Many of us want to know the best way to achieve weight loss and get rid of that stubborn fat on our bodies. We’ve tried so many solutions, but just want to know how to lose that fat in the simplest and fastest way possible. We don’t want to waste time. We want to know the most effective exercises to give us the biggest bang for our effort. That leads to the question: is it cardio exercise or weights and resistance training that best melts that fat away?
Please, consult a healthcare professional before starting or changing your exercise program, especially if you’re new to exercising or have any medical conditions.
Ok, let’s look at what each type of exercise brings to the table.
Weight and resistance training, also called strength training, is all about building and strengthening your muscles. Examples of this training include resistance bands, free weights, gym machines, or bodyweight exercises like pushups, sit-ups, or squats. Here’s a very cool part about exercising with weights or resistance training. While you don’t usually burn a lot of calories during these exercises, this type of training indirectly helps burn fat by making your body burn more calories, even when you’re not exercising. What I mean by this is that, after you finish your workout, your body keeps burning calories at a faster rate for a few hours. This is called the “afterburn effect.”
Weight training not only helps you with weight loss and fat burning, but also can make your body look more toned and sculpted by increasing muscle. This increase in muscle mass causes your body to burn more fat even when not doing anything. How cool is that?
Weight and resistance training can make you stronger, improve your bones and joints, and enhance your physical performance. All in all, not a bad way to burn away that fat. But, now let’s see what cardio exercise can do for us.
Cardiovascular exercise, or cardio for short, focuses on making your heart and lungs healthier and improving your endurance, while also burning those pesky calories. Cardio exercises are those that make your heart rate go up significantly for at least 20 to 30 minutes (or more). These are exercises like jogging, biking, swimming, or even fast walking. When you do cardio exercises, you directly burn calories, which helps in losing body fat. Because these exercises increase your heart rate, you are burning more calories during the workout itself, rather than the hours that follow, like with weight training. However, cardio exercises are great for burning lots of calories in a single session. These exercises also improve your heart health, lower blood pressure, make your lungs stronger, and boost overall fitness. They can also help you feel less stressed, improve your mood, and regulate your sleep. That’s a whole lot of benefits for this category of fat burning exercise!
So, which type of exercise is the best for losing fat? Both can provide us with amazing results, as well as additional benefits for our health and fitness. Weight training gives us the gift that keeps on giving. Ten minutes in the gym can result in hours of our bodies burning calories afterward. And, building up our muscle mass can help our bodies burn more calories throughout the day. Cardo exercises burn a lot of calories while we are doing the activity, and helps to keep our bodies generally fit and healthy, making us feel better, and often times even feel happier.
It’s really helpful to combine both types of exercise to get the best results, as both weight training and cardio exercise are important for losing fat and being healthy. Even if you prefer one over the other, try to find a way to include your less favorite in your overall routine. Sometimes that’s easier said than done, and it comes down to what you like and enjoy. If you like doing it, you are more likely to keep doing it. And, keeping a regular workout routine going is key to achieving any fat loss goal. Also, don’t forget to eat a healthy, balanced diet and consider your own goals, preferences, and overall health when creating a fitness plan.
Below are some books and equipment that might be helpful on your working out and fat loss journey. In full disclosure, if you decide to purchase any, I may receive a commission.
BOOKS:
EQUIPMENT: