Any physiologists/trainors, exercise experts here? I keep hearing two opposing "truths."

[Mike 03]

Which is true?

The quickest way to lose weight is running.

The quickest way to lose weight is resistance training and weight lifting.

[sammythecat]

1. Here's a link that might help

http://www.healthstatus.com/cgi-bin/calc/calculator.cgi

It seems running 30min at 12mph will burn twice the calories that vigorous weight training for an hour will. A couple minutes with a TastyKake, however, will cancel all that effort out.

[Fleshdancer]

2. As a non-expert, I would go with a combination of both

When running, I do interval training instead of one steady pace the whole time. Resistance training is great too because it burns calories and the increase in muscle mass means you're going to burn more calories while resting.

Neither is going to make that much of a difference though if your diet sucks.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

3. Cardio is going to burn the fat

Lifting weights is going to build muscle, which will increase your metabolism.

Fasting diets will do neither but wreck your metabolism and cause muscle wasting, though.

[applegrove]

6. That is what I have heard.

[LeftyMom]

4. The quickest way to lose wieght is amputation.

Amphetamines are fast too.

The quickest way probably isn't the best way. ;)

[jmm]

5. I'm no expert but

I always thought that an hour of running will burn more calories than an hour of weight lifting/resistance training but the muscle gained from the latter will help you burn the same if not more calories in the long run.

[flvegan]

7. There's no "one size fits all" answer to that question, sorry.

Depends on the physical abilities, current weight, etc of the subject we're talking about.

[Mike 03]

8. The weird thing is I have doubled by weight lifting from one to two hours a day,

but dropped my yoga to zero, and my mid section is expanding.

I also do an hour and a half of cardio a day, but I would like to add full out running.

[Fleshdancer]

9. How's your diet these days? n/t

[LeftyMom]

10. You do two hours of weights and an hour and a half of cardio a day?

AND you routinely starve yourself?

This is what an eating disorder looks like, folks.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

11. +1

[LeftyMom]

13. I believe this poster has also stated that he takes an insane number of supplements.

I would hope that nobody is feeding this sick situation by encouraging his unhealthy behavior.

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[UndertheOcean]

12. That is mean .... we don't know his BMI

that is the only way to tell

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

15. BMI does not mean one doesn't have an eating disorder

For example, many bulimics are average or over-weight.

His diet and exercise is definitely disordered, if not a flat out eating disorder.

He needs help.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

16. You work out three-and-one-half hours a day?

That's a lot.

That's an awful lot if you're not Madonna - and I'm pretty sure you're not.

I only know that all my fitness friends practice moderation in eating and exercising. My orthopedist friend has been saying for years that running is much worse for the body than walking, and recent studies seem to have proven him correct. (He's the man who used to look out his office window at all the Marines running along a path near the Pentagon, and say, "One day, they'll all be mine. His specialty is knees.)

Moderation. That's all I know............

[Dappleganger]

17. Sprints.

Not jogging.

[triguy46]

18. No "quick" way. It is a process that involves focus and dedication...

things that are not necessarily compatible with "quick."

In short, you need to get your heart rate up for 30 minutes a day, and to decrease your caloric intake. If the heart rate is not up in the cardio range for extended periods, it isn't going to work. Weight lifting and resistance are good, but if your primary goal is weight loss, run or bike or swim or elliptical or row.

[Kali]

19. you don't eat and work out for 3 and half hours a day

want a job on a ranch? I won't charge you much and guarantee you'll be in shape in 6 months.

[NJmaverick]

20. I am not an expert, but I can tell you this

first off what you eat will have far more impact than excercise. It's simple math, the amount of calories from one bad snack will take hours of excercsise to burn off.

As for which is best, I think the excercise you enjoy and stick to is the best one. I have been excercising for years. The mental trick I adopted was one of never stopping. At least 3 times a week I will work out. Even if it is just for 5 minutes, I will do it. See the thing I have found is it's easier to ramp up the amount of excercise than it is to start aftering stopping.