Is it possible to loose wieght working out only 3 days?

[thatsright]

I started going back to gym in June. I lost some weight, but its much slower than it was a few years ago. See here for more info: http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2306756&page=3

I am on a low carb (<100g per day) high protein diet. Currently I go to gym 5 days a week. 3 days for total body routine of weights, and the other two days of cardio for 35 minutes each where I burn about 500cals at one.

Is it possible to loose 1lb per week of weight if I go to the gym just 3 days a week now? Lets say I lift for two days, then on the other day do 35min of cardio and a little bit more weights? Or if I just do 2 days of weights only and the other day do cardio only and nothing more on that day? The last few weeks its been hard to go 5 days a week, so if I can still loose the weight on only 3 days, then there you go.

Thoughts?

 

[purbeast0]

you could lose 1lb/week without going to the gym at all, it's all about diet. but about 1-1.5 pounds a week is a good healthy amount to be losing.

but if you are going to the gym, just make sure you hit it hard wihle you are there to maximize your efforts and results. i lost like 10lbs without doing any cardio at all but lifting 4 days a week. i didn't want to lose too much to quick, so i opted out of doing any cardio at the time. but i controlled most of my weight loss through diet. i basically did the same 4 day routine i did while gaining weight before.

and just fyi, 100g is NOT a low carb diet.

 

[Java Cafe]

Losing weight is all about diet, specifically eating at a caloric deficit. I learned this after many years of random working out. You don't need to work out to lose weight; although theoretically, working out should help. In my case, cardio made me hungrier, and I ate up more than I spent exercising. So, it was of no help to me.

Losing fat (as opposed to just weight), while minimizing muscle loss, is attained through a diet with a caloric deficit plus strength training (compound exercises, with progressively increasing weights). For that, 3 times a week is not only adequate, but is actually recommended. With heavy weights, the body needs at least 48 hours to regenerate the muscles broken down during a workout. At the age of 57, I lost 35 pounds (and replaced my gut with visible ab muscles), working out no more than three (sometimes two) times a week. See the link under my sig.

Until early this year, I didn't quite get this, and have spent many years oing random stuff -- weights and cardio -- to no avail.

 

[Koing]

^^ above 2 posters.

I don't do any cardio but hit the gym hard 3-4x a week.

DIET DIET DIET
= you must eat under maintenance.
== you use weights to maintain muscle mass. Most people who don't end up being skinny fat where they are near their ideal bodyweight but not where they want to be in terms of looks
== cardio to help build a calorie deficit
= for some people it's 2k, 2.5k or 3k and if you are very unlucky it's something very low like 1.5-1.8k. Which I'd suggest you bulk for 6-12months and then cut. Get your metabolism going where you can maintain on say 2.5-3k and then cut 300-500cal a day and it makes cutting easier.

I can't imagine having to cut on less than 2k

Koing

 

[festa_freak]

This year I lost 35 lbs just cycling and running. I was 225 and now I'm <190!

Granted, during that time, cardio was my main goal, weight loss needed to happen. I've plataued pretty hard at 190 as I have started lifting weights to get strength and to see my new muscles pop out of my smaller frame.

A guy at work is completelly ripped. Like his arms are like my legs (well, almost). He works out 3 times a week and is the most disciplined eater I've ever seen. Lean meat and veggies and yogurt is most what he eats. Always 3 hours apart, just snack size stuff.

I'd say focus more on cardio for weight loss with maintenance workouts to keep the muscle going, but I'm such a newbie, that could be wrong, BUT, I did lose a lot doing that so take it or leave it!

 

[PenguinPower]

you could lose 1lb/week without going to the gym at all, it's all about diet.

This.

and just fyi, 100g is NOT a low carb diet.

Could be, as long as it's less than 20% of the caloric intake.

 

[TallBill]

I usually only lift 4x a week and make far more gains than guys I know that go 2x a day.