Cardio Vs. Weights l Fat VS Muscle Burn

I remember dreading the idea of lifting weights. I used to think cardio was the best way to get results fast and lose fat. I’d spend hours doing cardio kickboxing, step, the treadmill, elyptical, stairclimber, bike…you name it! It’s not that I didn’t see ANY results at all, but they were minimal and weren’t exactly the results I expected or were looking for. The shape of my body wasn’t changing – my arms, abs, and legs/booty still lacked “tone” and definition. They just ended up becoming slightly smaller, jigglier forms of their larger selves.

When I began educating myself on fitness (way before I became a personal trainer), I started learning the value of lifting weights and became intrigued by the idea of a workout revolving primarily around lifting weights. I decided to give it a try and it was honestly the best decision I have ever made for improving my fitness. I found that lifting weights gave me WAY better results than cardio did alone. Now that I’m a trainer, I make sure every one of of my clients is working out with weights.

A NOTE FOR THE LADIES: Most women hesitate starting a weight lifting program in fear of bulking up. There’s absolutely nothing to fear, however, because the more muscle you have, the more calories and fat you’ll burn not only while you’re working out, but while your body is at rest (including sleep)! Your body becomes so much more efficient, and as a result, lean! Additionally, the lean muscle tissue that is taking the place of fat you’re getting rid of takes up much less space in your body.

There’s a rule of thumb to follow when considering the results you want to get from lifting weights. Make sure you are lifting the right amount so your muscles are fatigued by the last rep – meaning, if your goal is 12-15 repetitions and you stop at 15 but could easily do 1 or 2 or even 3 more, then you were not lifting heavy enough. I recommend keeping a log of the amount of weight and the number of repeititons you are doing so you know how much to lift and how many repetitions to complete the next time you work that muscle group. Always strive to improve in your next session.

It’s also important to weave cardio in with your weight training. Weight training will give you a mild cardio effect, but not enough to reap the full benefits of a good, strong cardio workout  provides alone such as better endurance and a stronger heart and set of lungs.

So it’s not really cardio vs. weights….it’s cardio AND weights! They are both such important elements in creating a well-rounded fitness routine, so make time for both! Don’t fear one over the other or devote yourself too much to one more than the other and you will get GREAT results!