When you think about approaches to weight loss, what are among the first things that come to mind? If you’re like most people, it’s probably something like strict dieting and cardio-intensive exercise. While these are not per se incorrect, there is a whole lot more to the truth. For what is too-often overlooked is an important third consideration: resistance training. Yes, it may seem counterintuitive that building muscle makes sense as part of a weight loss and weight management strategy. But it does. Let’s talk about why.
First off, diet. No question about it, what you put in your body matters. It is the fuel on which your body runs and a critical component to weight loss/management. That said, there’s an axiom in the fitness industry that you can’t train your way out of a bad diet, and that is true. But diet alone is not enough. For real, healthy, and sustainable weight loss/management, you need something more. What is required for long term results are the metabolic and physiological changes to the body that exercise produces.
Which bring us secondly to cardio. Cardiovascular and aerobic exercise is beneficial across the board. Running, jogging, hiking, biking, swimming, stairmaster, elliptical…you name it. They are all great. And they all can help with weight loss. Almost all cardiovascular exercise elevates the heart rate and burns calories at a higher rate than other types of exercise. This is good, of course, and probably explains the popular conception that cardio is the best vehicle for weight loss. What it overlooks, however, are the consequences of a cardio-only exercise approach. With diet and cardio you can lose weight, but at what expense? That is to say, when you lose weight with diet and cardio, you are burning fat. Obviously. But you’re also burning through your body’s lean muscle. And that is not so great. When that happens, you can slow your body’s metabolism and thus inhibit weight loss. Further, the loss of lean muscle can negatively impact body composition (i.e. how your body ‘looks’).
So lastly, if diet and cardio are in fact effective ways to lose weight, why does resistance training matter? It matters because resistance training influences your body’s calorie consumption and metabolism in different ways than cardio. Yes, you will burn fewer calories with resistance training. During your training session. But, unlike cardio, your body will continue to burn calories long after your training session is over. This is due to the jumpstart given to your metabolism through a resistance workout. Simply stated, lean muscle tissue burns more calories, even at rest, than fat. In fact, the human body at rest consumes approximately 50 calories a day per pound of lean muscle, compared to three calories a day per pound of body fat. The more muscle tissue you have, the more calories you will burn. Further, a recent study found that participants who engaged in a regimen of cardio and resistance training lost more weight than a group that engaged solely in cardio.
This is why I always design well-balanced weight loss plans that are three-pronged in approach: healthy diet, cardiovascular exercise, and resistance training. It is this combination that leads to sustainable outcomes. For more information on getting the plan that is just right for you, contact us.