Today’s hotel breakfast featured the greasiest scrambled eggs, which oddly enough, are my favorite of all the scramble eggs they serve.
Extra cheese is fine by me! The eggs also have small pieces of sausage and bacon thrown into the mix.
As someone who typically prefers sweet (or sweet + savory) breakfast, I’m surprised at how often I find myself gravitating toward eggs at the hotel breakfast buffet.
Maybe I typically opt for sweet breakfasts because they involve less cooking? Smoothies, yogurt bowls (or yogurt pudding!) and banana sandwiches don’t require cooking like eggs and omelets do. Hmm.
I enjoyed my scrambled eggs with a side of peanut butter-topped oatmeal.
Quite the satisfying breakfast!
Moving right along to some fitness talk…
Cardio Before or After Weights
When I finally realized the importance of incorporating strength training into my workout routine, I quickly learned not to train the same muscles two days in a row (they need time to repair and recover) and picked up other tips and tricks that I took to heart.
One question that has always eluded me? If you’re going to do cardio and strength training on the same day, which should you do first?
I’ve researched the answer to this question, read many articles and talked to various fitness professionals to try to come to one conclusion. Eventually I realized that everyone has a different theory and recommends different things. There are valid arguments for doing cardio first just as there are valid arguments for doing strength training first.
After all of this information overload, I’ve come to two conclusions:
- If your fitness goals revolve around cardio, do cardio first. If they revolve around muscle development and strength, do weight training first.
- Do whatever one you’re more likely to skip first so you’re less likely to bail on it at the end of your workout.
Since I currently do not have any real fitness goals other than improving my overall health, I adhere to conclusion number two.
On days when I do strength training, I typically also do about 20 minutes of light cardio. I do this before strength training because if I don’t I’m 5,000 times more likely to skip it.
If you’re a fitness professional (or even if you’re not!), I’d love to hear your opinion on this in the comments section of this post.
Question of the Morning
- If you do cardio and strength training on the same day, which do you do first? Why?
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Both of my personal trainers tell me to do weights first, then cardio because after you lift weights there are more fat burning hormones – therefore your cardio workout is more beneficial.
While I’ve heard the whole “do cardio after you lift because your cardio is more beneficial” I, like yourself, am more likely to skip the cardio part if the weights come first. After a good cardio kick though, I’m normally down to do some strength training!
My wednesday routine tends to revolve around an abs class that tends to be pretty fast paced, then BodyPump, so I sort of kill two birds in one day.
I like cardio first because I feel nice and warmed up before the weights.
Hi Julie, I’m a personal trainer, and while fitness research is constant and dynamic, I follow the rule of lifting first. While lifting, it’s extremely important to practice good form and use the correct range of movement. If I’m already tuckered out from a run, I might not have such great form while performing dead lifts or inverted rows (or whatever!) The exception to this is if I’m training for a race, where running is my #1 priority.
that is an awesome point. i agree that form is KEY and fatigue can definitely affect this.
I can never seem to come to a conclusion on this either. Though, I don’t really love strength training so it usually isn’t much of a problem since I usually just avoid it. Haha, I’m working on changing that, though!
I’ve heard theory #2 as well and the days I strength train I do my cardio first. Although today my cardio and strength training consisted of laying in bed, skipping my workout. Oops!
I wish my reasons of what I do was because of research or being a professional lol…but what I do is because of time. I have 2 girls who would prefer to not be in the kids area every single day so I need to lump cardio and strength training on the same day. Body Pump is at 10am, and by the time the kids get up, motivated, eat etc. we have just enough time to leave and get to my class at 10am. Then I do cardio after. It’s more of a timing thing for me.
I do agree with Paige’s comment though, form is essential for strength training so that makes sense to do that first, then cardio.
I’m an NASM certified personal trainer, and when I worked at a gym, my clients would ALWAYS ask me this question. I simply always told them it’s a matter of preference. I told them to try it both ways, and whichever way you feel is the most beneficial for their specific goals, to do it that way. It’s always important to do a cardio warmup for 5-10 minutes before your strength training workout, but whether you do your main cardio session before or after weights doesn’t make a huge difference.
I personally like to do cardio after my weights session. I’d rather not be a sweaty pig while walking around doing weights, which happens when I do cardio first. I also find that cardio exhausts me more than strength training, so if I do cardio first, I’m less likely to get a good strength training workout in. What worked for me is to do a quality full body weights workout every other day paired with a light cardio session. On the “off days” of weights, I’d cram in an awesome sweaty cardio session. Anyway, hope this helps!
Hey Julie,
so Im not exactly a professional (by any means) but the way I have always been taught (and practiced) is that if you are aiming to lose weight or improve muscle strength make sure to lift first and then do cardio. If you are looking to be faster, cardio first (and after years of competitive running, I can tell you without a doubt that you definitely dont want to be training for a race after you’ve done heavy lifting)
hope this helps !
I looked into this too and found the same thing. I always do cardio first because that is my energy release.. I need to focus more on strength training but tend to do more of a whole body work out . i think i need someone to help guide me more for work outs for weights. i am going to try to research a bit for this! i do do both on the same day…
i do think everyone has their own way of doing things. so whatever works for you!
I do cardio first because I think it warms me up and it’s just what I’ve always been told to do first. After reading this and all the comments I am going to change it up and see what I like best! Great topic! It’s something I’ve always wondered about!
I used to live and breathe that strength training HAD to come first because of the whole idea that you will burn more fat if you save cardio for after. HAH! Now I usually do cardio first because I know its the only way I will be able to give it full attention and effort. My weights intensity seems the same whether done first or second, but cardio always suffered if I did it after weights. I agree completely with both of your guidelines and both of those mean cardio first for me now.
This is a great question with many mixed opinions! Personally, on days that I want to focus on lifting and gaining strength, I do 5-10 minutes of light cardio to warm up my muscles before diving into the weights (I recently started a new weight lifting program). This way, I have much more energy & motivation to lift. However, I sometimes do 30-60 minutes of cardio first and do lighter weights on some days. It’s all about mixing it up to achieve your fitness goals! My problem is taking a day COMPLETELY off from cardio AND weights…my body and mind don’t like it!
i used to do cardio before strength, but now it’s almost always strength before cardio. i also heard that cardio after strength burns more fat… i’ve even heard “do cardio after you do strength because you will be more likely to burn fat from the areas that you lifted,” even though everyone knows there’s no way to spot-treat fat.
i like to do cardio after strength, because i find that doing it the other way usually ends up with my strength routine suffering.
i do however, do about a 5 min cardio warmup before weights, just to get my blood flowing.
Definitely cardio first. Even on a day when I’m solely focusing on strength I feel the need to do at least 10 minutes of cardio first to get the blood pumping. However, I’m not much of a ‘cardio queen’ (I get too bored on ellipticals and treadmills). I prefer doing plyometric style workouts so I can knock out both. Really looking forward to trying out some of the cardio circuits and plyo stuff you’ve posted!
This is my first time responding to one of your questions and I want to say that I love reading your blog. Always enjoy your writing and hearing your stories. Thank you for sharing. You are helping inspire me to start writing again as well. I used to use livejournal…but got busy and just stopped writing. Maybe someday soon, I will start my own blog again. Anyway, thank you. I am glad I stumbled upon your blog.
As for the topic at hand, I JUST became a certified personal trainer. One of the most interesting things I learned in the process of getting my certification was how to get the best after burn results. They suggested 20 minutes of cardio before and after a weight training session. I have just started to practice my new craft, so I am definitely going to incorporate this theory into my programs for my clients who really want to focus on getting excess fat off and others who want the most from their workout. I don’t doubt that it works. If you try it, let me know if u mk you
Oops! I hit the submit button on accident! I was saying to let me know if you notice a difference.
I did your jump rope workout yesterday and loved it!
Hi, Julie!
I am a fitness professional and have been for 8 years… I have to say that your two conclusions are spot on! Do first whatever your goals is more geared towards 😉
I’ve also heard both. I typically do cardio first whether it’s a full session or just a quick warmup to wake me up and get the blood flowing. Please share any answers you get. I’m curious to hear! 🙂
I agree with you. Everyone seems to think they have the right answer, so I’ve determined there really isn’t a WRONG answer, as long as you are being active and healthy.
My last trainer when I was trying to lose some fat had me doing light jogs at a high incline on the treadmill AFTER my weight training. He explained that doing this burned more fat for long after the weight training. Some people on a blog post of mine argued that this wasn’t right, but I just think you’ll get that everywhere!
Typically if I’m doing weights I will do my cardio afterwards because I prefer to go run outside instead of using a treadmill.
I always do cardio before weights for the very reason you mentioned–if it doesn’t come first, it ain’t gonna happen! On days when I know I’ll be doing heavy lifting afterwards, I limit myself to 20 minutes on the elliptical or treadmill at a moderate pace. This routine warms up my muscles and makes for a productive strength training session. In fact, I’ve found that if I *don’t* do any cardio, I often feel lethargic while lifting.
Your greasy egg breakfast sounds really good to me! 🙂
I usually do 10 mintues of cardio to start with, then my weight training and finish with 20 – 25 minutes of cardio.
I usually do strength first because I really, really don’t like it and am likely to go to town on a run, and just skip my strength training!
I always do cardio first! I feel like it wakes my body up, warms up my muscles, and gets me in the mindset I need to lift. I find it harder to get motivated to lift than to do cardio!
your 2 conclusions make total sense! I used to piggy back cardio and random weights on the same day and found myself slacking on the weights bc I did cardio first (no wonder I didn’t see results). Now I separate the two. On my weights day, I do a 10 minute warm up walk then weights and finish with a 10 minute cool down walk. I do 2 days of cardio a week (most weeks) and they are always zumba and cardio dance party!
Cardio first! In fact, on the days I do strength (usually just once a week), I like to run in the morning and wait to do the strength until the evening if I have time. My goals revolve around marathon running though, so cardio wins over strength every time 🙂
I always do cardio first regardless. On days that I am strength training, I am not going as hard or as long for cardio, so I do something light. I think light cardio serves as a good warm up for lifting weights… I can’t just go in and start lifting… gotta be warm!
Hilar photo of you on the treadmill! That’s often how I feel.
You know, I was literally just thinking about a similar scrambled eggs sitch.. I make eggs often but they NEVER taste as good as the ones I get in hotels or even at my mama’s kitchen table. What gives?
Gotta do cardio first. After bodypump I’d bail if I didn’t.
I always do my cardio first. I feel like if I exhaust myself on weights, I won’t be able to exert any more energy on the cardio portion.
I have heard mixed things also, but I always do cardio last AFTER my weight training. I will sometimes just walk on the treadmill for 10 minutes to warm them up, but not hard cardio. Especially on days when I am focusing on my legs. I feel and have heard that this is the best method. Otherwise your muscles are already worn out and wont be able to work to your full potential. I also like doing cardio last, because after a long leg workout my legs feel like jello! I like to shake them out with a little cardio to finish off the day.
I usually always do cardio first b/c if I do strength training first my legs tend to feel incredibly fatigued for the cardio portion. My fitness goals are usually running related (usually have a race I’m training for) so the cardio is slightly more important to me.
I pretty much follow #2. If I think to myself, “wow I really don’t feel like cardio today,” then I’ll do that first before I can opt out of it altogether. Usually after a few minutes of getting going, I’m fine.
A personal trainer I met with when I joined my local YMCA said that if I do cardio and weights on the same day to do the weight training first. If I did my cardio first, she told me, that I’d use up more energy and my body wouldn’t respond to the weight training the same. (if I remember what she told me correctly, it’s been a few years)
Since then when I do weight workouts and cardio I try to do it “bootcamp” style and do cardio with a burst of weights, then more cardio, another burst of weights etc.. I seem to keep my energy levels even and I don’t get as bored with my workouts.
I think about this all the time! I’ve talked to so many “experts-in-the-field” from physical therapists and personal trainers to nutritionists. And you’re right – everyone has a different theory. I try to switch it up. Some days I do cardio first, especially if I’m training for a race and want to knock out my scheduled run. Other days I do cardio second. I do cardio almost everyday though. So it might change if I did an hour weights session.
Generally speaking, I complete my cardio before my weights. I have been working with a trainer though, and tend to do a lot of strength training for most of the session. I like to get the cardio done–I feel all revved up for weights!
I always do strength first because I am more likely to skip strength than my beloved cardio. If I’m pressed for time in the morning I’ll even do two entirely separate work outs.
I’ve heard many times that you should do strength training before cardio because you end up burning more calories. However, I do my cardio depending on what type of strength i’m doing. If i’m taking a fitness class I may want to do it beforehand so I can get it out of the way and just leave after the class instead of having to worry about finishing my cardio. I think it’s really all about preference!
Cardio always first for 20 minutes to get a solid sweat started (it takes me awhile to get my heart rate up). I then do circuit training and at the end of each circuit (I usually do 3 circuits on a good day), I do 5 minutes on the bike or elliptical to make sure my heart rate stays up and I remain sweating. My personal trainer for Miss Illinois taught me this and it’s the ONLY thing that works for me!
I typically do a 10 minute warm-up, then I superset weights and 5 minutes of intense cardio (sprints, plyo tabata,etc.). So I do my 3 sets of two or three exercises with no rest, then run, then two or three more exercises. It’s a great way to keep things super intense!
Speaking of intense… could Ryan do a guest post with one of his routines? Or could you tell us about it? Is his fitness blog going to start soon? I’m into lifting heavy like the boys but reading bodybuilding blogs isn’t really my style!
I have always done weights and then cardio. It’s a mental block that I wouldn’t have the strength to lift weights effectively after cardio. For some reason I am never tired enough to not do cardio.
I have always alternated muscle groups when weight training because it always gave me the best results. It was usually a three day cycle out of my five days of weights. One day was chest and triceps, the next day was back and biceps and then the third day was legs. Each week, I would change up the order depending on where I left off before my two day break. I also learned that the slower the motion is in lifting/pushing the weights, the more benefit it had on developing that muscle.
Now I just need to take all of my old knowledge..AND GET BACK TO THE GYM! 🙂
I strive to do both cardio and strength when I go to the gym but as far as what I do first it really depends on what I’m in the mood for. For example, if I’m going with a strength mindset I’ll do cardio first to get it done so I can focus on strength.
I’ve heard that doing strength first burns up your glycogen faster (anaerobic exercise needs quick energy, like sugar) and so when you do your cardio you’ll burn fat more efficiently. Just another theory out there!
I agree with you – do what works!
I’ve heard from my reading/recommendations from personal trainers that weight lifting before cardio helps you burn more fat (as the above commenter mentioned), so I’ve actually just switched to that! 🙂
I was just considering this today when I was at the gym. I went to an 8:30 group power (body pump) class and then did a cardio workout after. I would never be able to do cardio before and be motivated to go to power. On non-power days, though, I always run first and then do weights. I had read that its better to do weights first so you don’t fatigue your muscles too much but I never thought of it in terms of fitness goals. Thanks for the info!
You look cute working out, I’m jealous. This Julie looks pathetic and sloppy. HA! Oh well, at least I’m getting my sweat on!
—I would do what I would skip first! That way it’s already done…
I’ve always heard that you should do the ‘hard’ part first. So for me, strength training is ‘easy’ so I usually start with cardio. I think it’s really in line with your 2nd point.
I usually do cardio first, because I’m more likely to skip it if I don’t get it in first. I do find my strength training more difficult, though, when I’m already tired from running.
I have read a couple of articles that says it doesn’t really matter which one you do first. It’s all about preference and what works best for you. I adore strength training, and I usually do that first. The reason for that is I am usually too tired after cardio to lift weights.