CARDIO OR STRENGTH TRAINING FOR WEIGHT LOSS?

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BEFORE YOU START
First: 70 to 80% of weight loss is diet related. You may have the perfect workout, but if you don't pay attention to what you eat and drink, you won't see any results on your waistline. Nevertheless, you will see results on your health.

Second: enjoyment. You may have THE perfect workout, but if you don't enjoy it, you will quit sooner than with exercises you enjoy. See the article 5 activities to lose weight at the gym to help you make the best choice for you.

AND NOW, A BIT OF SCIENCE
Now that we've established these two facts, where should you devote your energy in the training room? Two hours of elliptical in the famous "weight loss" zone or one mega hypertrophy-specific training session?

The answer: Neither! Instead, go for a mix of strength and cardiovascular training.

Working out in the anaerobic zone (high-intensity zone where we use energy systems that do not require oxygen and that can’t be maintained for long periods) releases hormones. When this is done in repetition, the body experiences a shock that is beneficial for weight loss. As the intensity can’t be maintained for long periods (from 30 seconds to one minute), we alternate with periods of active rest. This is known as interval training.

That’s why we’ve seen a spike in the popularity of HIIT workouts (high-intensity interval training), both for better heart health and for weight loss.

CARDIOVASCULAIR OR STRENGTH-TRAINING INTERVALS?
You may wonder: if it's possible to stick to cardiovascular exercise and still see results, why integrate strength training at all? It's simple, and here are the three main reasons: increased basal metabolic rate, more calories burned during and after a workout, and improved muscle tone.

WHAT IS BASAL METABOLIC RATE?
It is the number of calories a body burns while at rest simply keeping the body's vital functions going (brain, heart, kidneys, etc.). One kilogram of muscle burns 13 calories per day, and as it increases, the body's metabolic rate speeds up. But don't think that after one month of strength training your metabolism will have changed so much that you can change your diet. This is a long-term effort that requires perseverance. After a while and a few kilograms, you could burn between 50 and 100 calories more per day while your body is at rest. If you calculate 50 calories per day for one year, that adds up to roughly 5 pounds lost. Don't worry, one kilogram of muscle takes much less space on your body than one kilogram of fat, so even though your muscle mass is increasing, you won't look like Arnold tomorrow morning!

OUR BODIES BURN CALORIES EVEN AFTER A WORKOUT?
Ultimately, strength training ensures that we continue to burn calories, even two hours after a workout. With cardio, on the other hand, we only burn calories for 30 to 40 minutes following a workout.  And on the subject of interval training, this method also favours post-workout calorie burning. So, interval training that includes strength training is the best way to maximize this phenomenon.

MUSCLE TONE
Sticking exclusively to cardiovascular training reduces muscle mass because muscle is used as a source of energy. So, in addition to reversing the work of the basal metabolic rate, you won't get the results you seek from an aesthetic point of view.

CONCLUSION 
A high-intensity workout, in intervals, combining cardiovascular and strength training exercises that you enjoy is the solution.

Have you tried POWER CARDIO, GoFitness ATHLETIK or VELOCYCLE? Choose our muscle gain program, just two series adding blocks of cardio on a stationary bike or with a skipping rope between each exercise. Find out in the article Lose Weight - Sure, but at What Cost? how it is possible to subscribe to the gym at a very low price.



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