Using weights to help burn fat

Spitspot81
Spitspot81 Posts: 208 Member
edited November 13 in Health and Weight Loss
I hate cardio..in the sense that I get bored in a treadmill or bike.

I love using weights, kettle bells etc. Is this a good way to burn fat?

Replies

  • jaxxie
    jaxxie Posts: 576 Member
    Non science response.....it's the only way. Regardless of the hype and muscle v. Fat weight argument (god, it's basic Google).....Imo unless you are training for something specific, do what you love; but be consistent. Enjoy life, I'm assuming we don't have 9 of them.
  • 603PIPER
    603PIPER Posts: 115 Member
    lifting weights can help you burn fat because the muscle you gain will increase your metabolism which in return will burn more fat. If you reduce the rest time in between sets and perform your lifting sets in circuits, you can get the benefit of cardio out of the session without it feeling like typical cardio.
  • steph2strong
    steph2strong Posts: 426 Member
    I know a lot of people are going to respond you "you loose fat by maintaining a calorie deficit" but exercise can be a great way to help with that calorie deficit and to help maintain lean body tissue while loosing fat. Kettlebell routines in particular are excellent for this purpose involving high intensity cardiovascular and strength building. I would say this type of workout is probably better for fat loss than just toiling away at a low intensity on a treadmill or bike.
  • Spitspot81
    Spitspot81 Posts: 208 Member
    I love these knowledgeable responses. Thanks guys.
  • riffraff2112
    riffraff2112 Posts: 1,756 Member
    not a huge cardio fan either. Been very successful using mostly diet and weight training to lose weight(50lbs or so). I never wake up thinking, "can't wait to get my cardio in!". Where-as I totally look forward to weight training, and never have to drag my butt to the gym. Its enjoyable.

    No denying cardio burns calories but if you hate it, you wont stick with it. You can try to find something you like to do for cardio (squash, zumba, jogging outdoors, hiking, cycling outdoors, basketball whatever) or look at some combined weight circuit training where you keep rest time short and use active recovery to keep the heart rate up and burn additional calories. I've done this a few times but wow, they were just too intense for me and started to look like cross-fit...just not my thing.

    Really depends on goals too. If pure weight loss is what you are after, heck you can skip the gym completely and just eat at deficit.

    I definitely have bouts where I up the cardio, in particular in the summer months where I get my bicycle out. I also found I am a pretty decent runner but these bouts aren't part of my regular life...just something I do to mix things up every four or five months...more just to see if I can still jog 5km without dying .


    good luck
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,986 Member
    Both has it's place, in keeping you healthy. But why spend your time indoors? Why not go out, cycle, hike, walk up a mountain or through a forest, cross country skiing, rowing in a boat, or anything else than isn't as boring as getting nowhere inside?
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    yirara wrote: »
    Both has its place, in keeping you healthy. But why spend your time indoors? Why not go out, cycle, hike, walk up a mountain or through a forest, cross country skiing, rowing in a boat, or anything else than isn't as boring as getting nowhere inside?

    Agree with both points - 1. both cardio and strength training have benefits and 2. to mix up cardio if a particular way bores you.

    I only get my cardio indoors if the weather forces me to. (RAIN, not cold - one can dress for cold. And snow. I supposed one could dress for rain as well, but, yuck.)

    benefits-of-cardio.jpg
  • _Justinian_
    _Justinian_ Posts: 232 Member
    I absolutely hate running. I heard that the treadmill was originally used as a torture device. No, thank you! But I love using elliptical machines! I plug in my headphones and listen to my favorite soundtracks and can catch up on tv shows or watch movies and the time flies right by.

    I personally wouldn't use weights as a reliable source for burning fat, but instead only to build strength and improve muscle tone or asethetics.

    As others have suggested, you can try everything from dancing to hiking to swimming to just walking as a means of cardio.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,986 Member
    edited December 2016
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    yirara wrote: »
    Both has its place, in keeping you healthy. But why spend your time indoors? Why not go out, cycle, hike, walk up a mountain or through a forest, cross country skiing, rowing in a boat, or anything else than isn't as boring as getting nowhere inside?

    Agree with both points - 1. both cardio and strength training have benefits and 2. to mix up cardio if a particular way bores you.

    I only get my cardio indoors if the weather forces me to. (RAIN, not cold - one can dress for cold. And snow. I supposed one could dress for rain as well, but, yuck.)

    benefits-of-cardio.jpg

    Great image! I certainly agree with cardio fighting depressions. Actually, just a hike in a nice environment helps. Bone density: Not so sure about that. Training your muscles helps as muscles are attached to bones, and when the muscles get stronger they pull more on your bones. As a result the bones get scared and increase their density to deal with the stronger pull :blush: Great stuff!

    I also agree with rain: Yuck! I can deal with coldness. I ran at quite a lot over 100F (42 C to be precise) and climbed up little rocky outcrops at nearly 50C. Just rain is something I can't deal with.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    All physical activity burns calories. If you are overweight and want to lose fat, burn more calories than you ingest all day long to incur a deficit. Lift weights, run, do pilates, bike, whatever. If you are at a weight you are okay with and want to work on burning fat and building muscle, you can eat at maintenance while doing some sort of progressive resistance exercise.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    I think you have the misconception that cardio or lifting burns fat.

    They burn calories. Fat will burn while in a eating in deficit.

    In general cardio(running,swimming,combat style classes etc) burns more calories than lifting(at least a newb lifter). Lifting is one form of resistance training that will help retain muscle while losing weight.

    If you love weights as you say, find a established program and work the sh1t out of it as written.

    Good luck.



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