Cardio vs. Weight Lifting: Which One Is Better for Weight Loss?

Best strategy for Weight loss: Cardio vs strength

Weightlifting and cardio are both considered good choices, but you still want to know which one is superior for losing the extra fat. In this blog, we will learn the pros and cons of each, which will assist you in deciding which one is appropriate for you.

Understanding Weight Loss

Before we jump into cardio and weight lifting, it's essential to grasp how weight loss works. In order to melt off extra fat, one needs to develop a calorie deficit. This means that you need to slenderize more calories than you ingest. Once you create a calorie deficit, your body will start to burn stored fat for energy, which leads to weight loss.

Cardio for Weight Loss

Cardiovascular exercise, or cardio for short, is a specific sort of movement that raise your breathing and heart rate. For example, cycling, running, dancing, and swimming. A cardiovascular workout is a perfect option for weight loss because it burns a lot of calories in a short amount of time.

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Cardio Exercises:

Running:

Running is a high-impact cardio exercise that can burn a lot of calories quickly. It's an excellent option for those who have access to a treadmill or prefer outdoor exercise.

Cycling:

Cycling is a low-impact cardio exercise that can be done on a stationary bike or outdoors. It's an excellent option for those who want to avoid high-impact exercises due to joint pain or injuries.

Swimming:

Swimming is a low-impact exercise that provides a full-body workout. It's a great option for those who want to build endurance while avoiding the impact of other exercises.

HIIT:

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a class of cardio workouts that alternates between short bursts of elevated-intensity workouts and intervals of rest or lower-intensity workouts. It can be performed with any sort of cardio exercise, such as cycling running, or jumping jacks.

Benefits of Cardio for Weight Loss

Drawbacks of Cardio for Weight Loss

One of the most lucrative benefits of cardio for weight loss is that it melts off a lot of calories. 

For example, a 155-pound person can burn about 400 calories in just half an hour of running at a steady speed. Cardio also assists in enhanced heart health, minimizes stress, and raises stamina.

While cardio is the best option for weight loss, there are a few obstacles to consider as well.

Firstly, cardio alone may not be enough to reach your weight-loss targets. You also need to control your diet and strength train to shape up muscle.

Secondly, cardio can be harsh on your joints, especially if you have loads of extra fat to lose. 
Finally, cardio can be repetitive, which makes it boring sometimes. People feel it is difficult to stick with in the long term.

Weight Lifting for Weight Loss

Weightlifting includes using weights or resistance bands to enhance muscle. For example, squats, bench pressing, and deadlifts. Weight lifting is a fine option for weight loss because it aids to build muscle, which raises your metabolism and helps you burn more calories.

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Weight lifting exercise:

Squats:

Squats are a compound workout that works for the lower body, including the hamstrings, quadriceps, and glutes. They can be performed with free weights or a barbell. It is also great for beginner bodybuilders

Deadlifts:

it helps in entire backside muscle groups in the human body which includes the glutes, hamstring and whole back. Barbells or Free weights can be used to do this. 

Bench Press:

The bench press can be performed from both free weight or barbells, however, it helps one with the shoulders, chest and triceps. 

Pull-ups:

Pull-ups not only help to lose weight but also contribute to increased metabolism. This type of exercise help to make strong biceps, forearm and back which can be done with the help of pull-up bars or resistance bands. 

 Advantages of Weight Lifting for Weight Loss:

The significant effect of weight lifting is that it aids to build muscles and helps to boost your metabolism.
You will go to burn more calories in the whole day even when you are not doing any sort of workout. 

Weight lifting also helps improve bone density, increase strength, and improve posture. 

Disadvantages of Weight Lifting for Weight Loss:

Weightlifting has fewer difficulties because it needs a lot of motivation and it can be difficult sometimes. It required a specialised manner to avoid injuries. 

Weightlifting required a lot of time in your day yet it can be intimidating if you are a newbie. 

   

Which is Better for Weight Loss?

This thing relies on one's preferences and goals. You can upgrade your cardiovascular health if you are willing to melt off your calories in less time. But, if you are only willing to build muscle, increase your metabolism, and burn more calories throughout the day, weight lifting is a better choice.

Combining Cardio and Weight Lifting for Weight Loss:

The best approach to weight loss is to combine cardio and weight lifting. Doing both will help you burn more calories, build muscle, and improve your overall health. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that adults engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity cardio each week, along with two days of weight lifting.

Here's a table summarizing some key information about cardio and weight lifting for weight loss:

  Cardio Weight Lifting
Calories Burned High (400-600 per hour) Moderate (200-400 per hour)
Muscle Building Minimal Significant
Metabolism Boost Short-term Long-term
Joint Impact High (Running, Jumping) Low (Proper form is key)
Time Required 30-60 minutes per day 30-60 minutes per day
Other benefits cardiovascular cardiovascular Cardiovascular health,  Bone density, posture, 
stress reduction, stamina strength strength strength, overall health


From this table, we can see that:

Cardio is better to burn extra fat than weight lifting. For building muscles, weight lifting is a good option. From cardio, one will have more metabolism boost for the long term as compared to weight lifting. For joints and boy pain Cardio is tough but weight lifting doesn't cause this if you perform it properly. It is simple to integrate both exercise and weight training into your routine because they both demand a similar amount of time. Cardio can contribute to increased stamina, minimised stress and overall health meanwhile weight lifting is good for posture as well as bone density. 

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