Cardio or strength training for weight loss

Hi everyone!

I go to the gym 5x a week and doing mostly cardio. My question is - Which is better for weight loss? Cardio or strength training? How many times a week should I do each one?

Thank you 🤗

Replies

  • Liana_Ish
    Liana_Ish Posts: 671 Member
    @Strudders67 Thank you! I forgot to mention, I am also counting calories/eating better.
  • Liana_Ish
    Liana_Ish Posts: 671 Member
    @kimny72 This was helpful.. thank you! ☺️
  • xxzenabxx
    xxzenabxx Posts: 935 Member
    I’ve found strength training helped me more. After doing cardio for many years I didn’t feel any different. However once I started lifting weights it increased my metabolism because I built muscle. It’s not that the muscle burns more calories than fat (it does) but it helps to burn more calories after you are done with your workout. Also more muscle equals more glycogen storage which means more capacity to store carbs! So even when you over eat they will likely go to your muscle glycogen. Think lean and strong not skinny and weak.
  • Talan79
    Talan79 Posts: 782 Member
    I say do both. I was a cardio bunny for years until I got into lifting 3 years ago. Lifting will help change your body composition & give you a better look than just a smaller version of your current physique.
  • HoneyBadger302
    HoneyBadger302 Posts: 1,981 Member
    Both are important for overall health, as stated, neither makes or breaks weight loss as that is completely dependent on how much you eat vs how much you burn.

    That being said, I much prefer weight lifting. There are some cardio activities such as martial arts or hiking that I enjoy, but much cardio makes me HUNGRY and makes it MUCH harder for me to stay in a deficit, whereas lifting doesn't do that to me.
  • Liana_Ish
    Liana_Ish Posts: 671 Member
    @xxzenabxx I have heard this before! Thank you for the information!!!
  • Liana_Ish
    Liana_Ish Posts: 671 Member
    @talan79 Awesome! Thanks!
  • Liana_Ish
    Liana_Ish Posts: 671 Member
    @HoneyBadger155 Thank you!
  • VUA21
    VUA21 Posts: 2,072 Member
    Eat less

    Calories for weight
    Exercise for health
  • shrinkingletters
    shrinkingletters Posts: 1,008 Member
    The way I see it, watch calories and cardio to help with maintaining that deficit for weight loss, but lift for the compliments on your butt.

    ;)
  • goals15000
    goals15000 Posts: 18 Member
    I like to do both.

    When I discovered I can actually lose weight with just diet and no exercise, I jumped on that so quick. But I wasn’t feel healthy, or looking as good as I did when I was exercising!
  • OldAssDude
    OldAssDude Posts: 1,436 Member
    I think 1 to 3 sessions of muscular training and 3 to 5 sessions of cardio per week is a good balance.
  • faizul4n6
    faizul4n6 Posts: 3 Member
    hye, from my experience, both exercise are important for losing weigh...
    cardio its good for fitness and strength training for full body workout...
    just simple calculation for losing weigh, is calorie intake must be lower than calorie burn.

    good luck