Is Steady Cardio Best for Fat Loss?

by | Nov 13, 2015 | Uncategorized

Need more convincing? Here are a few benefits to lifting weights:

  • Increase bone health/density
  • Strengthen joints, tendons, connective tissue
  • Reverses muscle loss (especially as we age)
  • Makes you stronger overall
  • Helps you develop better movement mechanics
    • Prevent injury
  • Increases calories burned
    • Muscle requires energy (calories to be maintained). More muscle means faster metabolism and more calories burned which can lead to lower body fat.
  • Improved mood
    • Lifting elevates moods
  • Improve balance
    • By strengthening muscles that stabilize. Especially important as we get older
  • Will make you leaner
  • Increases mental strength
    • Pushing through barriers help us feel better about ourselves and grow internally and externally. Moving weights that one may have once thought were not possible will show in our lives.

If that is not enough consider that between the years of 1996 through 2008, researchers studied 10,500 men in the US over the age of 40.

Their physical activity was assessed.

Waist line and body weight measured and they were analyzed for 12 years.  Results showed that those who spent at least 20 minutes a day lifting weights had smaller waists when compared to those who only increased their aerobic exercise.

Those who did more aerobics weighed less, but waistline size is a better indicator of health in an older population. In the long run, those who lifted weights were better off.
Sure doing steady state cardio is great for recovery.

Also, in the end it is better to move in some way than not at all.

However, if you are going to the gym wouldn’t you rather get a great ROI (return on investment)?

Do you think you will get to your goals faster on a treadmill while watching Sports Center or pushing through a weight lifting workout?
Now could you run for long periods of time and lose weight?

Yes you can, but if your goal is a leaner body, there are much more efficient methods that will require less time. Doing less work usually means more devotion.

Think about it.

Does a 90 minute workout or a 30 minute workout sound more appealing?

In 30 minutes you can take bigger steps towards a lower body fat percentage than you can with 90 minutes of steady cardio. As I stated in previous articles, it is important to stay GOAL oriented. If you plan to run a marathon or triathlon then you will need to hit the treadmill or the pavement.

But if you just want to tone up? Start weight lifting.

Looking to get lean for the summer? Have you always wanted to learn more about weight training?  Get one of our trainers to help you out with form and program development.

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