Running, not weights, burns fat :/

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  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    Unfortunately, I was not able to get the full copy of the study--I have access to many journals through our online medical library, but the JAP isn't one of them. Without looking at the actual data and the lifting protocols, there is no way to discuss the study in detail. :grumble:

    In fact I believe I heard about or read this abstract before--while it officially appeared on the Dec 15 issue, it was published ahead of print in September.

    Based on what I have already read and know, I suspect the results support what I have always said: while it is possible for someone to reshape their body and lose weight through diet and strength training alone, it takes a lot of effort and dedication. I am not sure the average person trying to lose weight is knowledgeable enough or committed enough to dedicate themselves to that path.

    Which is why I think that most people will do best with a balanced exercise approach that includes a "double balanced" program: 1) balanced cardio -- including a mix of intensities and duration--and 2) resistance training that is progressive and challenging. (Obviously, the assumption is that all of this is accompanied by the

    And, again, that is in no way a hint of negativity towards someone who follows a lifting-only routine. There are plenty of examples of people -- on MFP and elsewhere -- who have experienced success with that approach. I just think a mixed program is a better fit for the majority of people looking to lose weight.
  • xRedHeaterx
    xRedHeaterx Posts: 37 Member
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    Unfortunately, I was not able to get the full copy of the study--I have access to many journals through our online medical library, but the JAP isn't one of them. Without looking at the actual data and the lifting protocols, there is no way to discuss the study in detail. :grumble:

    Its so frustrating that the full study is not more widely available. $20 is too much. Information should not be so costly imo.
  • BlackTimber
    BlackTimber Posts: 230 Member
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    Quick Summary of Fat


    Fat can not become muscle and muscle can not become fat.
    Fat can only be reduced if the number of calories expended in a day exceeds the number of calories consumed in a day. Fat will be gained if the opposite occurs.
    If you stop training, but compensate for this with a slight reduction in diet, your body fat will not increase.
    If you begin training but also increase your dietary intake, you can gain fat.
    Fat cells act as one, meaning you can not choose where you lose it or gain it.
    Quick Summary of Muscle


    Changes in muscle size, density and/or efficiency cause an increase in strength; however, these changes only result if the muscle is stimulated beyond what it is accustomed to.
    Weight training is the easiest way to control and monitor the changes in your muscle physiology. By manipulating your sets, reps and weight lifted you can achieve various responses. Because of this, it is possible to increase your strength without adding bulk, and it is also possible to increase both.
    When you stop stimulating the muscle, your muscle composition may return to normal or, depending on your regular routine, it may simply stay as is.
    Unlike fat, each muscle can be specifically targeted, so you can choose the specific area you would like to improve. With that said, realize that while you can work your abdominal muscles, for example, you may not see the enhanced shape and form if you have a thick layer of fat covering them up.

    OK. But how does the fat get into the fat cells? In what form does it enter the cell? What form is it stored as? Are there hormonal changes as you eat one food or another? does it make a difference?
  • sunsnstatheart
    sunsnstatheart Posts: 2,544 Member
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    That article is interesting but it misses the point. You lose weight because you create a calorie deficit. Nothing more and nothing less, and neither strength training nor cardio is a necessary component to simply losing weight. If you want to recomposition your body so that you look strong, then resistance training is necessary. The point is that you can look pretty good through just diet and resistance training as can be attested to by the large number of body builders who do little or no cardio.

    I happen to lift, run and eat at either a calorie surplus or deficit depending on what my then current goal is. It works and it works very well. I also eat pretty much what I want as long as I follow my calorie plan and make sure my carbs, protein and fat intake are within my plan. The running is solely for my cardiovascular health and for my sanity.
  • JosieJo2000
    JosieJo2000 Posts: 162 Member
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    I love to eat so I do quite a bit of cardio to "buy" more food. I lost a huge amount of weight from jogging. It was all a calories in / out thing. I incorporated some hill running so my legs had reasonable muscle tone, but my upper body just looked thin until I did some resistance / weights and then I added better definition.
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
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    By lifting weights and adding muscle you burn more calories to maintain it, even when just sitting around :)

    The number of extra calories burned is negligible. You're looking at about a 10-15 cal/day extra burn per lb of muscle you gain. It doesn't make a big enough difference to make it count.
  • toddis
    toddis Posts: 941 Member
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    I think the point of the study is limited in scope. If you are a time-limited young individual with no medical issues, cardio will help you achieve greater/equal weight loss without requiring a larger time commitment.
  • seansquared
    seansquared Posts: 328 Member
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    80+ pounds lost, I do zero cardio.

    I must be a magical unicorn.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
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    80+ pounds lost, I do zero cardio.

    I must be a magical unicorn.

    Could be! Do you fart glitter??
  • NCchar130
    NCchar130 Posts: 955 Member
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    I maintain an AND/BOTH attitude. Stronger muscles are needed for a healthy body/appearance. Cardio is important for a strong heart and it does burn the calories. I pursue both, in moderation. But, I consider myself a runner as it provides ME a sense of accomplishment that I do not get from strength training. Others gain much from their strength training and focus on those goals first. As long as you are progressing towards better health. . .

    This is how I look at it too.

    I love running. I love all different kinds of cardio because of how they make me feel. With that said, I've gained and lost weight several times in my life. When I joined MFP, there were two things I wanted to do differently to see if I could make the weight loss stick this time. One was tracking my food since my preferred way to eat is grazing, which is fine, but it makes it easy to forget how much you've eaten. The other was to incorporate strength training for the first time in my life. I've been there and done that with cardio only and my hope is that a greater focus on strength training would help me to keep it off as well as transform my body. At my previous lowest weight, I was "skinny fat" and that was with tons and tons of cardio only. The number of threads I've read here since July from successful people who do focus on strength training has further convinced me that it has to be a big part of my exercise schedule.

    But I will never give up cardio. I don't enjoy strength training like some people do. It's running that really makes me high :smile:

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