Cardio vs. Weights for weight loss

I'm 30 years old and currently 5'6", 147 pounds, looking to get down to 130.  I've done both weights and cardio in the past and enjoy them both, but I wanted to know if there are any women out there (I say women because I know this is naturally easeir for me) who have just lost weight and maintained by thier primary exercise being weights rather than cardio.  I mean, get sweat on your brow, circuit training and heavy weights, type of weight lifting. 

 If so, let me know your experience.  In the past I lost a lot of weight doing both cardio and weights.  I enjoy cardio and could never cut it out entirely, nor would I want to for heart-health reasons, but I would probably enjoy lifting weights as my primary means of exercise.  I've always been too timid to do just that without the major cardio time b/c of the fear of bulking up and not losing the calories.

I know all the science of muscle buring more at rest and the whole burn more than you consume model.  I had an eating disorder in college, so I've been there and done that, and am well educated to the whole system.

What I'm looking for is someone who has lost primarily from weight lifting (and counting calories, of course) but without too much cardio - maybe 2 days a week of 1/2 hour a time.  If so, what's your story, and what results have you found?

Hi. I am a 39 year old female. 145 lbs, 18% BMI. I have been doing a "Lift to get Lean" program from Muscle and Fitness HERS Magazine. It is the current issue in the stores now. I have been doing it for 7 weeks and I am very pleased with the results. The scale hasn't budged, but I lost 2% of my body fat. I am not muscle bound, but I am shapely and lean looking. It is hard for women to achieve "bulk" anyway.

I have not done ANY cardio since starting this program. I love that. I was burned out on 4 miles a day. I still have trouble deciding how many calories to eat each day. I seem to maintain well at 1700 calories a day. I also make sure to eat atleast 140 grams of protein every day (aim for 1 gram for every pound you weigh). Try it out. I love it!

 Not a woman, but I've done only minimal and sporadic cardio the past month or so following the program this post talks about - I've lost about 10lbs in that time with only the occasional walk up a mountain a couple weekends as adittional cardio.

 Lost the previous 30lbs doing roughly the same thing but with a different program - I've done roughly zilch cardio compared to the time I've spent lifting all through my weight loss jorney.

 Diet is about 70% of your results so just by counting calories and controlling intake you'll lose weight almost regardless of what your chosen mode of exercise is.  But there's good reasons to make lifting your primary mode of exercise - it's more effective for pure fat loss, and while building muscle in a calorie deficit mostly just doesn't happen, losing it sure does if you don't lift to convince your body there's good reason to hang on to the metabolically expensive muscle.

hi! 32 year old chick weighing in at 165 pounds. 5'4" short.

i lost 45 pounds at least with weight training over the past few years. other exercise in order of frequency would be isometrics, swiss ball assisted bodyweight exercises, tai chi, yoga, and finally cardio.

normally i warm up for weights with a 10 minute cardio burst, but not enough to call it 'cardio' lol~ just this last week though i have been doing 30-45 minutes cardio 3-4 times per week. just for fun.  

Not a gal, but wanted to chime in because it is a good post and good replies.  For me I do cardio everyday (4 times a week) for 20-30 minutes. 2 times a week I do cardio plus about 10 full body weight lifting exercises. I think cardio is the key. Spookychick has the right idea, 10 minutes of cardio before weights will continue your elevated heart through the weight lifting phase which will be fantastic.  Best of luck. My 2 cents

I did almost exclusively weights for 1.5 years back in 2000.  I think I would do about 20 minutes of cardio 3x per week MAX, and I was lifting 5x per week.  The weights were heavy with 8-12 reps.  It worked really well for me in combination with a careful diet. 

i'm doing just weights right now and its working for me - I also walk back and forth from class, so bout a mile each day, that's my only real cardio. I try to lift weights in enough of a rhythm and without resting so its cardio as well.

 The general consensus I've heard is that both are good - cardio will get the weight off faster, but just weights will also help you to lose weight.

I'm 40 and am just doing weights now instead of cardio and it's working.  I'm 5'5 and did weigh 147 also but am now down 7lbs.  But I am also on a low calorie intake too.  But it all seems to be working.  I feel I get more from the weight lifting.  But mind you,  I'm doing light weights with more reps.  This has been within a 1 1/2 month period of time so far. 

Hello All, 

I just stumbled upon this post. And i had to ask just 1 question related to this topic, 

I am currently only doing cardio 5-6 times a week. Running/Walking for 45 min. Will that help in my weight loss?? I dont like to do weights. Most of the people seem to say weight training is essential to weight loss.... So please advise...

Thanks

Neither Cardio nor Weight training are needed for weight loss.  Only a calorie deficit will create weight loss.

Both Cardio and Weight training will aid in burning calories, which help create a calorie deficit, so they do HELP indirectly.

A calorie deficiet in combitination with Weight Training will help preserve muscle mass.  As such, as you lose weight, it will be primarily from FAT loss.

A calorie deficit with only Cardio will NOT help preserve muscle mass.  As such, as you lose weight, you will lose BOTH MUSCLE and FAT.

 

 

I have reshaped myself with primarily weight lifting and diet.  I do about 60-90 min of cardio a week and thats pushing it for me.  I only do cardio for my heart.  Weight lifting is a heck of a lot more fun and gets me looking a lot better pretty quickly.

Original Post by dcagliero:

 But I am also on a low calorie intake too. 

 How low of a calorie intake do you have??

I am 6ft 3 inch and Weigh 336 lbs.

I eat around 2500 Calories per day.

I Run 30 mins a day, for 5 days a week and do Wallups, Sit Ups and a few other strech/tightening excercise every alternate days.