Cardio vs resistance training: which is best for weight loss?

Just like ‘Is it better to do cardio before or after weights’ is one of the most popular fitness-related questions, so is whether cardio or weights is better for weight loss. Both types of training are incredibly popular and should have a place in your workout programme, but when it comes to weight loss, does one take the pedestal?

We spoke to an expert to cut through the noise so you can find out which you should be focusing your efforts on the most—cardio, resistance training, or even both. But, before we dive into that, a quick recap on what these two types of training modalities involve…

Cardio vs resistance training: what’s the difference?

Cardiovascular training is any type of exercise that works your heart and vascular system. “It primarily uses the aerobic energy system (which uses oxygen for energy) and will increase your heart rate and breathing,” says Eryn Barber, certified personal trainer at The Fitness Group. People often tend to gravitate towards the exercise bike, treadmill, rowing machine or even walking for this type of training, but you can in fact use weights for cardio too.

“Resistance training, however, is a type of exercise that uses resistance, in particular weights, to build muscle and increase strength,” she adds. This could be anything from free weights, like dumbbells, barbells and kettlebells, to workout machines, resistance bands or even your own bodyweight.

Cardio vs resistance training: what are the benefits?

Below, Eryn gives a quick dive into the benefits for both cardio and resistance training, starting with the latter…

Resistance training benefits:

• It builds muscle: Strength training helps to build lean muscle mass which will give you a ‘toned’ appearance. The more muscle you have the higher your basal metabolic rate (the amount of calories you burn at rest), which means more calories burned and a reduction in body fat. A little more on this below...
• It improves strength and bone density: The more muscle you have, the stronger you become, but this isn’t just beneficial for trying to hit a new squat or bench PB. It will help make everyday activites easier too. It's also great for your bone health too, and can slow down the rate of osteoporosis.
• It increases your metabolism: Building muscle increases your metabolic rate as muscle tissue burns calories quicker than fat tissue. The more muscle you have the quicker you’ll be burning calories. Your metabolism also increases for 48 hours after a strength training session. One study found that after 10 weeks of resistance training three days a week, participants' resting metabolic rate increased significantly (by 15%), but didn't for those who took part in aerobic training.
• It aids better mobility: When you lift weights, exercises take you through movement patterns you wouldn’t usually perform in day-to-day life, increasing your range of motion so that you can move better and more freely.

Cardio training benefits…

• It improves your cardiovascular health: When you include cardiovascular exercise into your routine, it will help to lower blood pressure, lower bad cholesterol, and decrease the risk of heart disease.
• It can regulate blood sugar levels: Cardio is particularly good at helping regulate insulin and lowering our blood sugars. This can reduce the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes and decrease symptoms for those who are already diabetic.
• It burns lots of calories: Cardio is very effective when it comes to crunching calories, with running burning the most. This is because it raises your heart rate and uses your aerobic energy system, which can be sustained up to several hours. This means we can complete cardio training over a long period thus burning more calories
• It can give your brain a boost: From around the age of 30, we start to lose brain tissue and therefore our cognitive performance declines. However, a study found that participating in cardiovascular exercise can actually reduce this.
• It boosts your mood: While any type of exercise is good for our mental health, the Mental Health Foundation says research found that performing low-intensity aerobic exercise for around 30 minutes, 3-5 times a week over a period of 10 weeks, was most effective at increasing mood.

Which is best for weight loss?

This depends on a few things. Firstly, when it comes to weight loss, you need to burn more calories than you expend in a day, which is why you ideally need to be eating in a calorie deficit. This will more likely help you lose weight than relying on exercise alone. You may have heard of the phrase ‘80% diet, 20% exercise’ and this rings true. That being said, exercise can contribute to you burning more calories. For optimal results, your best bet is to look at your diet and exercise.

Now, does one type of training trump the other? No. Both can help you achieve your goal of weight loss. Lifting weights will help you burn more calories after exercise and build muscle, thus speeding up your metabolism, while cardio training burns more calories during exercise. “Incorporating a combination of both will ensure you lose weight and body fat simultaneously,” says Eryn.

Resistance training is also very good for changing your body composition and helping you achieve that ‘toned look’, as it can build muscle and decrease fat. However, the numbers on the scales may not change. “This is because muscle is denser than fat, therefore after a long period of strength training your weight might not change much, but the decrease in body fat means you’ll look more defined,” says Eryn.

Another thing you need to consider is what type of exercise you actually prefer: resistance training or cardio. We’ve established that both can help you lose weight, however, in order to do this you need to be consistent with your training. There’s therefore no point lacing up your running shoes if you absolutely hate running, as you’ll most likely lose motivation and stop doing it, making no progress. The same can be said for weight training. Being consistent is what’s going to help you see changes long term.

Ultimately, both types of training will help you lose weight, so pick whatever you prefer and can stick to. If you enjoy both, then combining the two will help you reap the most benefits. Not only will you lose weight and body fat, but you’ll also keep your heart healthy while building muscle and getting stronger.