Aerobic workout and weight lifting questions!

[is thin possible?]

Hey ya'all! I hope you can talk to me and give me your input on some important issues I am trying to weed through.

Here is my scenario in a nut shell:

~ I have lost over 120 pounds on the Atkins way of eating.
~ I have not missed but approximately 5 days of exercising in the past year. I have been faithful. That means not a day of aerobic exercise.
~ I have lifted weight faithfully, every other day for the same period of time.
~I carry alot of muscle and am in amazingly good shape for what my body has been through! I have even had several people in the gym comment on how
"ripped" my arms are. Those that do not know that I was formerly over-weight are shocked that I once weighed so much.

So...what is the question? I have had one of the personal trainers in the facility that I work out at stop and talk with me about my routine.
She says now that I have lost the weight I need to change my workout. TO a point I agree. I am working on learning more and more how to use free weights vs. machine weights. But...the following is what she wants me to do.

~She says that I should no longer do an aerobic workout on the days that I lift. She says it is not necessary. And, in addition, if I work out too much like I have been, that I can actually raise my levels of Cortisol and stress my body too much. Ceasing my bodies abilty to lose weight.

~ Her opinion is that I should drop back to aerobic exercise on 3 days of the week-- weights on the other three days of the week and no longer combine the two on the same day.

What do you all think of this? I am afraid that if I don't work out aerobically every day that I will gain weight! Since I am no longer in weight loss mode (well maybe 10 lbs. more!) can I drop back on my number of days of cardio?

Please advise! I am frustrated! Thanks in advance!

[2big4mysize]

Re: Aerobic workout and weight lifting questions!

since you only got 10 pounds of fat to shed the question is do you want more muscle weight or are you just working out to be healthy and smaller cause you like lifting weights?
Are you going to enter any contests?
Obviously she thought you were doing all that exercise for weight loss purposes and she is telling you you can slow down now cause you are there.

What she is discussing is over use of your joints and in many of the compute your age programs they say if you over workout and they think more then 2 hours a day is too much you will wear your joints out sooner and then your health will decline cause when you are gimpy legged or shoulder you don't workout much at all.

Are you doing a fatburning aerobic or an all out aerobic program?

I do my cardio aerobic the 30 min in target herat range stuff after I lift cause it helps circulate the blood to your muscles that have just done anerobic lifting workouts and exchanges the wastes in them .

I do my aerobic workouts 3 days a week alternating with my lifting days.

[Kiasmama]

Re: Aerobic workout and weight lifting questions!

Why is it no one ever mentioned Cortisol before those infomercials started?? At least I never heard of it before. Don't be a slave to the scale....you've come this far. Do what makes you feel good.

[ttdriver]

Re: Aerobic workout and weight lifting questions!

Wow, girlfriend, I just am in AWE of what you've accomplished!! Its AMAZING!

B R A V O!!

My own opinion is, its better to do your aerobics on a different day than your weights. Just to keep the body guessing, yanno? But shoot, at this point, do what you want! You've earned the right!

Betty

[is thin possible?]

Re: Aerobic workout and weight lifting questions!

Thanks guys! I sooo appreciate your input, encouragement and pats on the back! What would I do without you?

[Analog6]

Re: Aerobic workout and weight lifting questions!

I have read that alternate days are best, and this is what the PT has me doing, and I am still losing. I do more aerobic exercise that he said top warm up (20 mins hard rowing before weights) and was interested to see toobig say she does some AFTER. Now I'm in a quandary - I don't have time for both, which is best?