Strength training vs cardio

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Veerjhaveri
Veerjhaveri Posts: 5 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone! What do you think is more beneficial to weight loss? Strength or cardio? I know you should do both, but I'm just wondering what's more important and if you do both, then whether the order matters or not.

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  • mespreeman
    mespreeman Posts: 70 Member
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    Veerjhaveri wrote: »
    What do you think is more beneficial to weight loss? Strength or cardio?

    Calorie Deficit is most important. Exercise is great, and you should do it, and it will help generate a calorie deficit but it's more for general health than weight loss.

    That said, I love Barbell days. Cardio is meh.

  • daniellek30
    daniellek30 Posts: 171 Member
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    I like circuit training. It can incorporate a little bit of both - and it's fun!
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
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    Both are very important for fitness and health. Neither is required for weight loss, though both can help since both burn calories. I'm not sure either is more helpful for weight loss in a general sense. If you do both properly and with equal effort I imagine they'd be pretty equal in that respect.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    For weight loss the most effective method is to eat less. Exercise burns some calories, but often not as many as people think. Also exercise may make you more hungry.

    However, exercise is great for your overall health. Strength training, a reasonable deficit, and plenty of protein will help you retain more lean muscle.....so you lose a larger percentage of fat.

    Pick exercise you enjoy. I enjoy cardio (more) so I do that on separate days from strength training. It's all about being consistent.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
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    Both, plus calorie deficit.
  • kodiakj77
    kodiakj77 Posts: 19 Member
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    mespreeman wrote: »
    Veerjhaveri wrote: »
    What do you think is more beneficial to weight loss? Strength or cardio?

    Calorie Deficit is most important. Exercise is great, and you should do it, and it will help generate a calorie deficit but it's more for general health than weight loss.

    That said, I love Barbell days. Cardio is meh.

    That is very true. Although there is one thing you want to keep in mind. Strength training builds muscle which also speeds up your metabolism. It helps to do both.

    But if you MUST chose one, then go with cardio.
  • Healthy_4_Life2
    Healthy_4_Life2 Posts: 595 Member
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    I agree that calorie deficit is what is needed for weight loss. However, as others have said, cardio and strength is the best of both world in regards to building a fit and healthy body.
  • DaniCanadian
    DaniCanadian Posts: 261 Member
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    Food is most important for actual weight loss. But as far as workouts, when I was mainly running I wasn't seeing much for results and neither was anyone else. I switched to mainly strength training (body weight exercises cause I don't like lifting) with some hiit cardio mixed in and I saw much better results which were also noticeable by others.
    So, I consider cardio essential for health plus you can eat more. Strength is for being fit. That's just my view though. If you like cardio more or strength, they're both very good for you.
  • kristysaurus
    kristysaurus Posts: 91 Member
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    As others have said, it's more about the calories than anything...

    However... between strength and cardio I would argue that it is whichever one you will actually do (and continue to do) and put the most effort into. I personally combine both but I love my weight training and could do it every day whereas you'd never catch me doing just cardio
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
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    cardio, if i had to choose one, because it means i get to eat more
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    What do you think is more beneficial to weight loss?
    Neither - that's from your calorie deficit.

    I know you should do both
    Agree - very different benefits.

    I'm just wondering what's more important
    To who? What are your health and fitness goals/priorities?

    if you do both, then whether the order matters or not.
    For 95% of people not in the slightest unless what you do first compromises your performance in the second. Again goal-dependant.
    My preference is separate days/separate workouts to do them properly without compromise.
  • erinc5
    erinc5 Posts: 329 Member
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    Calories and cardio are most important for changing your size. Strength training, I think, is most effective for changing how you look once you get close to goal.

    What are your goals?
  • Tedebearduff
    Tedebearduff Posts: 1,155 Member
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    Veerjhaveri wrote: »
    Hi everyone! What do you think is more beneficial to weight loss? Strength or cardio? I know you should do both, but I'm just wondering what's more important and if you do both, then whether the order matters or not.

    Strength, I lost 98lbs without doing a lick of cardio outside of maybe a long walk here or there but that was for personal enjoyment not meant as exercise. I only started cardio after I plateaued at that 98lbs lost mark for 4 weeks.

    Cardio to me is like the ace up your sleeve you should only use it when you really need it. Otherwise keep it up there, I use it to break plateaus only right now and I am still losing from my last bulk cycle.
  • DaniCanadian
    DaniCanadian Posts: 261 Member
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    erinc5 wrote: »
    Calories and cardio are most important for changing your size. Strength training, I think, is most effective for changing how you look once you get close to goal.

    What are your goals?

    Not necessarily. No one really noticed my weightloss when I was doing 95% cardio but when I changed my routine to 70% strength/30% cardio I would get comments that I looked smaller (even though I was maintaining on the scale)

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