Strength training vs. Cardio

  • HELLO EVERYONE! Just finished my 30day shred from JIll. Absolutley loved it, did 1 month on each level and lost about 32 pounds. I am now moving onto her DVD No More Trouble Zones.. The only thing is, this is all strength training vs 30day shred was cardio incorporated with weights. I still have about another 40pounds to lose, will I still be safe doing strength training, or should I stick to more cardio? I guess my big question is will i still see weight loss while doing strength training. TY<3
  • Well, you'll probably get all kinds of opposing answers, and I think ultimately you should do what works for YOU and what you enjoy because you're more likely to stick with what you enjoy.

    Personally I opt for resistance training over cardio if I have to choose. Resistance training can burn just as many calories during the workout if you move quickly from exercise to exercise (interval training) and you also have the afterburn where your metabolism stays revved for hours after you train because it's repairing and building muscle. Additionally, muscle is metabolically active and fat is not, so you add a bit of muscle and you've revved your metabolism even when you do nothing.

    The best thing to do, however, is both. Start with 1/2 hr+ resistance training because you must burn off the glucose in your system first before you can burn fat and you need glucose to work your muscles, then move to 1/2 hr+ cardio which will burn fat because all the glucose got burned up doing resistance. Or alternate days and do resistance one day, cardio the next.
  • I do No More Trouble Zones 2-3 times per week. I don't think it's designed to be done every day like The 30 Day Shred is. My recommendation is that you alternate a weights workout like NMTZ with a cardio workout. I alternate NMTZ with couch-to-5k runs. I doubt many people will recommend doing a weights-heavy workout every day per week. In my mind The 30 Day Shred is somewhat acceptable because it's so short, but NMTZ is twice as long meaning about 3x as much time spent using weights. BTW I find my heart rate gets fairly elevated and I drip sweat doing NMTZ so I don't feel compelled to do cardio on those days as well, though that is my personal preference.
  • Quote: Personally I opt for resistance training over cardio if I have to choose. Resistance training can burn just as many calories during the workout if you move quickly from exercise to exercise (interval training) and you also have the afterburn where your metabolism stays revved for hours after you train because it's repairing and building muscle. Additionally, muscle is metabolically active and fat is not, so you add a bit of muscle and you've revved your metabolism even when you do nothing.

    The best thing to do, however, is both. Start with 1/2 hr+ resistance training because you must burn off the glucose in your system first before you can burn fat and you need glucose to work your muscles, then move to 1/2 hr+ cardio which will burn fat because all the glucose got burned up doing resistance. Or alternate days and do resistance one day, cardio the next.
    I feel compelled to point out a few points that are inaccurate.

    The afterburn effect you're talking about is called "EPOC" and it burns hardly any calories.
    Fat is metabolically active. It burns about 1/3 the number of calories as muscle.
    How much fat you burn fat vs glucose vs glycogen depends on insulin levels and intensity. In any case if you're dieting it makes no difference if the calories come from fat or not because the exercise just adds to the total number of calories your body needs for the day.
  • Quote: I still have about another 40pounds to lose, will I still be safe doing strength training, or should I stick to more cardio? I guess my big question is will i still see weight loss while doing strength training. TY<3
    If your goal is to see the lowest number possible on the scale you should simply reduce calories further and do no exercise. I'm serious.

    If your goal is to look and feel good, as well as be healthy, you should do weight training and if time permits, both.

    Weight training could potentially mask fat loss depending on your genetics and training level as you gain a little bit of muscle but as a woman you're going to have a difficult time putting on a substantial amount of muscle unless you have some freaky genetics or you're using steroids.

    Weight training has a large number of health benefits and helps oxidize fat. Most importantly as far as I'm concerned, it keeps you from being "skinny fat" when you get to your goal.
  • I think both is great-JohnP is right. You might see a very temporary initial gain or stall, but seriously, I am two sizes smaller than I was at this weight last time I was this weight-I do weight training and cardio. I think they're both extremely important.
  • I'm no expert, but just from what I've learnt over the years a combination of exercise is what's important in weight loss. It's about keeping your body guessing, you don't want it to get too used to one thing. Which is why the 30 day shred is so good, because you're constantly changing things up every couple of minutes. So if you love 30DS and see results and the new Jillian is just strength, then I'd suggest doing both =).
  • Quote: Well, you'll probably get all kinds of opposing answers, and I think ultimately you should do what works for YOU and what you enjoy because you're more likely to stick with what you enjoy.
    I have to agree with this 100%!!!

    Also, because you're a woman, keep in mind how IMPORTANT it is for your bones to continue with strength training for the rest of your life. As women, we lose 1 percent of our muscle per year, rising to 1 percent to 2 percent from the age of 50. By 70, a healthy person has 20 percent less muscle mass than they had at 36, (according to Science News.) You can protect yourself well into "advanced age" (notice I didn't say "old age" LOL!) with continued strength training.

    Remember: it's not ALL about "losing weight" - it's also very much about being healthy!

    BTW, you're doing a GREAT JOB so far!!! KEEP IT UP!!!!
  • Quote: If your goal is to see the lowest number possible on the scale you should simply reduce calories further and do no exercise. I'm serious.

    .
    ^^^^
    very true
    if you want to see the biggest loss on the scale, then you have to be in the biggest caloric deficit you can manage. At this point it is hard to make "true" gains being in a deficit, but strength training wil certainly preserve what m,uscle mass you do have, whereas only doing cardioi will burn it up! you might see a drop on the scale, but it wont be fat loss.....

    Diet is key for fat loss. Everything else is gravy

    I personally prefer strength training, but it has to be REAL strength training, lol! Go big or go home mentality

    Thats JUST Me