Lifting weights and doing cardio are both important for overall health and fitness, but if your goal is to burn fat, weight lifting is the way to go. While cardio can be an effective tool for burning calories and improving cardiovascular health, it doesn’t offer the same fat-burning benefits as weight lifting.
Lifting weights burns more fat than cardio for a few key reasons:
Increased metabolism
When you lift weights, you build muscle. And the more muscle you have, the higher your resting metabolic rate (the number of calories you burn while at rest). This means that even when you’re not working out, your body will continue to burn calories at a higher rate. Cardio, on the other hand, does not have the same effect on resting metabolic rate.
Efficiency
Lifting weights is a more efficient way to burn calories. It may not burn as many calories in a single session as cardio, but the effects last longer. The calorie-burning benefits of weight lifting can continue for up to 38 hours after a workout, while the effects of cardio tend to taper off much sooner.
Preservation of muscle mass
When you do cardio, especially at a high intensity, it can break down muscle tissue. This can lead to a decrease in muscle mass, which can lower your resting metabolic rate. Weight lifting, on the other hand, helps to preserve and build muscle mass, which can further increase your resting metabolic rate.
Greater calorie deficit
While it’s true that cardio burns more calories during a single session, it’s also easier to overeat and negate those calorie burns. With weight lifting, it’s easier to create a larger calorie deficit, which can lead to greater fat loss in the long run.
Qhile both cardio and weight lifting are important for overall health and fitness, weight lifting is the more effective way to burn fat. It increases your resting metabolic rate, is more efficient at burning calories, preserves muscle mass, and helps create a larger calorie deficit.
So if you’re looking to shed some fat, be sure to incorporate weight lifting into your fitness routine.