resistance training without weights

Is cutting out weight training a good idea?

I want to lose fat and even muscle in my legs in order to make them super slim [I used to be a cheerleader, so i have ENORMOUS hamstrings].
My question is, can I just cut out weights all together and just focus on intense cardio [running, mostly] to slim without building muscle? And possibly even lose some?
I know all the “for every pound of muscle you burn such and such calories a day” thing so spare me.
I wanted to just slim down and get tiny before I start lifting again. I currently weigh 117 34-26-35 at 5’2″ and ideally would like to get down to 109 34-24-34 by April 7th, 2008.
When I’m small then I figure I’ll add in some resistance to get that oh-so-coveted “ripped” look.
Right now I’m doing about an hour of cardio a day, stretching thoroughly afterwards.
I do one day where I just run straight out steady and then the next day I do intervals of sprints and walking.
Should I up it? Should I switch it up? Helllppppp!

Hey Victoria,

I like to good specific questions, they are easier to help with than the “I want to lose 40 lbs in a week” questions.

Seems like you have a nice problem as a lot of people can’t develop their hamstrings very well. However, most people do have a muscle that develops faster than others and for you that seems like it is your hamstrings. It will be difficult to reduce the size of these muscles as you are telling your body to maintain them by all the running you are doing. It is true that if you cut out the resistance training that this should atrophy those muscles some. But, your interval training counts as resistance training. It works in a similar way to resistance training as it forces your muscles to build fast twitch muscle fibres which help build your muscles for power.

I would reccomend you switch it up by doing your long runs steadily as described, but add in some other types of cardio such as biking and swimming. Biking (if you don’t use clip ins) will focus more on your quads and swimming can be done with minimal leg focus. This will shock your body into a whole new level of fitness.

Don’t get me wrong here though. I think that interval training is a very good idea. But for your specific goals, it isn’t at this time.