the gym you can do at home. Besides, I've never really been a big fan of people watching me work out. :)

YES, a combination of both cardio and strength training is the best. I wouldn't worry about getting too buff. Just toning is hard enouph to accomplish. You would have to be lifting weights like a mad woman to become too buff. Cardio does burn more calories, but building muscles help to burn more calories throughout the day and boost metabolism. plus they just look good. a toned trim body looks much better and healthier than a flimsy weak trim body. IMO ;)
I dont know what I would do w/o my gym! I love the classes they offer, and all the equipment. There is no way you could get all those choices of different exercises by just working out at home. I think I would get too bored. I LOVE my spin classes at the gym! and NO ONE is watching me work out. seriously, they are too busy worrying about their own work outs than to be watching other people. Its worth the money to me. good luck :)

I have to agree with HVEECK, on several points.
1. It is very hard to get to the point where you look 'buff'. You have to build a significant amount of muscle (hard for women, because we don't have testosterone) AND get your body fat pretty low. If you're worried about waking up wake day and saying, "OMG! I look like a man!"...don't worry, it won't happen. ;)
2. People at the gym are there to work out. No one's watching you. If you do visit a gym and there are people preening and trying to get dates (there's one near me like that), just join a different gym.
3. I have found the classes at the gym to be very helpful. It forces me to work harder than I otherwise would, and try different things. I've said it before, but I also love the community aspect of classes. Going there every day, seeing the same people, chatting--it appeals to the social side of me, that working out on a machine by myself doesn't affect.
4. The biggest benefit is the variety of equipment at the gym. I can do cardio at home, but I certainly donn't have the three machines that I like at home. And I definitely don't have the weights at home that they have at the gym! Even the Bosu ball--to buy one costs over $100. For cardio, I could keep running and biking to lose weight, but I would definitely need to motivate myself more, since I would be bored more.

You can definitely lose weight without a gym. I lost the first 20 pounds just by doing cardio on my own. However, I lost the last 20 (okay, 17 pounds so far) after joining the gym near my workplace. Now I'm getting compliments on how fit I am. A couple months a go, a male co-worker I'm friends with noticed me in a sleeveless shirt (it was warm in the office that day) and commented on how good my arms looked. And a female co-worker who has been going to the gym too said she told her husband she wanted calves like mine. That wouldn't happen without the strength training I'm doing, since it's the muscle on my body that makes me look fit and "toned."

Put me down for another vote for gym for the variety. In my past I have been one of those "I HAVE to exercise" people but am now a "I GET to exercise" and it's because I don't get bored.

If you don't want to join a gym, you can do a variety of cardio/strength routines at home/outside. The cardio stuff is obvious (run, bike, step, walk, hike, etc.)

For strength stuff you could look at kettlebell training and check out this site as well for other ideas as well.

I don't belong to a gym. I get my cardio through walking, biking, hiking, swimming, kayaking and usually some combination of those (biking to the beach, etc.)

For strength I do yoga, sit ups and use my free weights for my arms.

I never tire for variety and never have to motivate myself to leave the house to do anything because I do most of my exercise at home and the stuff that I do outside is what I want to do. No motivation needed to go hiking!

To me the gym seems like something I'd have to schedule into my day and then get over with.

But I think there are some people who love the gym, so you just have to figure out which kind you are.

The question should not be Cardio VS Weight training but Cardio AND Weight Training the advantages:

Benefits of Cardio :

AND
The Benefits of Weight training:

hi there-
id have to say that joining the gym again is the best thing that i've done for myself. last time i joined a gym was in 2004 , at 24 hour fitness, but stopped going.
i just joined the gym last month, and i am LOVING it...i get so inspired to work out over there. it is kinda like a pick up place, but im not paying attention to it.
im just there to work out and leave.
its my third week and i feel like my day is off if i dont go on the elliptical.
but then again, everyone is different. x
for me, i tried working out at home. i bought the p90x, slim in 6, atkins books, tried nutrisystem, weight watchers, and nothing worked for me. but thats just me. good luck!