Could anyone help me with some advice?

[subzero829]

Hello I am new to this site. I like it and think its pretty good for being free to join. Well I am 18 years old and weight in at 240 pounds. I would like to drop down to about 180, but I am gonna be realistic with myself and know its not gonna happen anytime soon. For now I have set my goal at 220 (My weight when I started high school when I was a foot shorter) I have tried to lose weight several times before, but have been bad at the whole cutting calories aspect. I recently started again and am doing very well, but I have ran into a few problems I am wondering if anyone could help me out with?

Well to be honest I am very satidfied with my musculature. I just want to shed some fat. So I want pretty much an entirely cardio training routine which led me to some questions?

1. Is it even possible to cut out weights from your routine all together?

2. Due to my size running on the treadmill tends to end in sprains so I tend to use a combination of the eliptical, and crossramp. Are these suitable substitutes?

3. This kinda goes along with the last one. I do alot of cardio and was was considering increasing the resistance to increase the calorie burning capabilities. Would this also increase leg muscles since I would have to work them out harder to continue the exercise? I really dont need anymore muscles in my legs I can already leg press 800 pounds.

[niemand88f]

1. It certainly is possible to cut weights out completely, but it isn't a great idea. You can't guarantee that you are only losing fat and not muscle when dieting. Strength training helps you keep what muscle you do have. It is nearly impossible to build more muscle on a calorie deficit.

2. Those give a good, but different workout using different muscles. It is totally fine to use those machines. Eventually you will want to switch up your routine though, because your body will get used to certain exercises and they don't burn as much. Once you have lost some weight, try the treadmill again, or a bike maybe.

3. It will use your leg muscles more, but as I said in the first one, it is pretty hard to build muscle on a calorie deficit. Increasing resistance is a good way to increase intensity, so you should do it when the workout becomes too easy at a low resistance.

Hope that helps, and good luck

[paulethomson]

[backer]

First of all you dont gain muscle by acident.keep lifting,its very good for your metabolism.Get on a good cardio program and bye the way the best time for cardio is after lifting as your muscles and liver are glycogin depleted and your body must turn to fat for fuel.Remember muscle burns cals just by existing so you dont want to sacrafise it.On that note keep a high % of protien in your diet.stay strong

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