I need to lose fat. 100 lbs of it. I have been working out for a year this month and last year I managed to lose 30lbs. I was doing mostly cardio with some weight training sprinkled in there. Now that I'm serious about BLF weight training, I have that age old question, is this enough cardio? I have been doing cardio first and then lifting after but I don't see that working over the long haul. I know that I need to do an every other day with both but I'm afraid I won't lose weight. To answer my own question I didn't lose with all that running I was doing either. Can anyone share what their training looked like in the beginning and share any tips with me? I don't mind doing both in the same session but I don't want to over train either. On another note I enjoy cardio and I just can't see giving up my long runs and spin class at this point but I'll see how it goes. Any suggestions would be great.

Ruthie

My daughter's personal trainer at her gym told her to do weights first and then cardio afterward. I don't know if this is the correct advice or not, it's just what he told her. Other than that, I know that most people do the every other day thing with weights: upper body one day and lower body the second day, but with cardio both days.

When I lost the first 50 lbs or so, I didn't do any cardio, just weight training. The reason was that I had busted my knee and all forms of cardio hurt. I then added in cardio but still mostly did weights. I've mixed up my programs at various times. I did BFL style workouts for a couple of months and I thought the progress was pretty amazing. Doing weights every other day and HIIT cardio 20 minutes every other day does work.

Currently, I do a split where I do 20 mins of weights then do 20 mins of cardio. I'm still trying to get back into routine so my current plan is to do that 5 times per week.

I've been doing 30mins fast walking on the treadmill 6x/week for cardio (I have a lot of fat to burn too), and then my upper body/lower body splits spready out over 3x/week like the bfl book recommends. It has been amazing, even considering that I eat more than I should and not as clean. I think you've really gotta have that cardio to eventually see all the muscle you're building. Muscle trapped under fat ain't so attractive.

From the progress that you have made I'd say I'll just keep doing what I"ve been doing. I do cut the cardio short on weight training days. I don't think that I'll abandon it altogether though on weight days. I think it's too important in order to lose all this fat. Keep up the good work ladies, and thanks so much!

I do cardio of some type everyday even on my weight training days. I have a lot of bodyfat to lose ...I need to get my BMI down. And yep, I do the weight training first, you muscles have to be fresh and doing cardio first will only hinder your training. Myself, I find that cardio is necessary in my weight loss regime and find that what I've done works for me.

I too do weights first then cardio (okay, I usually do 3-5 min of or something to warm up then do weights), and I do cardio for a shorter time on weight days. If I were doing them at separate times, i.e. cardio in morning, weights in evening, I'd do a long cardio, but when my time is limited, I'll do a shorter cardio after weights. Non-weights days get a longer cardio. A couple days get nothing.

Judging from what you've said in this thread and the other thread where you mentioned training for a marathon for a long stretch, I have to wonder if it is your diet that is holding you back. Were you eating enough to support the level of training that you were doing? How many calories are you eating per day?

Or are you eating too much or the wrong foods? I do cardio 5 times a week and weights 4 times a week to maintain- the same thing I did for the most part while I was losing. I just lift a whole lot more and heavier now because I know more.

Mel

i'm just starting up weight training again after MANY MANY years break. I think i'm going to alternate cardio and weights on opposite days. It's so hard to squeeze all that into an already packed day!

I don't recall exactly how many calories I was eating at that time maybe around 1600 5-6 meals a day but I can tell you I was doing no weight training. Only running 4 days a week and spinning or biking the other two. I was probably eating wrong toward the end cause I was frustrated but in the beginning I was eating around 1600 with moderate carbs. No white stuff and a cheat day on Friday. My weight stayed exactly the same from April-December. I'm keeping a closer watch on my diet now with counting calories and keeping a journal on fitday so maybe things will get better.

what did a typical cheat day look like if you had to guess now?

A cheat day would most likely be like a restaurant at night, wouldn't really cheat all day but eat right all day then go to Cici's. Usually a fast food dinner or something like that. If I wanted pancakes( white ones) I'd have dinner at IHOP but that was very occassional. Usually it would amount to a one meal cheat. Sometimes I would have desert after a clean dinner on cheat days. My usual days were Friday's with the kids.


Lately I found that the cheats don't feel as good as they used to. I wake up with sugar hangovers so I've even disiplined cheats. I'll eat whatever I want but at a very healthy restaurant. Or I'll have a cookie or a half of a half of a slice of cake. I have to be careful cause I don't want to invoke those headaches.