I was a bit suprised at what I read in this article.

[Lannette]

Originally Posted by bethlakey

Interesting article but confusing. Haven't most fitness instructors and bodybuilders including Cathe, Tom Venuto, said that weight lifting is unique in that it burns calories long after the workout is complete?

~Beht

Yes Beth, but apparently that burn is far less than some over enthusiastic estimates. THIS ARTICLE doesn't lay out the math as completely as the one I remember but it does explain the misconception succinctly.

[cherimac]

Originally Posted by Lannette

The idea that added muscle results in far less calorie burn than we'd like to believe has been around for a while. There was an article where the author set it out mathematically and it was quite compelling. I wish I could find it but I can't seem to locate it.

Adding weight training to cardio will definitely change the aesthetic contours of the body but but so will body weight training, Kettlebell training, etc.

I think I her Firm book Anna Benson got it right when she said that what you eat is 75% of aesthetic results.

Much as we'd like to believe there's some magic bullet I think it comes down to lifestyle balance. I do however believe that the perfect lifestyle balance point does shift around slightly from person to person.

This is what I have seen to be the case too.

[Julia]

I'm not surprised one bit at this article, I do think it's the truth. Time and time again I've lifted heavy weights for my body and have put on weight. As soon as I stop and focus on cardio and light weight or no weight toning I drop sizes. When I was young and skinny heavy weights did wonders for my body and helped create tone and curves now at 42 my body is different and the type of training that works for me changed. I still see this women in my age range that are heavier than need be and insist on heavy weight training. They tend to be wider somehow and look their age whereas most pilates or barre studios have women who maintain their 30 year old body. I find essentrics very youthening. I think trainers at the gym and the fitness industry in general look to build business based on lifting weights. I think the success of barre type classes has changed the focus on alternatives that work for many women.

[hch]

Originally Posted by superfit41

http://www.msn.com/en-us/health/weig...U452DHP#page=2

I've read similar things about muscle, and we've had a few threads about this subject on VF, but the last one was probably years ago.

My main interest in reading the article was wondering if there was any language about other reasons that someone might train with weights. There's a little, but I wonder how many readers will draw some dubious lesson that the importance of an activity depends on how many calories it uses.

[TinaT]

I haven't done heavy weight lifting in quite a while due to protecting my joints, but I'll say this, ... When I do a pure cardio workout like one of Jessica's walking workouts vs a Firm 4-limb aerobic work where I hold 3 lb weights, the calorie burn is over and above Jessica's. Tracking my calorie burn every day during workouts and the ones that involve weights always burns more.

Adding that little bit of resistance makes a big difference to my body.

[Vintage VFer]

Originally Posted by superfit41

http://www.msn.com/en-us/health/weig...U452DHP#page=2
Most of the information in this article, I have already heard. However, I had always heard, and read that strength training is important for keeping the metabolism up. Muscle burns fat, right? Maybe not at important as I thought, at least not for weight loss.
Sherry

I found the article annoying. I hate articles that downplay the importance of strength training. Who cares how great your metabolism is if you can't get your ass out of a chair due to muscle atrophy?

The biggest reason you gain weight as you age is consuming more calories than you burn.

[hch]

Originally Posted by Julia

I still see this women in my age range that are heavier than need be and insist on heavy weight training. They tend to be wider somehow and look their age whereas most pilates or barre studios have women who maintain their 30 year old body.

I wonder if they insist on heavy weight training for reasons beyond having a look or weight that someone else prefers that they have.

I think trainers at the gym and the fitness industry in general look to build business based on lifting weights. I think the success of barre type classes has changed the focus on alternatives that work for many women.

I don't want to digress too much here, but my impression of the fitness industry is a bit different.

[Lannette]

Originally Posted by Vintage VFer

I found the article annoying. I hate articles that downplay the importance of strength training. Who cares how great your metabolism is if you can't get your ass out of a chair due to muscle atrophy?

The biggest reason you gain weight as you age is consuming more calories than you burn.

But the idea that you MUST ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY weight train or lose the ability to be function is another myth. Getting out of the chair and staying active, moving your body weight around in functional ways is actually enough to hold onto the ability to be functional.

I've actually seen elders who participated in well meaning weight training programs end up having their postural deviations bound into place by the disfunctional muscle they built. They ended up worse off rather than stronger.

For example overhead presses with a forward head and disfunctional rotator cuffs just exacerbates those issues unless the issues are carefully addressed.

[eam531]

Originally Posted by hch

I've read similar things about muscle, and we've had a few threads about this subject on VF, but the last one was probably years ago.

My main interest in reading the article was wondering if there was any language about other reasons that someone might train with weights. There's a little, but I wonder how many readers will draw some dubious lesson that the importance of an activity depends on how many calories it uses.

I agree. I train with weights and do bodyweight workouts way more often than cardio. 30 years ago it was all cardio for me; I've changed my workouts a lot over the years. Keeping my muscular strength up is vital. A major reason people are in nursing homes and assisted living facilities is that they lack the strength to bathe, toilet themselves, and perform other activities of daily living. I'm 61 and want to stave off decrepitude as long as I possibly can, and my exercise routine and my food intake are key to that.

Strength training offers way more than weight loss and aesthetics.

[Vintage VFer]

Originally Posted by hch

I wonder if they insist on heavy weight training for reasons beyond having a look or weight that someone else prefers that they have.

Bone health is very important.