Have you ever wondered if you should focus on cardio or weight training if you’re training for weight loss? Do you log miles pounding the pavement, spend hours on cardio equipment, or take fitness classes with the belief that cardio is the most effective way to make the number on the scale drop? What if you’re pressed for time and have to pick between weightlifting and cardio—what should you choose if your goal is to lose weight fast?
Many people, especially women, choose cardio. A lot of fitness influencers and even some healthcare professionals might pick cardio as well and tell you it is the key to fat loss. But if you ask a different personal trainer or fitness enthusiast, they’ll probably say that resistance training should be your priority.
Ahh, the great cardio vs. weights debate. It’s been around for a long time and probably isn’t going away anytime soon. What we hope to do is give you information to help you make an informed decision for yourself.
We won’t make you wait until the very bottom to answer this hotly debated question. The answer is… weightlifting is better than cardio for weight loss. This article will explain why, using scientific evidence to explain why weightlifting often has the edge over cardio.
But hold on—don’t ditch the cardio just yet. Cardio has weight loss benefits, too, especially when you know how and when to include it in a workout plan that aligns with your fitness goals. Let’s dive in!
Is Cardio Better for Weight Loss? Research Says Weightlifting is Superior
Some people might disagree. Maybe you’ve even had success only doing cardio and losing a lot of weight. But science gives us several reasons why weight training wins over cardio for weight loss.
Now, that doesn’t mean cardio isn’t important or can’t help you lose weight.
Cardio has its place and can certainly help you shed pounds, inches, and body fat. In fact, if you look at it from a calorie-burning standpoint, minute for minute, cardio often burns more calories during the activity itself compared to strength training. Cardio is also superior for improving cardiovascular health and endurance.
No doubt, cardio has its place. However, in most cases, it shouldn’t be prioritized over weight training. While both forms of exercise burn calories, strength training offers unique physiological and hormonal benefits that cardio doesn’t.
Studies consistently show that resistance training is better than cardio for fat loss because of these key effects:
Weightlifting Builds Lean Muscle Mass
You aren’t going to build muscle on the treadmill. You can only build muscle through consistent resistance training. More muscle mass means higher metabolism and more efficient fat burning. Strength training also reshapes your body in ways that cardio can’t.
Weightlifting Increases Resting Metabolic Rate
Muscle is metabolically active tissue. The more muscle you have, the better your resting metabolic rate (RMR) will be, which means you will burn more calories, even at rest.
Resistance Training Elevates Post-Exercise Calorie Burn (EPOC)
Strength training causes a longer and more significant rise in excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). This “afterburn effect” can last up to 48 hours, during which your body continues to burn calories at an accelerated rate.
Resistance Training Stimulates Fat-Burning Hormones
Resistance training naturally boosts hormones like growth hormone and testosterone, which help in fat breakdown and muscle building.
Resistance Training Triggers Molecular Changes in Fat Metabolism
There was a groundbreaking study that discovered resistance exercises can prompt muscle cells to release vesicles containing genetic materials like microRNAs. These vesicles communicate with fat cells, encouraging fat breakdown and enhancing metabolic activity.
Resistance Training Enhances Long-Term Fat Loss and Prevents Weight Regain
By improving muscle-to-fat ratio and boosting your metabolism, resistance training helps prevent fat regain. Studies show that people who include resistance training in their exercise routines are more likely to maintain weight loss over the long term compared to those who focus solely on cardio.
Benefits of Strength Training for Fat Loss
When most people say they want to “lose weight,” they’re usually not just aiming to be a smaller version of themselves. What they truly want is to build definition and reshape their bodies. This transformation requires more than just calorie-burning exercises like cardio.
Strength training is the key to achieving this because it builds muscle, which not only changes the shape of your body but also offers a cascade of other benefits that extend far beyond aesthetics.
Here are some stand-out benefits of strength training for fat loss and overall well-being:
Boosts Metabolism and Enhances Fat Loss
Strength training increases muscle mass, raising your resting metabolic rate and helping you burn more calories 24/7. Of all the benefits of weightlifting, this one might be the most impactful (and certainly the most interesting) in terms of fat loss.
We’re going to list several more benefits of resistance training first, but in the next section, we’ll dive deeper into how strength training plays a role in metabolic health, supercharging your metabolism and turning your body into a 24/7 calorie-burning machine!!
Builds Muscle and Reshapes Your Body
Muscles are what give your body definition and shape. Strength training stimulates muscle growth, allowing you to achieve a toned, sculpted look. Without muscle, weight loss can leave you feeling “skinny-fat” rather toned and sculpted.
Supports Bone Health
Resistance exercises improve bone density, reducing the risk of osteoporosis and
fractures as you age.
Relieves Stress and Improves Mood
Strength training reduces levels of stress hormones like cortisol while boosting the release of endorphins, the body’s feel-good chemicals. This makes it an excellent tool for stress management and mental health.
Improves Sleep Quality
Regular strength training helps regulate sleep patterns and improve overall sleep quality, allowing your body to recover and repair more effectively.
Reduces Risk of Chronic Conditions
Strength training has been linked to lower risks of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic conditions.
Promotes Brain Health
Emerging research shows that strength training may improve brain function and lower the risk of cognitive decline and dementia by enhancing blood flow and stimulating brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF).
Improves Insulin Sensitivity
Strength training improves insulin sensitivity by helping muscles absorb glucose more effectively, reducing the risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
Reduces Risk of Everyday Injuries
Stronger muscles support your joints, improving balance and stability. This reduces the risk of falls and injuries, particularly as you age.
Boosts Immunity
Regular strength training enhances immune function by promoting better circulation and reducing inflammation. It helps your body fight off illness more effectively.
Builds Confidence and Mental Toughness
Achieving strength milestones, like setting PRs and lifting heavier weights, improves self-esteem and fosters a sense of accomplishment. This confidence often spills over into other areas of life.
Makes You Stronger for Daily Life
From lifting groceries to playing with your kids, strength training makes everyday tasks easier and more enjoyable. Functional strength gained in the gym translates to better
quality of life.
Looking Deeper Into Strength Training’s Role in Metabolism
The impact that strength training has on your metabolism is fascinating, and it’s probably the leading reason why it’s often considered superior for weight loss.
First, when you train with resistance, your body builds muscle. Muscle tissue is metabolically active. The more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn not only while exercising, but also while doing nothing. Yes, even when you are sleeping!
But that’s not the only way muscle mass boosts around-the-clock calorie burn. One of the most fascinating effects of strength training is the “afterburn effect,” scientifically known as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC).
After lifting weights, your body requires extra energy to return to its resting state by repairing muscles, replenishing energy stores, and restoring oxygen levels. This means you continue to burn calories long after your workout ends. Research shows that EPOC can remain elevated for up to 38 hours, depending on the intensity of the session.
Some studies also suggest that lifting weights enhances the oxidation (burning) of fat for energy, even when you’re not exercising. This means that lifting weights can help your body rely on fat stores for energy during everyday activities. Yet another way that weightlifting can help with 24/7 fat burn.
We’re not done… there’s more! Muscle mass also influences how much energy your body requires to digest, absorb, and process the nutrients you consume—known as the thermic effect of food (TEF).
Since muscle tissue burns more calories than fat tissue, the more muscle you have, the higher your TEF will be. This means building muscle through strength training enhances the efficiency of your metabolism, contributing to your daily calorie burn even during digestion.
Benefits of Cardio for Fat Loss
We hope you now better understand why weightlifting is often considered superior to cardio for fat loss. But that’s not to say you shouldn’t do cardio. In fact, it has its own unique benefits for both weight loss and overall health.
While cardio alone may not have the long-term metabolic benefits of weightlifting, it certainly plays a role in improving heart health, burning calories, and boosting endurance
Burns Calories During the Activity
One advantage of cardio is the number of calories burned while you are doing it. Typically, cardio burns more calories per minute than weightlifting. This can make it a useful tool for creating a calorie deficit. However, unlike strength training, the calorie burn from cardio usually stops once you finish the workout.
Great for Heart Health
Cardio is excellent for improving cardiovascular health, strengthening your heart, and reducing the risk of heart disease. It helps improve blood circulation, lowers blood pressure, and increases your heart’s efficiency, making it an essential component of a balanced fitness routine.
Improves Endurance
Cardio trains the body to use oxygen more efficiently, boosting endurance and stamina. This can improve performance in aerobic activities and weightlifting sessions by enhancing overall work capacity.
Aids in Appetite Regulation
Although responses to cardio can vary, for some people, cardio can temporarily suppress appetite after exercise. This effect might make it easier to maintain a calorie deficit when paired with proper nutrition. For many, the opposite is true for strength training, which many find can slightly increase appetite.
Improves Insulin Sensitivity
Much like strength training, cardio enhances your body’s ability to utilize insulin effectively. Improved insulin sensitivity can help regulate blood sugar levels and prevent excessive fat storage.
Increases Daily Calorie Burn
Cardio does burn calories, which means it can contribute significantly to your daily energy expenditure. This makes it a helpful tool for weight loss, especially when combined with a healthy diet and regular strength training.
Combining Cardio and Weights for Optimal Results
Much of the research examining the question “Is strength training or cardio better for weight loss” looks at each activity separately. While most of these studies say weightlifting wins, many also point out that the most effective strategy isn’t to choose one or the other but to combine the two.
Most would agree that if you had to choose between a 20-minute lift or 20 minutes on the treadmill, you should go with resistance training. But the best approach is a hybrid exercise regime that includes both cardio and weight training.
By incorporating both cardio and strength training, you can maximize the benefits of fat loss and overall health in ways that no single type of exercise can achieve alone.
Which Should You Do First: Cardio or Weights?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to whether you should do cardio or weights first.
Whether you perform cardio before weights, after, or even in a separate fasted cardio session depends on several factors, including your fitness goals, the intensity of the cardio you’re doing, and your personal preferences.
Some people prefer to do cardio on rest days or split it up, doing cardio first thing in the morning and a weightlifting session later in the day after fueling their body with a few meals. Others prefer to tackle both in one session to maximize gym time.
If you’re combining cardio and weights in the same session and your priority is building strength or muscle, it’s generally better to begin with weightlifting—especially if the cardio you do is moderate or intense. High-intensity cardio, like HIIT, can deplete glycogen stores and leave you too fatigued for effective strength training, potentially hindering
performance and results.
On the other hand, doing cardio first might make sense if your main goal is improving cardiovascular endurance or if you stick to low-intensity cardio. Low-intensity options like walking or light cycling are less taxing and can be a warm-up or cooldown for your strength workout.
Some people follow the “eat the frog” philosophy—starting their session with the activity they dread the most. For those who struggle with motivation and discipline, doing the most mentally challenging or least enjoyable part first can ensure it doesn’t get skipped.
Ultimately, you should do what works for you. Whether it’s fasted cardio, lifting heavy weights before a treadmill session, jumping on the stepmill before your lift because you hate it and know you’ll be tempted to skip if you wait until after your lift, or alternating between cardio and strength days— the key is consistency.
Bottom Line
Both cardio and weightlifting serve a purpose if you want to lose weight.
Cardio mainly burns additional calories and can be used as an additional tool to help with weight loss (to help you see the muscle you’ve put on) and improve cardiovascular health. However, most of the time, you should prioritize weightlifting and sprinkle in cardio as a supplement to complement your strength-building routine.
At the end of the day, the most important thing is that you customize your workout to meet your unique fitness goals in a way that is realistic and sustainable for your lifestyle.
Most people need a little help finding the right balance.
This article is a great beginner’s guide to fitness to help get you started. You might also want to consider hiring a personal trainer. At REVIVE gym in Stuart, FL, we have expert trainers available to create personalized workout plans that prioritize your goals and keep you on track.
Stop by today and let us help you reach your weight loss goals faster and easier!
