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Have you ever debated to do cardio or weights when losing body fat? If you are like most people, you likely debated this every time you started a new workout routine. And if your purpose was to burn fat, then this article is for you.
So which one is better? Cardio or weights? Let's break them down.
Cardio (i.e. running, rowing, elliptical, etc.) burns more calories per session. For example, you burn more calories doing cardio than lifting weights for 30 minutes. Cardio also exercises your heart and lungs more than weight lifting. Cardio uses your oxidative energy pathway after the first two minutes of activity. The oxidative pathway uses fat as its source for ATP.
Weight lifting burns more calories every day. It increases calorie burn in the short and long term. In the short term, weight training boosts metabolism for up to 38 hours after your workout. In the long term, it builds more lean muscle. In turn, you increase your resting metabolic rate. This means you increase the amount of calories you burn at rest. Bonus: weight training reshapes your body while cardio does not.
So which one is better? My answer is combine the two. And here's what I mean. Perform weight training with little to no rest between sets. Hyperventilate with pursed lips during your workout. Use the oxidative energy pathway the most to fuel your activity. If you need to burn extra calories, finish your workout with a run or walk.
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If you want to learn more about energy pathways, read this article: How Training the Right Energy Pathway Helps your Fitness Goals
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References
Shannon Clark; Fat Loss Wars: Cardio vs Weight Training!; https://www.bodybuilding.com/content/fat-loss-training-wars.html; Published 9 July 2021; Last accessed 8 April 2022; Source descriptor: Shannon Clark is a freelance health and fitness writer located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Schuenke, Mark and Richard Mike and Jeffrey McBride; Effect of an Acute Period of Resistance Exercise on Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption: Implications for Body Mass Management; European Journal of Applied Physiology 86, 411-417; https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00421-001-0568-y?LI=true#citeas; Published March 2002; Last accessed 8 April 2022.
Stiegler, Petra and Adam Cunliffe; The Role of Diet and Exercise for the Maintenance of Fat-Free Mass and Resting Metabolic Rate During Weight Loss; Sport Medicine 36, 239-262; https://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00007256-200636030-00005; Published 27 November 2012; Last accessed 8 April 2022.
Grant Tinsley; Cardio vs Weight Training: Which is Better for Weight Loss?; https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cardio-vs-weights-for-weight-loss; Published 24 October 2017; Last accessed 8 April 2022
Phelain, J.F. and E. Reinke, M.A. Harris, and C.L. Melby; Postexercise Energy Expenditure and Substrate Oxidation in Young Women Resulting from Exercise Bouts of Different Intensity; Journal of the American College of Nutrition 6(2), 140-146; https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07315724.1997.10718664?src=recsys; Published 4 September 2013; Last accessed 8 April 2022.
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