Cardio or Weights – Which Is Better For Weight Loss
One of the most common questions people ask these days is:
“Should I do cardio or weights lifting to lose more weight?”
At first glance, the answer is obvious: do cardio because it burns more calories. But upon a closer look, the subject is more nuanced and requires a bit more thought.
So, let’s talk about it.
What Does It Take to ‘Lose Weight’?
Losing weight comes down to creating a calorie deficit––consuming less energy than your body expends daily. As a result, your body is forced to get the remaining calories it needs by breaking down tissue (lean and fat), causing you to lose weight.
Strictly speaking, you can establish a calorie deficit and lose weight just by controlling your food intake, even if you don’t do any form of structured exercise. But optimal weight loss requires physical activity, so let’s talk about the best form of exercise.
The Role of Physical Activity in ‘Weight’ Loss
If you had to guess, what would you say is the primary role of exercise in the weight loss equation? The caloric burn, right? That is certainly one reason to exercise while dieting, but there is another: preserving lean tissue (e.g., muscle mass).
The first role of exercise is straightforward. Follow a structured exercise routine to burn extra calories and more easily establish a calorie deficit that leads to weight loss.
But, the second advantage does not get the attention it deserves. Regular physical activity is crucial while dieting because it makes it easier to retain the muscle you have, allowing you to lose primarily fat. As a result, you can reach your goals more quickly and be lean and athletic once you’re done.
The question is, what type of exercise would be best?
Cardio or Weight Training For Weight Loss?
The following might come as a surprise to some people, but here it goes:
Strictly speaking, weight training is more beneficial for weight loss for most people. First, lifting weights is more varied because you can pick from many activities and organize your workouts in countless ways, regardless of how much equipment you have. As such, it is more fun and generally keeps trainees more engaged.
Second, weights provide the training stimulus your body needs to retain muscle tissue during caloric restriction. In contrast, cardio isn’t as intense and generally doesn’t train all major muscles in the body. As a result, the risk of muscle loss is greater.
Third, weight training provides a decent caloric burn. A moderately-intense hour-long session would burn 400 or even 500+ calories, making it easier to establish the necessary calorie deficit for weight loss.
Cardio can also works for weight loss because it burns calories and makes it easier to establish the necessary deficit. But you should focus your efforts on resistance exercise and only add some cardio on top of that and so long as it doesn’t affect your recovery.
For example, you can do three weekly weight sessions and limit your cardio to one or two hours a week.
Final Words
Contrary to popular belief, weight training is more beneficial for weight loss than cardio. In addition to preserving more muscle, it is more varied, which leads to greater motivation.
Plus, weight training burns a decent number of calories during and after each workout.
