Question about the gym

I don't think that went through I will try again.  Calling all gym rats, I have been faithful to the gym for the past month or so and have been doing cardio (eliptical, tredmill, lifecycle.) The guy at the gym wants me to start lifting, but I always gain weight when I lift and I'm only 4 months out I don't want to bulk up, and want to continue to lose weight (I'm down 97 pounds).  Should I lift light weights to tone up and continue cardio? Or just do cardio for now and wait another 20 pounds or so?  I realize that muscle burns fat, yada, yada, yada, but I know my body and how it reacted before surgery.

Being 4 months out, you are definitely ready to move into the weights.  Keep doing the cardio, but change it up - do high intensity mixed with the low intensity.  With the weights, do the same thing - trust me on this, you will never get back to the big bulky days of lifting weights.  At one time I was benching 550, squating 850, and dead lifting 800 pounds.  I was quite the hoss back in the day between football and wrestling I looked like a tank.  Then I got marriend, had kids, got lazy, got fat, and then the weight piled on like cazy.  I've lost a ton of weight now (160 pounds) and weigh about 220.  I just can't muster up the strength like I used to.  I am about 14 months out of surgery now and feel I have great conditioning cardio wise and I have great muscle tone now, but the big bulky throw around muscle is no more.  I just can't take in the necessary carbs and protein to push my body like that anymore.  Even if your worry was bulk, just do high reps and you will get the same affect as cardio, but with weights instead.

And you are right - you are the only one who will truly know what your body needs.  From experience, I will say that the people who tend to do better weightloss wise, tend to do both cardio and weight training - they go hand in hand.  

Taz

Taz is right.  If you use high reps (12-20), light to moderate weight, and no more than 30 seconds rest between sets, you get a cardio-weight training effect. You'll tighten and tone but not add a lot of bulk.  Just my $.02.

I went to weights (machine resistance) 4 mos, and motion-not high cardio.  put on 3.5 lbs good weight.  Doc wants me to put on at lease 12lbs muscle.  the fat will burn.  He says this is a good way to maintain.  I'am all for it. Try to burn 1300 cal 2.3 hrs at 5 am gym session 4-5 days wk . need a little muscle and definition here and there.  figure I may have a little falling off the fat wagon 2-3 yrs out and may need the muscle
good luck

I think you will get better long term weight loos with the weights. I do a mix of both with cardio first than lifting. Most people do it the other way. I'am almost 5 years out and still weigh 210lbs. The more muscile you have the more cals you will burn just doing nothing. So deffinatly start hitting the weights.

Derrick

you should definitely add strength training to the mix.  if you only focus on nutrition and cardio you will lose a ton of muscle with the fat that you lose.  Also, muscle will increase your metabolism, the more muscle you build up, the faster the fat will burn off.  I am 6 months out today, I lift for 30 to 40 minutes before my cardio workout (cardio is usually an hour to an hour and a half), and have had great results.

To make one final comment on this issue, I also want to get on the bandwagon that Derrick started.  I firmly believe in doing cardio exercise first before lifting weights.  In doing that, you get your metabolism jacked up and when you start lifting weights it just keeps on going.  Sometimes, depending on how hard you lift weights - the intensity of lifting weights will just not get your heart rate up to proper fat burning levels.  In doing the cardio first, you jump start this process.  That is just my two cents on the issue.  It has worked wonders for me so far.  I used to do it the other way around because I always felt worried that the running would tap into my ability to lift heavier weights, I have found that the better fitness level I have acquired, that really is not an issue whatsoever.  I can lift the same amount whether I run or lift first.  I chose the running first primarily for metabolism and fat burning benefits.  

I know that I am a little late to the party but I wanted to agree with a few posts on here.  I find that when I go and but out a few moderately hard miles and then lift, I keep up the intensity and get in a good workout.  If I really kill the run, however, I kill the workout.  When I limp through the run, I usually limp through the workout.  Some good hard cardio is the way to go.

Also, more muscle burns more calories at rest so the more muscle you pack on calories you will burn when you are doing absolutely nothing.

Lastly, lots of hard work can increase your appetite.  I have run 4 marathons and every time I get into marathon mode I gain weight.  The long runs ramp up my appetite like it's going out of style.