Some people swear that aerobic exercise is the only way to lose weight. Others argue that strength training is the way to go.
The answer is not simple. Cardiovascular exercise such as running, rowing, cycling or using an elliptical machine greatly increases your heart rate while strength training involves exercises designed to develop and tone strength through the use of increasing resistance such as weights or resistance springs.
The results you desire dictate the type of exercise and the repetitions of the exercises you should do.
Burning calories
If your goal is to lose weight quickly, a cardio program will be best for you. However, if you want to keep your weight off, you need to add muscle training at the same time. For burning calories and reducing body mass, the heart has the upper hand. However, it is not as simple as burning off the pounds. It has been found that people who do seemingly only cardio burn large amounts of muscle mass along with fat.
An exercise with weights does not burn as many calories, but it promotes the development of muscle mass. This is important because muscle mass, even at rest, requires more “fuel” for daily functions than fat. Thus, by developing muscle mass you will burn more calories over time. It also takes energy to repair the muscles you break down during exercise. One thing to remember: muscle weighs more than fat. So if you want to lose weight and only care about what the scale says, a heavier workout will slow down that process (please also read the analysis titled “Running, Cycling or Weights for Longevity“)
Speed and power
Aerobic exercise allows you to exercise harder, burn more calories and build more strength. However, your body is great at adapting to change. Just doing 10km a week on a treadmill is not going to be enough. Your body will get used to the exercise and you will not get the desired results. That’s why you need to push your body out of your comfort zone with cardio and speed workouts. These can jumpstart your metabolism, help burn fat and increase your endurance.
Empowerment
It’s about building strength. If you want to get faster and stronger, you need stronger muscles. Additionally, this type of workout allows you to work muscle groups throughout your body, with your core and back muscles being the most important. This will help you better support your body weight and maintain good form, resulting in stronger muscles.
Long live and long life
There is an ongoing debate about the merits of cardio over strength training, which sometimes feels more like a justification of one’s behavior than a search for a scientific explanation. In particular, the debate about which is better for longevity. Runners will tout the cardiorespiratory effects of aerobic exercise, while “gyms” will point out that muscle mass and grip strength are associated with lower overall rates of death and adverse cardiovascular events. And they are both right.
Unfortunately for absolutists, the answer to the key to longevity when it comes to cardio and weightlifting is probably a combination. Last year, a study of 416,240 American adults published in The British Journal of Sports Medicine titled “Non-occupational physical activity and risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer and mortality outcomes: a dose–response meta-analysis of large prospective studies” found that moderate to vigorous physical activity, as little as one hour each week, significantly reduced the risk of mortality. The greatest protection comes from a combination of cardio plus strength training.
Which do we start with: Cardio or weights?
The American Council on Exercise (ACE), which certifies personal trainers, has figured out which series is best for your goals. If you want to burn more calories with less effort ACE recommends doing cardio after strength training. A 2014 ACE-supported study found that doing cardio after lifting weights led to heart rates 12 beats per minute faster than doing cardio alone.
Weights before cardio is also a better strategy if your goal is to build strength. For example, if you only want to work your lower body muscles, ACE recommends lifting weights first. If your goal is to have more endurance for an upcoming race, cardio before weights is the way to go.
Diet and exercise are critical to long-term success
Major health organizations recommend changing both your diet and exercise routine for weight loss. Research has shown that the ideal program for long-term weight loss includes a moderate reduction in calorie intake and a good exercise program. A scientific review involving over 400 people looked at the effects of weight loss, diet plus exercise and compared them to the effects of dietary changes alone. The researchers found that the combination of dietary changes plus exercise led to 20% more weight loss than dietary changes alone after a period of 10 weeks to a year. In addition, programs that included diet plus exercise were also more effective than diet alone at maintaining weight loss after another year.
