Cardio Vs. Weightlifting

[conqueso]

Which one is best to lose weight? I know that both are beneficial, but I have heard some conflicting views. First, we have all been taught to expend calories by doing plenty of cardio. The deficit in calories leads to weightloss, yada, yada, yada...But recently I have heard that you should do more heavy lifting to build more muscle in order to burn more calories, even at rest. I guess you should do an hour of weightlifting and 20 minutes of cardio after the weightlifting. Does anyone have an opinion? I'm already doing an hour of cardio a day, and maybe 20 -30 minutes of light/medium weightlifting 3 times a week. My weight isn't budging!

[julirama723]

Re: Cardio Vs. Weightlifting

Strength training is what builds muscle and BURNS FAT. Muscle is metabolically active tissue, meaning it burns calories just existing on your body. The more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn, even at rest. Cardiovascular exercise improves your heart and burns calories, but it's weightlifting/resistance training/strength training that ultimately burns fat.

I was very nervous about starting strength training, but finally I listened to some wise members of this board. I used to use weight machines, but I wasn't feeling the burn, and I wasn't seeing any improvement. Since I started using free weights, I've noticed drastic improvements in my muscle tone, strength, endurance, and body shape. I am now burning more fat than I was before, even though I may not lose as much "weight". How do I know? I continue to consistently lose inches every single week.

It is recommended that you strength train 2x/week to maintain muscle, and 3x/week to build new muscle. I do a little cardio everyday, just for fun, but I only have 2 days a week that are PURELY cardio. I do 3 strength training workouts a week, and I have one day that is circuit training/toning.