Calories burned weight lifting vs. Cardio
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CherylG1983
Posts: 294 Member
Hey, can someone who is fairly knowledgeable on the subject explain to me the benefits of weight lifting for weight loss? I only burn around 190 calories doing 45 minutes of weight lifting, but I'd burn about 450 doing the same amount of cardio. I understand it had something to do with metabolic burn or something or other... If anyone knows of a good article to help me understand I'd appreciate it! Being encouraged to eat more while burning less had me wary!
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Lifting heavy during a deficit is mostly to convince your body to not throw the muscle tissue on the fire along with the fat. That keeps you from ending up skinny and flabby. Yeah, some folks will sling about BS about EPOC and such, but hard-core cardio is always going to burn calories faster than lifting heavy. But focusing on losing weight without focusing on where the weight is coming from is extremely short-sighted.0
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When you lose weight you lose lean body mass along with fat. Lifting weights helps minimize the amount of lean mass lost. It also helps you get/stay strong. Finally, it helps your physique so you end up looking better once you lose the fat.0
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Strength training is the difference between goal weight and firm, or goal weight and flabby.
Lowering body fat prcentage is healthy weight loss.
Yes, muscle burns calories at rest (fat does not) but the calorie burn is pretty small. So the metabolic advantage is not significant.0 -
My experience:
Cardio only weight loss="skinny fat"
Lifting + cardio loss=awesome0 -
I echo what everyone has said already.
Why not do both (....that's what i do!
).
I run 3 times a week (for health & extra calories) and i do strength training 3 times a week (for muscle building & strength).0 -
cherylmurray83 wrote: »Hey, can someone who is fairly knowledgeable on the subject explain to me the benefits of weight lifting for weight loss? I only burn around 190 calories doing 45 minutes of weight lifting, but I'd burn about 450 doing the same amount of cardio. I understand it had something to do with metabolic burn or something or other... If anyone knows of a good article to help me understand I'd appreciate it! Being encouraged to eat more while burning less had me wary!
Resistance training helps you to retain lean mass and maintain bone density when you're in deficit. CV work helps your stamina, and cardiovascular efficiency.
Resistance training doesn't burn a significant volume of calories, CV work can. If you're struggling to maintain your calorie deficit without doing some training then CV work can be used to give you more deficit to work with.
It's about balance, neither one is a panacea. Doing a bit of both pays more dividends, unless you have specific goals around sports performance when you'll bias one way or the other.
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I would just repeat what most of y'all said, so I won't do that. I will say that the look and shape of your body would be totally different once you hit your goal, if you focused on strength training as well. And I actually just read an article stating that lifting actually burns a lot more calories than we give it credit for. I don't know if I am totally convinced on that statement, but I do know that strengthening has so many benefits, outside of weight loss. Not to mention, it's fun to watch your body change so quickly.0
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Yes, muscle burns calories at rest (fat does not) but the calorie burn is pretty small. So the metabolic advantage is not significant.
I agree and disagree. One pound of muscle will burn approximately 50 calories a day just in the process of maintaining its existence. If you add just one pound of muscle, your body will burn at least (but probably more than) an extra 1,500 calories a month. Yes, that seems small, but imagine if you add 5 pounds of muscle.......more than 7,500 calories a month.
The important little thing I remember is that cardio burns calories now, strength training burns calories now and later (yes, I know diet is important too).
Based on my own experience, when I did cardio, the pounds shed quickly, but came back just as quickly whenever I took a break (maybe a week or two) from my workout regiment. When I would restart, it was tough to get back to that new weight I had achieved. When I switched to mainly strength, but still with some cardio intermingled, the pounds came off slow (but steady), and my weight didn't jump dramatically during any breaks.......and if I did take a break and came back, it was quicker and easier to rebound to my pre-break measurements.
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jeremywm1977 wrote: »
That's an outdated wive's tale. the consensus these days is 6-10 per day.0 -
jeremywm1977 wrote: »
That's an outdated wive's tale. the consensus these days is 6-10 per day.
Thanks for the update, and my apologies for sharing old "wive's tales". Nonetheless, adding muscle does have a greater benefit for losing weight and maintaining that loss over the long term than cardio, even if it is incremental.
What I usually tell people.......do what you are comfortable with, do what you can sustain, and above all, do what you enjoy.0 -
jeremywm1977 wrote: »Yes, muscle burns calories at rest (fat does not) but the calorie burn is pretty small. So the metabolic advantage is not significant.
I agree and disagree. One pound of muscle will burn approximately 50 calories a day just in the process of maintaining its existence. If you add just one pound of muscle, your body will burn at least (but probably more than) an extra 1,500 calories a month. Yes, that seems small, but imagine if you add 5 pounds of muscle.......more than 7,500 calories a month.
The important little thing I remember is that cardio burns calories now, strength training burns calories now and later (yes, I know diet is important too).
Based on my own experience, when I did cardio, the pounds shed quickly, but came back just as quickly whenever I took a break (maybe a week or two) from my workout regiment. When I would restart, it was tough to get back to that new weight I had achieved. When I switched to mainly strength, but still with some cardio intermingled, the pounds came off slow (but steady), and my weight didn't jump dramatically during any breaks.......and if I did take a break and came back, it was quicker and easier to rebound to my pre-break measurements.
Hornsby beat me to it0 -
jeremywm1977 wrote: »jeremywm1977 wrote: »
That's an outdated wive's tale. the consensus these days is 6-10 per day.
Thanks for the update, and my apologies for sharing old "wive's tales". Nonetheless, adding muscle does have a greater benefit for losing weight and maintaining that loss over the long term than cardio, even if it is incremental.
What I usually tell people.......do what you are comfortable with, do what you can sustain, and above all, do what you enjoy.
I agree, just thought that it should be noted that you might burn 200 calories extra per month per lb of muscle but that is far cry from 1500. Didn't want anyone to think 1500 was the case.0 -
cherylmurray83 wrote: »Hey, can someone who is fairly knowledgeable on the subject explain to me the benefits of weight lifting for weight loss? I only burn around 190 calories doing 45 minutes of weight lifting, but I'd burn about 450 doing the same amount of cardio. I understand it had something to do with metabolic burn or something or other... If anyone knows of a good article to help me understand I'd appreciate it! Being encouraged to eat more while burning less had me wary!
try to look at exercise and fitness for the sake of fitness and general health and well being rather than purely doing these exercise for weight loss or weight management. resistance training and cardiovascular exercise are both important to general fitness...resistance training helps mitigate loss of muscle mass while dieting and also increases bone density (important particularly for women as they tend to be at higher risk for osteoporosis)...it's also pretty awesome to be strong and preserving your muscle mass is what gives you that "toned" look as you cut fat.
cardiovascular exercise is like weight lifting for your heart and cardiovascular system...it is important for stamina and endurance and overall heart health.
a nice bi-product of rockin' your fitness is that you increase your body's energy (calorie) requirements which makes weight management in general a whole lot easier...but really, recognizing the importance of fitness for the sake of fitness is going to be very beneficial to long term success.0 -
I do a metobolic workout each week. This work consists of heavier weights with the goal of reaching muscle failure. I also do straight cardio, yoga, boot camp and TRX workouts. The strength I gain from metobolic training has significantly increased my performance the other areas. An example of a metobolic workout:
Equipment: 20 lb Dumbbells and 12 kg kettlebell (or appropriate weight for you) and a large exercise ball to lay on.
1. 10 regular kettlebell swings
2. Using Dumbbells, clean and jerk for 35 seconds, rest for 15 and repeat for a total of 3 sets weights should be heavy enough that the motion from your legs pushes the weights overheard. Don't the arms into a shoulder press.
3. 10 kettlebell swing stepping in and out
4. Goblet squat with kettlebell for 35 seconds, rest for 15 and repeat for a total of 3 sets
5. 10 kettlebell swings switching hands at eye level
6. Layover ball with Dumbbells for chest press for 35 seconds, rest for 15 and repeat for a total of 3 sets
7. 10 kettlebell swings with right arm only
8. Row - in lunge position, place kettlebell outside right foot. Use right arm as weight bench on right leg. Row kettlebell with left arm in a dragging motion toward your hip. Do for 30 seconds then switch sides. Rest for 15 seconds and repeat for a total of three sets (one set includes both left and right sides)
9. 10 kettlebell swings left arm only
10. Layover ball with Dumbbells. While left arm is up straight, pec fly with right for 30 seconds and switch to left side for 30. Rest for 15 and repeat for a total of 3 sets
11. 10 kettlebell swings overhead
12. Farmers March. Using Dumbbells or kettlebell, hold weights overhead with biceps by ears for 35 seconds, rest for 15 and repeat for a total of 3 sets.
13. Rest for 2 minutes and repeat steps 1 - 12.0 -
@hill8570 posted this in another thread:
http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/
A session of heavy lifting feels like HIIT to me and may be considered such -- you put everything into completing a heavy rep then rest and repeat.
I've noticed the same next day scale drops from weight lifting as from cardio. (I eat a lot more on lifting days)
I'm thinking it will eventually even out (toss the scale) as I lose fat and build muscle.0 -
I see someone finally got around to mentioning bone density increase, so let me round it out with the ~30-40% reduction in cancer risk that comes with heavy lifting.0
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jeremywm1977 wrote: »jeremywm1977 wrote: »
That's an outdated wive's tale. the consensus these days is 6-10 per day.
Thanks for the update, and my apologies for sharing old "wive's tales". Nonetheless, adding muscle does have a greater benefit for losing weight and maintaining that loss over the long term than cardio, even if it is incremental.
What I usually tell people.......do what you are comfortable with, do what you can sustain, and above all, do what you enjoy.
Most aren't going to add muscle while at a deficit...except for a small amount of noob gains or if they are obese and lifting...
maintaining the muscle you have is more important while in a deficit than most understand.
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I'd like to see some of the studies. You posted a link to Mercola, who is a quack, and that was just an article. I didn't see the study. Was it there?0
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