weight training and cardio

[shimi91]

So I am torn between the best way to burn fat super efficiently while also building lean muscle, toning up and losing my little bit of a belly. I lost a great deal of weight working my butt off and eating clean but have fallen slightly off the wagon (after getting engaged and married of course).. Now Ive got this fantastic little Fitbit, not that my Polar ft4 wasnt great, but this is the bee's knees.

Ive heard so many myths and stories but I want to know from you guys what you think about this.

whole body training or splits? Cardio before or after weight training and most of all, what do you think is the most effective combination? Id like to be able to change up what I was doing before, but still be an efficient fat burner.

[Nuvia]

I started doing last month doing both cardio and weights.  I could asked my trainer persenal opinion I think cardio and then weights is better this way you get your heart rate all pumped up and then you go and attack your muscles.

so far with all the walking cardio and training twice per week fist month I when from 164 to 158 and lost 2% of BMI from 305 to 28% which my trainer said it was great.

[Ninjanurse]

shimi 91,

From my experience and reading, cardio after weight lifting is best. When you lift for a solid, moderately paced 45-60min session, you burn up the glycogen stores in your muscles. If you do cardio after this session, your body switches to fat for fuel. Be careful, though, and don't over do it or you will start using muscle as fuel. I usually lift for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, then do 20-30 mins cardio (2x per week steady state low intensity, like a jog, and at least 1x per week high intensity interval training (HIIT), or sprint intervals for 15-30 minutes). Be sure to intake a shake with both simple sugars to replace glycogen and high quality protein to give your muscles fuel for the next workout and the nutrients to maintain your hard-earned muscle. I usually take in about a 1:1 ratio (30g:30g) of protein to simple carbs in a protein shake.

Also, I like splits. I think you can do full body, but with splits you get a better, more comprehensive workout in one particular area, instead of a moderate workout all over. Just my opinion.

Lastly, I would not try to build muscle while loosing fat, especially if you are already within a normal weight range. At a caloric deficit for weight loss, your body cannot build muscle... it needs caloric excess to build tissue! Try to lean out first while using your lifting sessions to maintain what muscle you have, then when you have leaned out to your satisfaction, then do a clean bulk (still eating right, but planned, controlled overeating) to pack on muscle.

Hope this helps and good luck! Loosing the last few pounds can be maddening, but with enough perseverance and willingness to try different approaches to find just what works for you and your body type, you will find success!

[shimi91]

Did your trainer say that cardio was good before weights? I have had a
trainer tell me the exact opposite, that weights should come first.
Interesting

[Raviv]

Same here - weights then cardio.  It's better for your muscles.

Bonus: the weight benches aren't quite as sweaty as they would be after cardio, so people hate you a little less.

[Nuvia]

i just asked him and you are right he said weight first and then muscles, the reason you will burn yourself out and will not have any strength to do weight later.

[WendyB]

My trainer also said Weights then Cardio as well

[Raviv]

The cardio after the weight training also helps your muscles to recover.

Plus it's better to be worn out and have to stop running than to be worn out and drop a 200 pound barbell on your head.  

[Heybales]

Lifting for less than 1 yr?

Then beginner, and for your stated goals - you need volume.

3 x weekly each major muscle group

If that is 3 x full body if you have the time all at once, or 3 x a split routine because you are short on time but have the days, either way.

Just don't fall for the current fad of 1 body part each day which is expert level lifting over probably 3 yrs where gains are few and far between to get.

Ditto to cardio after, just a brief walk/jog/bike for warmup if desired.

Can't lift as heavy if muscles are fatigued, and body has no need to increase strength or add muscle if it's not overloaded by weight.

To that end though - you can ruin one day of lifting by doing intense cardio the day before using same muscles.

So if you do 3 x full body weekly - don't do interval sprints on the between rest days. Kills the repair attempting to be done, and fatigues the muscle for the next day.

Walking or slow jog or bike or swim is just fine. Call it your heart health aerobic training.

Oh, and you burn fat super efficiently by taking a reasonable deficit between what you burn and what you eat - so you burn only fat.

And to that end, need best estimate of what you burn - so you need to manually log the Weights in Fitbit using the database. Step-based and HR-based calorie burns are both invalid estimates.