Original Post by dcyounts:

I disagree completely. Yes, our bodies function the same way, but men and women have ENTIRELY DIFFERENT goals in terms of how their bodies should look. All I was saying is that males don't typically want to lose muscle mass by doing exercises that put their heart rate in the cardio range. Females, on the other hand, are less concerned about building huge muscles and therefore are more inclined to choose high bpm workouts. There is no disparity between how men's and women's bodies function. The only disparity is in their goals and the majority of women I know don't want 17" biceps.

You have got to be kidding me! I lift heavy weights like a freaking maniac and have been doing so for 4+ years and I would kill to put an inch on my stupid biceps! Women don't gain bulky muscle like men....we don't have the testosterone.  DUH!

The purpose of this thread was to discuss whether to do high intensity or low intensity cardio.  You all are taking things a bit too literal.  The decision about whether to do high intensity or low intensity is based on your goals.  Do we all agree on that? 

What I was trying to say is that a lot of guys (and in many cases women) avoid cardio for the simple reason that we don't want to burn any muscle by raising our heartrates around 70% of our max.  Therefore, we often do fat burning excercises such as walking around 4mph on an inclined treadmill for 40-60 minutes (long periods of time are key because the first 20 minutes serves mainly to burn off glycogen storages).  I NEVER said women should not lift weights.  I try to get my girlfriend to workout on freeweights with me all the time because you have to integrate a little bit of everything to achieve your fitness goals.  I even do yoga with her atleast once a week because flexibility is crucial to everyone's health.

While one guy may prefer to have the body of Reggie Bush (NFL running back, 5'11" 215), others may prefer to have the body of Lance Armstrong (cyclist).  Obviously, because of their goals, their training regiments are going to be much different.  The same applies to women and in both cases, the results are great when the effort is put in.  No, a women will not get 17" biceps without the assistance of testosterone nor will most guys for that matter.

The question is, what are your goals?  If you want to lose JUST body fat, do low intensity, long distance/time.  If you don't mind losing some muscle mass, do high intensity.

Male or female, no one should be OK with sacrificing muscle mass to lose fat—that is the point. Muscle is essential to health and fitness, and in addition, when you lose it, your metabolism slows. Yoga, pilates, and the light weight training you recommend will not maintain what would otherwise be lost via certain types (and durations) of cardio. If one chooses to engage in cardio that sacrifices muscle, pushing yourself in the weight room is the way to maintain what you have.

You can also lose fat and maintain your muscle and more by engaging in the types of cardio that build endurance and muscle both.

petite: Can't you and I just agree on something?  The points you are making are valid and correct, but I don't think you realize not everyone wants to be muscular.  Some people prefer being thin and lean, such as cross-country runners.

kks: An excellent workout for burning calories AND building muscle is lower body plyometrics.  It sucks at first because it certainly isn't easy, but you will tone and define your legs and butt while burning about 400 calories/hour.  It also will give you extra core support which in the long run will keep your spine healthy.

Original Post by petite_powerhouse:

 

You can also lose fat and maintain your muscle and more by engaging in the types of cardio that build endurance and muscle both.

This may be veering a little off topic for this forum, but what kind of cardio do you suggest?  Would it be using the stationary bike/elliptical with high resistance?  Using the stair master?  Treadmill with an incline?

I'm more interested in losing the jiggle than the numbers on the scale so I'm interested in the optimal approach.

Original Post by dcyounts:

petite: Can't you and I just agree on something? The points you are making are valid and correct, but I don't think you realize not everyone wants to be muscular. Some people prefer being thin and lean, such as cross-country runners.

Thin and lean? Long-distance running can actually lead to an excess of body fat—compared to other athletes, that is. That exercise breaks down muscle.

I understand that people prefer one look over another, but you can have muscle without looking muscle bound, or anywhere near it. And as you age? You are going to wish you had that muscle backing you up. You might even wish you had it long before that, when your metabolism starts to slow down.

I think the difference in our ages is part of why we're on opposite ends of the spectrum here. I'm old enough to be looking to my future health every day. And, as a woman, I know how very hard it is for a woman to build muscle. Women can work hard in the gym and still look lean—and actually be lean as well.

Final thought here: you aren't going to build muscle, anyway, at a calorie deficit (except where newbies are concerned) or when you are running long distances regularly. I am talking about maintaining here. If you do cardio that causes a loss of muscle, you should maintain that muscle via weight training with real weight. You're just maintaining: your body is not going to start looking muscular because every time you get out there and run, the muscle starts to break down again.

Personally, you and I are on the same side of the spectrum.  The workout plan that I follow myself is very similar to what you are arguing towards.  I lift weights 4 days a week (different muscle group each day) and do low intensity cardio 3-4 times a week because I do NOT want to lose any muscle.  I am at a very slight calorie deficit right now because I compete in Jiu-Jitsu tournaments monthly and I am trying to get in a lower weight class, but I'm talking maybe 100-200 calorie deficit.  I have mistreated my body in the past and I am now working towards achieving a health level I can maintain for the next 20-30 years of my life.  But like you said, this is about maintaining.  The girl who initially started this thread stating first and foremost that she'd like to lose 29 lbs and it is VERY difficult to lose 18.7% of your body mass without losing a little bit of muscle too.  I'd guess when she achieves her goal, she might have lost 24 lbs fat and 5 lbs muscle.  Of course, at that point her diet will change in order to maintain and she can work to get that 5 lbs of muscle back.