Hi! If you’ve worked out or at least thought about it, you’ve probably seen that there are two major schools of thought on weight loss through exercise: strength training, and cardio.

Cardio, so called because it improves heart health by challenging it, involves running, jumping, swimming and cycling. It is generally considered relatively low intensity. Strength training includes heavier intensity workouts using bodyweight exercises, or (more commonly) weight training. Since it involves higher intensity activities that challenge the various muscles in your body, it is also called resistance training.

So, if you’re looking to reduce weight, which should you go for? Read this Q&A-style article to find out!

Question 1: Which Of These Is Key To Weight Loss?

First things first. Neither cardio nor strength training can do anything significant for your weight loss, unless they are coupled with a kickass diet.

In fact, what you eat actually contributes to 80-90% of your weight loss. Cut down on calories, cut out all junk food, and start eating healthy food like veggies, fruits and lean meats. Whatever your weight loss plan, have a sturdy nutritional plan in place.

Question 2: “I’m Starting Out. Which Should I Try First?

The answer certainly seems to be cardio. It’s easy, you don’t need any specialized equipment, and you can do cardio pretty much anywhere: no gym necessary.

The mechanics of weight loss are pretty simple: you burn more calories than you eat. A 5km run can burn about 300 calories. That’s how much you eat in a small-to-medium sized lunch. Ninety percent of people on weight loss regimens do simple cardio: 1 hour of walking everyday.

Question 3: “So Why Even Lift Weights At All?”

Well, consider this stat: in a comparative weight loss study, people who tried resistance training for 12 weeks lost up to 50% more fat than people on an aerobics or diet plan.

Strength training may make for a slightly less calorie-burning workout than cardio, but here’s the secret: training with weights can speed up metabolism. How? Resistance training actually breaks them down; as you naturally build them back up through the rest of the day, you actually burn some ‘bonus’ calories.

And that’s a significant amount.

Question 4: “Okay, So What Do I Do?”

In a strict head-to-head, cardio seems to have the slight edge when it comes specifically to losing weight.

The best thing for you? Experts suggest a combination of diet, cardio, and weights-based resistance training. Let the cardio support your weight-training regimen, and you should see results very quickly.

References:

https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/what-burns-more-calories-cardio-intervals-or-weight-training/

http://www.health.com/weight-loss/best-exercise-to-lose-weight