Overhyped resolutions and nifty tips about the ole' "weights or cardio first" argument

So it's been a month since my last post, admittedly, like everyone, things get a little lost around the Christmas/holiday season but generally speaking, I've (from what I can gather) not put on any weight. Huzzah!

However, given it is of course, the new year, I have made some rather bland resolutions.

Get fit, stay fit. Feel fit.


Duh.


So far so good, no cravings of any type. Have been eating my eggs for breakfast, although I have cut down from two to one, one is all I really need that early in the morning, might start adding some baby spinach for that extra hit of sweet, sweet nutrients.

Today I had my one egg for breakfast and a turkey wrap for lunch complete with lettuce, tomato and cucumber. Have just indulged in a delicious snack of a corn thin (unflavoured of course!) with turkey, spicy avocado and tomato with black pepper.

Pictured: Delicious snack
Not pictured: Copious drool.

It's also a crisp, fresh tasting snack that I always find great for Summer.


In terms of training, that part isn't going as well. I did manage to get to the pools and do three whole laps, 2.5 more than I've ever done before. There was a huge gap between the first and second, I won't lie. I also did a lot of intermittent aqua-aerobics that I had half composed myself (thanks uni!). Good way to mix it up.

I really don't have long now until Warrior Dash and have admittedly left it quite late to really kick myself into gear, but nothing like time pressure to motivate you into getting on track. The current plan is to get up hells early for cardio - endurance training, so as long as I can go for, followed by either weights or returning later in the afternoon for weights training.


What came first, the cardio or the weights?

I get asked this one all the time, so here's a little simple rule to go by.
 If your goal is to lose weight, then cardio before weights/strength training is the way to go. Studies (Drummond, Vehrs, Schaalje & Parcell, 2005) say that the reason for this is because your Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption - or EPOC (the science way of saying how much you've burned during exercse) burns approximately 20% more than if you were to do weights and then cardio.

However, if you're not such a fatty and building up strength and muscle is your priority, weights training should be your first (or only) workout. The reason for this is that your body has zero exhaustion (as in, more energy) and you can utilize the calories you currently have to fuel  your weight...pushing..ness. There's also a whole bunch of energy systems stuff for this I won't get too much into, but basically you haven't burned through them all yet, whereas you go through all three with doing cardio first (ATP-PC, anaerobic and aerobic).


Here's hoping I have a bit more training to write about tomorrow (and lets face it, more delicious snack pictures).


- MM


Reference:
Drummond, Vehrs, Schaalje & Parcell, (2005). Aerobic and Resistance Exercise Sequence Affects Excess Postexercise Oxygen Consumption. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, Vol 19, (2). Accessed: http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Abstract/2005/05000/Aerobic_and_Resistance_Exercise_Sequence_Affects.16.aspx