Cardio vs. Weights - Need Advice

My VSG was on 12/16/09.  I weighed 272 pounds.  I've lost 62 pounds since then.  I currently weigh 210 pounds and I'm 5'7" with a big body frame.  My doctor's goal for me is 180.  He said to get there (180) and reevaluate my body and see what I want to do.  I'm trying to reach the 180 goal.  I've been going to the gym 3-4 times a week for about 9 weeks now.  I do 20-30 minutes of cardio on the treadmill (walking and jogging) and I do leg machines, ab machines and free weight for my arms (my "chicken necks" on my arms are pretty bad, but they are getting better). I do all of this at every session.  I am making some progress on the scale, having lost about 8 pounds in those 9 weeks.  My question is:  Is there a better way to exercise in order to get the pounds to come off a little quicker?  Should I be doing all weights and no cardio, no weights and cardio, etc?  I want the scale to move a little faster!!  My eating habits are good - protein first, an average of 1000 calories per day, I manage about 70g of protein a day, 64oz fluid a day.  I don't deny myself anything - I just manage it properly.  For example, ice cream once a month, not once a day.  Any help is much appreciated.

Increase the workouts.  Challenge yourself.  Add 5 minutes, change them up, do something to shake up the routine.  Your body will get comfortable doing the same workouts over and over.  If you aren't really challenging yourself any longer you will see diminishing returns. 
Plus you burned more calories early on.  30 minutes on the treadmill at 272 burns a lot more calories than 30 minutes at 180-210.  You have to increase the workouts.

Seht -
Thanks for the advice.  I will definately push my body to do more.  I've worked up to about 3 minutes of running on the treadmill and I'm going to try to hit 5 minutes.  I have to talk my lungs into it!!  I also tried a step class last week and I think I'll go back to that next week just to give myself a little variety.  Thanks again!

Laura - I'm not sure if you've read my posts recently on the VSG board where I discuss my routine. I've only been exercising with my VSG for about 4 weeks, but I'm seeing great results already.

My personal opinion is to try HIIT (high intensity interval training) 3-4 days a week. Do not do this on consecutive days. Your body needs time to rest to avoid injury. On the days you don't do HIIT, you can still do cardio if you want (not required) but just your usual. Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to spend 45-60 minutes on the treadmill 5 days a week to burn fat. HIIT can get you great results in less workout time, but it can be very intense so don't overdo it. Once I started HIIT, I dropped 10 lbs in 10 days, but it also coincided with a stall break so it could have just been a freak thing.

You can read every section of this page on HIIT for fat loss:
http://www.intervaltraining.net/Interval_Training_for_Fat_Loss.html

And this page for various routines, including routines for beginners:
http://www.intervaltraining.net/hiit.html

I would continue with the strength training. It is impossible for you to gain so much muscle that it will make you gain weight (or stop losing weight). It will ensure that you don't lose as much muscle as you continue to lose weight. But I'm a weirdo - I LOVE strength training and could do it for hours every day if my body didn't need a break. = )

Btw- I am working on shedding the last 20 lbs and also on building muscle (I was starting to look really scrawny in my upper body), though fat loss is priority for me right now. I do 30 minutes of HIIT every other day with a 5 minute warm up and 5 minute cool down so 20 minutes of actual work out time. I strength train 4-5 days a week for 45 minutes to an hour per session, concentrating on 3 body parts per session. There are a million different ways you can train, so I'd suggest googling and reading articles to find a program that will give you the results you desire, if you are into it. I should add that when I work out, I work out hard - not long in duration, but heavy weights (for me) and intense cardio.

This is how I look after only 4 weeks of HIIT and weights




puny - before I started

I've been reading about the interval training. I've been stuck for a long time. I've done it a few times, but I don't think my intensity was high enough. Thanks for the link, I'm going to try it again.

Jenny

Mandy,
Thanks so much for the info.  I have read in the past month or so where you had started your exercise regime and I also read about your 10 day scale buster - way to go!!  I am definately going to try out the HIIT links you provided and see where it takes me.  BTW - you look awesome!!  Thanks again!!

Challenge yourself with the weights. As you lose pounds some of it will be muscle and trust me it's easier to keep it than try to add it back.

When you say "challenge" are you saying to increase the weight or the number of reps?  For example, I do 3 sets of 12 reps of 12 lbs doing the lawn mower pull (I know that's not the te*****al name, but it's the one where you put one knee and one hand on a bench in the bent over pose while extending your other arm down to the ground and then pull up with the weight in hand, like your are starting a lawn mower :))

If you want to build muscle, increase the weight and not the reps. I generally use a weight heavy enough that I can only get to 8-10 reps on my light day, and 5-6 reps on my heavy day. I do 4-5 sets, not 3.

Whatever gets you tired and sore. I train each body part twice a week , once as heavy as possible for low reps and a day in the 10-12 rep range.