Cardio v Weight Training – Which one is better for weight loss?
August, 2022
One of the most common reasons I work with people is to help them lose weight.
Using a personal trainer for weight loss is one of the most effective ways of shedding those extra pounds through a tailored exercise regime combined with expert nutritional information.
However, a question I often get asked if whether cardio or weight training is better for weight loss and burning off extra calories?
So, let’s find out which type of exercise is better suited to getting you on the road to your ideal weight.
Benefits of cardio exercises
Cardio is one of the most effective forms of exercise to burn calories in a workout session.
Running, swimming, cycling, and even walking are all great examples of cardio workouts that get results. You will generally burn more calories in a 30-minute cardio session than you would if you lifted weights for the same time period.
Aside from burning more calories, cardio workouts also help to:
- Lower your blood pressure
- Increase blood flow
- Boost your mental health
- Improve your sleep and immune system
In terms of how many calories you burn per hour, cardio is better than weight lifting.
You might find a couple of my previous blog posts on cardio exercises useful:
Benefits of weight training
While cardio will burn more calories per session, weight training burns more calories per day.
This is because weight training builds muscle better than cardio. Increasing your muscle mass will enhance your metabolism which means you’ll burn more calories at rest and you will also burn off more calories in the hours after you finish weight training.
The improvements to your metabolism through weight training aren’t massive, but it does help and weight training also helps to reduce excess fat.
Some other benefits of weight training include:
- Protecting your joints
- Increasing bone density
- Enhancing your balance
- Preserving your muscle mass
Which one is better for losing weight?
So, to break this all down.
Cardio is more effective at burning calories and contributing to weight loss when you are exercising, whereas weight training will burn more calories after you finish working out and help to build muscle mass.
Which one is better?
I think a healthy mix of both cardio and weight training will help you get started on your journey to achieve your weight loss goal. Cardio will help you lose weight while adding some strength training to your weekly workouts will help you build muscle and lose fat.
Remember, any fitness regime you implement is also depending on eating the right foods and ensuring that you have a calorie deficit. Working out and not also focusing on your nutrition won’t yield the results you want.
If you aren’t 100% sure how to start shedding the extra pounds, eating the right foods and getting back into shape, get in touch and discover how a personal trainer can help.
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