Cardio vs. Weights and EVIL EVIL CALORIES!

[Cherry_Pie]

Hey All!

I've been calorie counting for about six weeks now, to try and bust off these last few pounds. I like to think I'm generally pretty fit - I've been running for years, and I go to the gym three times a week - but 98% of the time, it's to do cardio.

I'd really like to get a bit more toned up, which naturally points to weights. However... I am reluctant, for the simple reason that, in terms of logging calories burned, cardio gives you the clear, trackable burn, which is great when you're trying to burn off the max number of calories so you can "eat them back" and still stay under your calorie goal. 30 minutes of cardio gives a higher calorie burn than 30 minutes of weights.

I appreciate that, in the long run, building muscle is more effective, as it raises your BMR. But in the meantime, it means that I'm burning less calories, and when I'm calorie counting, every calorie I'm burning is a calorie I can "eat back", which right now is really important as I'm bloody hungry most of the time!!

Just wondered if anyone else had been faced with this dilemma, and general advice what I should do...?

 

[hayrae]

At weightless stage it's important to get a good mix of both. If you don't tone (use weights) whilst you're losing weight your skin may become lose and saggy! Not great after all that hard work! I'd try and find a balance. Have you tried any body sculpting classes? They're fab... Or a leg, bum and tum class. I do weights every day at home once if not twice a day as I'm desperate to tone up some lose skin after a 7 stone loss.

 

[Sentinel]

I found doing interval training (HIIT) or circuit training these are really good to get both cardio and toning, and it boosts metabolism which leaves you burning calories after you finish

 

[Cherry_Pie]

Thanks both! Sentinel, great idea about the HIIT or circuits, then I get the best of both worlds! Just bought a pair of 1.5kg wrist weights to strap on when I'm doing cardio, and got two 3kg hand weights on order!

Hayrae - Ooh, didn't think about the loose skin. Good point!