Should cardio be your go-to workout if you want to shift some weight or is strength training really the ‘secret weapon’ for women? Here, writer Laura Mowat finds out.
If you’re wondering whether cardio or weights will help you burn the most fat, it can be hard to find the answer. That’s because there’s not a clear winner for weight loss. Factors such as calorie intake and age can have a big impact on our ability to lose weight, even if we’re running marathons or squatting double our body weight.
So, if you’re struggling to choose between cardio and weight training with the main goal of fat loss, here’s everything you need to know.
Cardio for weight loss and calorie deficits
The benefits of cardio include strengthening your heart and lungs, a boost in the serotonin ‘happy hormone’, an increase in cardiovascular health and fitness and, for most of us, weight loss.
It’s also easy to get done; whether it’s going for a brisk walk (which counts!), tying up those laces and heading for a jog or a quick home HIIT workout — and you don’t need any equipment.
According to fat loss and behaviour change specialist Emma Storey Gordon, “cardio is better for weight loss.”
However, this rests on the assumption that you’re monitoring your food to put yourself in a calorie deficit. Emma explains: “You’ll most likely burn more calories in a cardio workout than a weight training session. This will contribute more to your calorie deficit, and you’ll lose more fat.”
However, she’s quick to point out that cardio ramps up hunger — surprisingly, it’s not uncommon for people training for a marathon to actually gain weight as many increase their food intake and overestimate calorie expenditure. As a result, Emma says anyone looking to cardio for fat loss should focus on increasing movement as a whole throughout the day to slowly support a calorie deficit, which is less likely to increase hunger.
The average Brit walks between 3,000 and 4,000 steps a day — if that’s you, increasing your daily step count could be enough get your weight loss journey started.
Weight training for weight loss and boosting metabolism
Lifting weights can give a sculpted physique and change your body composition, by burning fat in some areas while increasing muscle in others.
And by increasing muscle mass you increase your metabolic rate, meaning you burn more calories in all other forms of activity, even resting. This is especially important as we age.
After turning 30, people typically start to lose muscle mass at a rate of around 3-5% per decade. This loss ramps up for women during perimenopause due to hormonal changes, and therefore metabolism continues to decrease. This can result in unexpected weight gain as we age —particularly common around the belly.
Women’s health nutritionist and accountability coach, Charlie Rolt, says: “When it comes to fat loss, strength training is the secret weapon most women are missing.
“Cardio burns calories in the moment, but strength training helps you build lean muscle, which boosts your metabolism and supports long-term fat loss — even at rest.”
Of course, the downside is you either need to visit a gym or have a decent weight repertoire at home.
So, what’s the final verdict: weight training or cardio?
Ultimately, fat loss is about calories in vs calories out and exercise should be seen as one part of the puzzle, rather than the complete solution.
Giving up late-night snacking or indulging in workplace treats will be more of a game-changer than choosing cardio over weight training or vice versa.
According to weight loss coach Alice Young, it “all comes down to what you eat”, but exercise of any kind is key to “maintaining your weight after you’ve lost it”.
“Enjoyment and empowerment is the key,” says personal trainer Emma. So, ultimately, picking whichever form of exercise you prefer and focusing on your calorie intake will garner results. As will increasing your daily activity (such as step count), which will contribute to calorie output (and therefore a calorie deficit).
Feature image credit: Canva
