Should you do strength training for weight loss?

Are you adding an hour or more of cardio to your lifting days on TOP of every other day?

It’s perfectly fine to do some cardio when trying to lose weight.  However, we wouldn’t recommend doing an hour of cardio on the same day as your weight workout.  If you enjoy working out almost daily, then keep the cardio and weights separate.  If you are doing full body workouts, only 3 days per week, cardio becomes your fill-in-the-gap option.  If you only workout 3 days per week, then a short cardio session (if desired) after lifting, or later in the day is sufficient.

Including cardio is a personal preference.  Some do fine with none, others can’t live without it.  Do what you feel is best, but be sure to eat properly, and lift hard.  Those are to the two most important things for you while you’re striving for fat loss.  Adding cardio to your routine doesn’t produce near the results that adding lifting does.  Keep your fat loss priorities in order: cardio for fun, weights to transform.  And again, challenge yourself for best results.  Whatever amount of reps are that you are supposed to be doing, you should not feel like you could just keep going forever.  If you’re doing eight reps, you should be almost failing by seven, completely spent by nine.  This will aid in the loose skin factor, if you have a lot of weight to lose.

Speaking of loose skin…

Another thing to consider, (though it will seem counterproductive at times because you just wanna get it over with!) is to lose weight as s.l.o.w.l.y as possible.  This allows your skin enough time to adjust to the weight loss gradually at each level.  This is also why we recommend not dropping calories too low.  Ever notice how much extra skin Biggest Loser contestants have? That’s why.  The loss just happens WAY too fast.  Another example is one that every new mom notices.  Her belly spends nine months expanding, and is suddenly deflated within hours.  What is she left with? Skin, where a five to ten pound baby used to be.  Since pregnancy is one area what we can’t avoid this, let’s take advantage of what we can control.

If you’re losing slowly, and building some muscle, it’ll help keep things tighter than if you just drop a ton of weight super fast.  Also drink as much water as you possibly can, and get enough good fats/omegas — which will aid in keeping the elasticity in your skin as it adjusts.