The majority of individuals when trying to lose weight will perform some form of steady state cardiovascular exercise ie. running, cycling, walking etc… While this is a great way to get into exercise, it is not the most effective way to lose weight in the long-term.
What the Science says:
Studies show that over a single session on average you will burn about 250 calories per 30 minutes of jogging at a moderate pace vs if you weight train for the same amount of time, you might only burn around 130–220 calories. In general, you’ll burn more calories per session of cardio than weight training for about the same amount of effort.
This however does not tell us the full story. Strength training is more effective at building muscle overtime. This increased muscle mass leads to a higher metabolic rate which means we burn more calories at rest. One study measured participants’ resting metabolisms during 24 weeks of weight training. In men, weight training led to a 9% increase in resting metabolism. The effects in women were smaller, with an increase of almost 4%.
Even in the short-term period following a weight training session metabolism has been shown to be elevated for up to 36 hours which is not the case after a cardio workout.
Why not do both?
A number of studies have shown that the combination of strength training alongside cardiovascular exercise provides optimal weight loss over time. This is because cardiovascular exercise is best for burning calories, while strength training helps to raise metabolic rate, in turn further burning more calories. It must be emphasised that this all must be done in conjunction with a well balanced diet.
Comments