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Looking for reassurance

tj135 Posts: 33 Joined: 2003/05/21	2003/07/07, 08:38 AM Hi, I am looking to lose 2 dress sizes and want to know is it better to 1. Strength train and do cardio with a close to maintenance calorie diet, or 2. Concentrate on a weight loss diet, and then build up muscle after I've dropped down to the size I want? I'm thinking the best is #1, but I just would like some opinions. Thanks!
tarab21 Posts: 508 Joined: 2003/03/31	2003/07/07, 10:52 AM Yes, cardio, weight training, and diet should all go together. You can go below your caloric maintenence level, just small amounts at a time (100-200 a week). And make sure you're eating enough protein. good luck
padua Posts: 219 Joined: 2003/02/17	2003/07/07, 11:38 AM tj135 i got a kick from your pic ...funny
azredhead57 Posts: 1,651 Joined: 2003/04/11	2003/07/07, 02:55 PM Tara is right, you need to do all 3. The strength training will build muscle which in turn burns more energy to maintain, which is why you need to make sure you aren't eating too little and plenty of protein. -------------- ~Victoria~ ...There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.--Beverly Sills
skinnyrobin Posts: 224 Joined: 2002/05/10	2003/07/08, 06:16 AM it depends on your goal. if your just looking to lose fat than the above advice is good. u mentioned, however, wanting to build muscle too. if u want to build muscle, your caloric intake has to be higher than what you burn. if you want to build muscle, maybe its better to first do that and then get cut.
tj135 Posts: 33 Joined: 2003/05/21	2003/07/08, 08:04 AM Yes I definitely want to lose fat. I would start working on building muscle after I lost the fat, but I want to make sure I don't kill my metabolism in the process. Hopefully, weight training combined with cardio and a moderate diet will get me where I want. Thanks for the help. ============ Quoting from skinnyrobin: it depends on your goal. if your just looking to lose fat than the above advice is good. u mentioned, however, wanting to build muscle too. if u want to build muscle, your caloric intake has to be higher than what you burn. if you want to build muscle, maybe its better to first do that and then get cut. =============
sandysford Posts: 1,139 Joined: 2002/11/18	2003/07/08, 06:51 PM Diet in my book is first, weight training is next, followed by cardio. Please remember that as you weight train you are building muscle so the weight drop may not be as much as you like. Muscle weighs more than fat, you see see that alot here on this board. your body will do a little shifting as you build that muscle and your clothes will feel and look different on you. -------------- I will lift my own weight someday!!!!! Lifted 135lbs on July 1, 2003, I did it!! WOOOO WOOOOOO THE NATURAL WAY IS THE ONLY TRUE PATH TO SUCCESS, PRIDE, JOY, HAPPINESS, LONG TERM FULFILLMENT AND SELF-ESTEEM!
tj135 Posts: 33 Joined: 2003/05/21	2003/07/09, 08:38 AM Sandy, when you say diet are you talking low calorie, or do you mean proper nutrients? Great job on meeting your goal!
sandysford Posts: 1,139 Joined: 2002/11/18	2003/07/09, 11:27 AM proper nutrients and low calorie go together. You have to drop the calories to lose the weight. Eat good veggies like brocolli, spinach, green beans, stay away from things like corn. Good carbs are also black beans, sweet pot. Meats are chicken breasts, tuna, lean beef cuts. Eat you carbs early in the day, like oatmeal for breakfast with a few egg whites made into a omelet. Just cleaning up your diet and staying away from those nasty carbs like soda and Twinkies (oops did I say twinkies, bad word here, sorry!!) When I became a diabetic and cut out all the bad carbs, I dropped forty pounds in the few months with no effort at all. Diet is so important. -------------- I will lift my own weight someday!!!!! Lifted 135lbs on July 1, 2003, I did it!! WOOOO WOOOOOO THE NATURAL WAY IS THE ONLY TRUE PATH TO SUCCESS, PRIDE, JOY, HAPPINESS, LONG TERM FULFILLMENT AND SELF-ESTEEM!