Weight loss - cardio v resistance training

When you lose weight you generally lose weight from lean muscle mass as well as fat, and that's the biggest difference when you're comparing to losing body fat only. The numbers reflect a very different value because when you lose lean muscle mass you also lose water weight. When your focused on losing weight, you're only looking the numbers and not what the number represents and so initially it may seem like you've achieved more by losing more weight...but in the long run you're actually doing yourself disservice.

Most people make the mistake of thinking that losing weight is equivalent to losing body fat. And unfortunately people also think doing cardio is the best method to lose weight which is why cardio has become synonymous with burning fat. For this reason, it's what most people resort to when they begin a fitness regimen, and sadly the false belief is further strengthened because almost everyone will see some weight loss using this approach in the beginning. To add fuel to the fire, when you incorporate strength training into your fitness regimen it's not uncommon to see weight gain at first...gasp! Although it's temporary, it's enough for many people (especially females) to abandon the whole idea of ever using strength training as a part of their fitness regimen. This is why whenever you go to any gym at peak hours, the cardio machines are all full! I'm sure everyone on the cardio machines are thinking: Cardio = Weight Loss = Fat Loss. If they only knew what was really happening: Cardio = Weight Loss = Fat Loss + Lean Muscle Loss.

At first glance the above equation doesn't seem like a big deal. So what if you lose some lean muscle mass...at least you're losing weight right? Although that may be (partially) true, especially if you're in the obese category where weight loss is important, there's a strong reason why losing lean muscle mass is not recommended, even if it means you'll lose more weight.

Having lean muscle mass isn't only for looking good, it's also been shown to greatly improve insulin sensitivity. Lack of insulin sensitivity not only causes you to gain weight and increase your body fat, but it also makes you susceptible to serious diseases such as Diabetes type 2, as well as other serious metabolic disorders. Poor diet, lack of exercise, lack of rest and stress combined with all the modern conveniences make for a perfect scenario for getting insulin insensitivity, which is why the rate of diabetes and obesity has exploded recently. This is why regaining your insulin sensitivity is even more important to ensure that your metabolic processes are working optimally so you can prevent serious metabolic disorders, effectively lose body fat and achieve optimal health.

The best way to achieve gains in lean muscle mass is performing compound movements using challenging loads to stimulate your muscles. The load should be heavy enough that you can perform between 6 - 12 reps without compromising form. You also want your body to be under tension for at least 20 seconds to as long as 120 seconds to maximize your muscle activation. (As a side note, lifting heavier challenging weights has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity as well.) Lastly, it's important that you perform the exercises with enough intensity to elicit fat burning hormones so you can build lean muscle and burning fat at the sametime.

Also, keep in mind that getting a lean and fit physique has more to do with losing body fat while maintaining (or gaining) lean muscle mass than losing weight. In fact, when you get to a relatively low fat body fat percentage such as 14 - 17% for men and 21- 24% for women, weight loss becomes somewhat irrelevant. You can lose fat and gain lean muscle at the same rate so your body weight actually doesn't change much at all, while still dramatically improving your physique.

So if you've been misled to believe that losing weight means losing fat, it's time you stopped focusing on the just losing weight. Although losing weight is part of the process, it should never be done while sacrificing your lean muscle mass. Shifting your focus on losing body fat while maintaining (or gaining) lean muscle mass is a more accurate measure of your health, fitness and of course your physique.