cardio/strength training??

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-15-2006
cardio/strength training??
9
Sun, 01-15-2006 - 7:57am
Im just starting out at the gym and have tons of weight i want to lose. So my question is, When working out, since I'm just starting out, do i just focus on just cardio/(machines)to burn calories or do i combine the cardio with strength tranining? thanx!
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-15-2005
Sun, 01-15-2006 - 8:20am

I'm not sure what the correct scientific or medical answer is to this, but I do a ratio of 2:1 cardio/strength. Right now I am doing 1 hr. cardio and about 30 mins. strength nearly every day, but you could adjust if you have less time. Right now I am a SAHM and can put my son in daycare to go to the gym, so I have some flexibility with that. I eat an average of 1200 cals./day with no more than 30% from fat and drink 64 oz. of water daily. I just try to eat a good balanced diet with healthy choices. Since Dec., I've lost 17 lbs. and can see a significant difference in my muscles.

This is what works for me, but you have to do what makes you happy and that you can really put yourself into whole-heartedly. Hope it helps!

Laura
267/250/145

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-01-2003
Mon, 01-16-2006 - 3:26am

Strength training shouldn't be done every day. You should at least leave 1 day of rest for muscle recovery and this will give you better results. Of course if you're training your upper body on one day and your lower body on the next, then this is ok cuz each muscle group will have at least 1 day to recover.

My doctor suggested 3 days of cardio & 2 days of strength training. I am supposed to start with 20 min cardio and try to increase that to 30. For strength training I should perform reps until I am struggling with the last few, then aim to increase the number.

Of course I am a lazy couch potato and hate to exercise, but in theory that's what my doctor/nutritionist/friend suggested.

I hope that helped
Mary
247/216/165

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-15-2005
Mon, 01-16-2006 - 4:45am
I do a three day rotation of legs and butt, back and biceps, and chest, shoulders, and triceps. Then in any time I have left I throw in crunches. That way I have a couple days of rest for each group.
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-10-2006
Mon, 01-16-2006 - 6:22am

You should definitely combine both. When you increase your muscle mass you actually start to burn more calories. The cardio is just as important, just make sure you do 30 minutes at your target heart rate to get benefits.

Good luck, keep us posted.
Cat

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2005
Mon, 01-16-2006 - 11:56am

Hi there congratulations on doing something positive for yourself.
As Martha would say 'This is a good thing!"

Okay now I joined Curves so I do circuit training 3x a week. I have done some research and it seems every recommends a combination of aerobics and circuit training. However, the instructor at Curves recommended to me as I just started to stick to circuit training 3x a week until my body has adjusted to this change. Not to rush it and to take a day off Curves. If I want to exercise on my off days, a simple walk or a swim is recommended. Giving my entire body that is worked at Curves (!) a day to recovery and the muscles to recover as well.

This is just my opinion. I hope it helps.

Congratulations again!

Hy

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2005
Mon, 01-23-2006 - 4:01pm
I so agree with your comments. I have noticed a huge change in my body since I do circuit training 3x a week. I am on the Curves program. I feel stronger and the scale is showing it as well I have lost 2% (so far).
I never thought working out was going to be this much fun.
Hy
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-15-2005
Tue, 01-24-2006 - 4:18am
I usually give up after just a few days of doing the gym thing, but I got really motivated this time. I decided that even if I didn't lose a pound, it would be worth the health benefits to stick with it. When the weight started coming off I was so excited and you couldn't make me quit now. I've actually lost another two pounds so far this week and will get my 20 pound reward this weekend, but I try to stick with the Friday weigh in as my official time. What kind of exercises do you do in your circuit training? I'm trying to do some research on options if (more like when) I hit a plateau and need an extra boost to get things moving again.
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2005
Tue, 01-24-2006 - 5:17pm

Wow you are doing pretty good yourself Laura!

Well I am at Curves so I go around the circuit. I dont really know the names of them except for they are really firming and toning me up!

There is one that works the abs, one that works the upper part of your body, legs, arms, really every part of me works in that 30 minutes.

I think the 'trainer' there says that we need to be aiming to work at 70 to 80% by 2nd time around the circuit which means we are actually working and building muscles. As you know muscles burn fat so that is all right with me.
LOL

What sort of place do you work out at? Do you have a trainer there that you could check with? Let me know.

Hy

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-15-2005
Wed, 01-25-2006 - 5:17am
I live at a tiny, isolated Navy base in Italy, so I just use the base's gym (also tiny). They have an Italian trainer that I could have some limited access to, but I've been told he's much better at body building than weightloss, so I'm holding off on that for a while. My husband does the physical training for his group here, so I'm using him as a resource right now. After I get some more weight off, I'll probably switch to Guiseppe.