Cardio vs Weight Training for Weight Loss

If you’re looking to shape up for summer, cardio and strength training can help with weight loss.

Both are effective for keeping body fat to a minimum, but which one offers the best and fastest results?

Cardiovascular and weight training are two distinct exercise types. However, their health benefits are mutually favourable. Cardio training is any exercise that raises your heart rate and weight training is a physical workout that involves lifting weights or using your body weight.

Whether you prefer to use the treadmill, bench press or dumbbells, here’s how to make the most out of your workouts for weight loss.

Cardio Burns More Calories Per Session

For the best outcome, including both cardio and weight or resistance training will encourage a leaner body with muscle definition. But if you find you’re constantly battling the scales or counting calories, cardio typically burns more calories per session.

Longer cardio sessions (30 or more minutes) can burn between 500-800 calories, depending on the exact workout length and intensity level. How much you burn is also impacted by your body size. The more you weigh, the more calories you’ll lose in a cardio workout.

Weight Training Increases Short and Long-Term Calorie Burn

Weight training is a critical part of weight loss as it helps you burn more calories on a regular basis. Lifting weights elevates your metabolism longer, which increases your long-term calorie burn. For the best weight loss results, add gym weights to your workout.

After weight training, there’s a metabolic spike as your body works hard to repair your muscles. In fact, your metabolism can be boosted for up to 30 hours post-workout. This is because most calories burnt in a day aren’t through activity, but through your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR).

Cue the weight loss frustration many experience with just cardio workouts! Muscle burns more calories resting than your body’s fat tissues. So, if you burned 200 calories lifting weights it’ll be closer to 250 overall thanks to the afterburn. Cardio may shred weight, but weight training is designed to preserve your RMR by preserving your lean body mass, which affects the number of calories burnt in a 24-hour day away from physical activity.

Resistance Training for Lean Body Mass

Although cardio is associated with weight loss, resistance training can produce better results because of the muscle and metabolism connection.

Building lean muscle through strength and resistance training, your body serves as a higher calorie-burning powerhouse. As your strength increases from resistance training, you naturally generate more power and stamina. And the stronger you become, the more your performance potential instantly goes up.

Cardio for Stress Eaters

Despite the healthier lean body mass that comes with strength training, cardio is highly effective for minimising stress. Stress eaters can benefit from 20-30-minute cardio workouts. Skipping, running, cycling and other cardio activities reduce anxiety and stress. If you suffer from stress and are on a mission to lose weight, combine cardio with strength training to reap the health benefits of both. For example:

Strength & Cardio Combined Workouts 

#1 Workout

1. Weighted squats x10 reps
2. Skip for 30 seconds
3. Rest 15 seconds
4. Walking lunges x15 reps
5. Skip for 45 seconds
6. Rest 15 seconds
7. Kettlebell swings x 12 reps
8. Skip for 1 minute
9. Rest 15 seconds
10. Burpee x 45 seconds
11. Rest 15 seconds

#2 Workout (30-40 minutes)

1. Warm up x 5 minutes of walking
2. Medium pace treadmill x 1:30 minutes
3. 30-second sprint
4. Bench press x 10-12 reps
5. Pull-ups or lat pulldown x 10-12 reps
6. Bodyweight squat x 20 reps
7. Medium pace treadmill x 1:30 minutes
8. 30-second sprint
9. Stiff leg deadlift x 10 reps
10. Push-ups x 10 reps
11. Medium pace treadmill x 1:30 minutes
12. 30-second sprint
13. Walking lunge x 12 reps per leg
14. Barbell curl x 12 reps
15. Medium pace treadmill 1:30
16. Warm down 2 x minutes of walking

Steady-State Cardio vs Interval

Steady-state cardio, when you maintain a steady, continuous effort for your workout, is usually the easiest way to maintain a healthy lifestyle. This is why many people commit to regular riding or spending time on the treadmill. Cardio encourages a healthy heart. However, the Exercise Post Oxygen Consumption (EPOC), means you stop burning calories once the workout is over.

If you prefer cardio or choose to combine cardio with weights for effective weight loss, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) burns fat faster. Varying your speed and intensity encourages your body to function at a higher rate, kicking your metabolism into a higher gear for hours after exercising.

Combined with resistance and weight training, fat loss is accelerated. Strength training will also help tone and sculpt your body, as calories continue to be burnt off throughout the day. A typical HIIT workout includes 5-8 exercises performed 30-60 seconds each, interspersed with 20-30 seconds of rest periods. For example:

#1 Workout

1. Cardio blast (bike, run) easy pace x 5 minutes to warm up
2. Cardio blast (bike, run) moderate pace x 2 minutes
3. Rest 20-30 seconds
4. Reverse lunge x 15 reps
5. Rest 20-30 seconds
6. Lift and triceps extension x 15 reps
7. Rest 20-30 seconds
8. Lunge and curl x 15 reps
9. Rest 20-30 seconds
10. Weighted squats x 15 reps
11. Rest 20-30 seconds
12. Squat and press x 15 reps
13. Rest 20-30 seconds

#2 Workout 20-40 minutes

1. Warm-up 30 x jumping jacks, high knees and butt kicks
2. Forearm plank x 1 minute
3. Treadmill run or cycle easy pace x 1 minute
4. Treadmill run or cycle fast pace x 1 minute
5. Rest 20-30 seconds
6. Weighted curl and press x 1 minute per arm (2 minutes total)
7. Rest 20-30 seconds
8. Single-arm dumbbell row x 1 minute per arm (2 minutes total)
9. Rest 20-30 seconds
10. Bodyweight squats x 1 minute
11. Rest 20-30 seconds
12. Forearm plank x 30 seconds
13. Rest 20-30 seconds
14. Forearm plank x 30 seconds
15. Warm down 30 x jumping jacks

Weight Training Minimises Muscle Imbalances

Muscle is better maintained with weight training because of the muscle and metabolism connection.

This helps to reduce the long-term impact cardio exercises may have on your body. The repeated impact and movement patterns of running, biking and rowing can create muscle imbalances over time and lead to joint problems. Strength and other forms of functional training teach your brain to allow quick muscle contractions, essential to preventing and minimising injuries.

Combine Exercise with Diet for Long-Term Success

If you want to stay beach-body ready for multiple summers, combining exercise with a healthy diet is helpful

Drill your metabolic training and reinforce the hard work with balanced nutrition. For long-term weight loss results, a moderate reduction in calorie intake and a good exercise program will help to maintain a healthy body.