The battle of the weightlifters vs cardio enthusiasts. FIGHT!
It's a timeless questions – what's better, cardio or weights? First you need to consider what is your goal? Fat-loss may not actually be the only goal you're after – maintaining muscle is equally as crucial if you're after strength or a toned, sculpted aesthetic.
Cardio exercise (like running, cycling, swimming, etc) helps boost your aerobic capacity and allows your heart and lungs to more efficiently move oxygen through your body. When you do cardio workout your heart rate goes up and you start breathing faster as your body tries to get more oxygen for your blood.
Cardio is be better at reducing weight compared to just strength training. If your goal is just to lose body weight then Cardio is king. Cardio is also great for cardiovascular health. But while Cardio training will help you lose weight, this weight loss is typically a combination of fat and muscle, so what you're left with is a smaller version of your current self.
To avoid burning as much muscle you should do low intensity exercise (eg walking), which means it burns a higher percentage of fat.
While a cardio workout will help you burn more calories during your workout, strength training helps you keep burning those calories throughout the day.
Weight training = increased lean muscle mass = higher metabolic rate = more calories burned.
Your metabolism stays elevated for longer after weights compared to cardio, and weight lifting is better for building muscle. The more muscle you have on your body, the more calories you burn at rest.
'Muscle is more metabolically active than fat, so the more you gain, the more calories you’ll burn – and the more likely you are to keep fat off,' says exercise physiologist Dr Leigh Breen.
What weight training will enable you to do is build up a larger degree of lean muscle mass, which then basically serves as a calorie-burning powerhouse in the body. The more muscle you have on your body, the higher this rate will be and the better the calorie-burning results you will obtain 24/7.
Weight training is best for fat loss and building lean muscle. However, cardio will help with weight loss, improving cardiovascular health and show the muscle you've sculpted.
WINNER: Weight training (with some brisk walking)
Also stop eating less and exercising more! Improve the quality of your eating and exercise.
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