Q: If I want to lose some extra fat, should I do weights first? I usually focus on cardio first , I can run a lot
A: I'm first recommending focusing on your nutrition, so you're in a caloric deficit. After that, include weight training and cardio into your fitness routine to effectively "lose extra fat." While cardio is essential for burning calories and improving cardiovascular health, weight training is crucial for building lean muscle mass, which in turn helps boost your metabolism. When you have more lean muscle mass, your body burns more calories at rest, which can help you lose fat in the long run.
Regarding the order in which you perform your exercises, there is no hard and fast rule about whether you should do weights or cardio first. However, there are a few factors to consider. Suppose you are looking to build muscle and increase strength. In that case, it's beneficial to start with weight training, as your energy and focus will be at their highest earlier in the workout. On the other hand, if your primary goal is to burn calories and improve cardiovascular fitness, starting with cardio is more beneficial.
Another critical factor to consider is recovery. Suppose you are new to weight training or have not been consistent with it. In that case, it's essential to start with a lower volume and intensity and gradually increase it over time. Doing cardio before weights can make you more tired, making lifting weights with proper form and intensity harder.
Additionally, consider the time you have available to dedicate to your workout. Performing cardio and weight training on separate days may be a more practical option if you are short on time. For example, you can do weight training on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and cardio on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Also, it would be best if you focused on the quality of your workout, not the quantity.
It's also important to remember that exercise alone is not enough to lose extra fat. Nutrition also plays a crucial role in weight loss. To lose fat, you need to create a calorie deficit, which means consuming fewer calories than you burn. This can be achieved by consuming a healthy diet low in calorie-dense foods, such as processed foods and added sugars, and high in nutrient-dense foods, such as fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and healthy fats.
Cardio Before Or After Weights?
Before you tell me what you’ve always done, ask yourself if you’re happy with the way your body looks?
Are you happy with the way your body performs in the gym?
If the answer is no then telling me what you’ve always done is not going to change my mind.
In most cases, my answer would be “It depends.”
This isn't most cases.
For the majority of people in America, fat loss is the goal.
Fat loss depends entirely on diet. How much is entirely? About 80-85% which means the majority.
What you do for movement will enhance strength and to a degree, aesthetics.
It's not the fact that you want to lose weight, it's that you want to lose weight and look good naked.
For that purpose, lifting weights should be the priority and cardio is supplemental as well as optional.
Do you have to choose either or? No
However, I believe in doing the least amount of work to get the most amount of benefits.
Contrary to popular belief, I spend about one hour a day, 3 to 4 times a week working out.
The days of me working out for 3 to 4 hours are long gone.
The more literature I read, the more people I train, the more I learn about how the body works and how to pair that with what people want.
If you like spending 2+ hours in the gym, be my guest.
If you like being efficient in the gym, less is more meaning pick 1-3 exercises per muscle group and lift heavy.
If you want to add cardio to your workout, only do so when your calories are in check and you don’t want to decrease your calorie intake further.
Another reason to do cardio after your workout is if you actually like it.
Here’s another reason why I suggest cardio after weights.
Strength training builds muscle.
Cardio builds aerobic capacity aka conditioning.
It’s harder to strength train when you’re fatigued from cardio.
It’s easier to do cardio even when you’re fatigued from strength training.
You’re also more likely to injure yourself in a fatigued-state lifting weights versus doing cardio.
So to answer the question about cardio before or after weights... Weights first, cardio after IF YOU WANT.
The only scenario I can think of where you would do cardio before weights is if you're training for a cardio-based event.
Training for a marathon?
Training for a swim?
Training for cycling?
Cardio first.
However, there are numerous amounts of literature that explains how strength training improves cardiovascular ability…
But that's a different conversation for a different day.
Fat Loss Hack: Fasted Cardio
How to lose fat, FAST w/Fasted Cardio
I included the video below for people that would prefer watching vs reading.
When it’s time for me to go into fat loss mode & I want the results QUICK, a strategy I like implementing into my routine is fasted cardio. There’s pros & cons to this so let’s start with the reason why it works & why I like it. Fasted cardio means performing a type of exercise, cardio, when you have no calories in your system. I personally like black coffee (or a preworkout supplement) followed by BCAAs (Branch Chain Amino Acids) during my fasted cardio sessions.
The way I perform Fasted cardio is in the morning followed by a protein shake + breakfast (the longer I do fasted cardio, the hungrier I am afterwards). This is my first “workout” of the day. Later in the day when it’s time to workout again, this is when I’ll strength train. This combination, strength training & fasted cardio, helps me speed up the process of losing body fat. Why not just do cardio all the time then? Because there is no resistance to cardio, therefore the body is moving but the muscles are not being challenged. Strength training burns calories by building muscle & burning fat at the same time. Cardio burns calories by simply moving so you can burn fat but that process is much slower & less effective than strength training especially when supported with adequate protein intake.
Understand that for you to lose weight, at the end of the day, you have to be in a calorie deficit for an extended period of time. To lose body fat, not only do you have to be in a calorie deficit, but you also need to be a on a high protein diet because if you don’t closely track your macros (macronutrients), your muscle mass will decrease which will inversely increase body fat. The goal is to look better naked, don’t sabotage your progress by burning a sh*t load of calories & not replacing them with enough protein. A high protein diet is what will help you retain as much muscle as possible while weight is dropping.
My favorite forms of fasted cardio include:
1. Walking on a treadmill:
a. Incline 15%
b. Speed 3.0-3.5 mph
c. Duration: 30-60 mins
d. 30s on/30s off (meaning holding the bar for 30s then not holding it for 30s (I get bored fast))
2. Stairmaster:
a. Level 9 & 10 (Blink Fitness Gym)
b. 40s on/20s off
c. Duration 30-60 mins
3. Elliptical
a. Level 10-12 (Blink Fitness Gym)
b. duration 30-60 mins
Pros:
Low intensity cardio is good for active recovery.
Burns a lot of calories w/o stressing the body or risking injury.
I feel clear-headed afterwards.
Use this technique around cheat meals/days.
Cons
More time in the gym.
Boring (I’m usually on YouTube to pass the time by)
Can burn muscle if fasted cardio session is too long (going past your fasted state into hunger)
Advanced Level Fasted Cardio
If you made it this far, thank you. I’m also going to include something I do after my low intensity fasted cardio exercise: HIIT! After 30-60 mins of low intensity cardio & I still have some energy left in the tank, I like to do sprints to finish the job off. Why? Because I’m crazy most likely. I’m one of those people who like to see sweat to know that I had a good workout. This isn’t necessary to claim “good workout vs bad workout” but for cardio, I like to see the effort drip.
30s/60s (30 seconds sprinting/60 seconds resting)
Incline: 2-3%
Speed:
9.0 mph x 4
10.0 mph x 3
11.0 mph x 3
12.0 mph x failure (Energy still here is most likely a result of cheating the night prior)
Duration: 15 mins-ish.
If done properly, this is what you should look like afterwards (click here)
Enjoy. Try it out. Let me know what you think :)