Want to Lose Weight? Skip Cardio and Focus on Weights
Your body will thank you in the future
If I were to continue eating the same portion sizes as I did 5 years ago, and do absolutely nothing, I would lose weight.
How is this happening?
The reason is simple. Having more muscle means you burn more calories no matter what you’re doing.
To maintain my weight as it is, I need to eat a lot more than I did 5 years ago, and that’s a lot harder than it sounds.
I walk, I stretch, but more importantly, I lift weights, and the latter is how I got to where I am now.
Metabolism, age and gender aside, if your goal is to lose weight or become lean, then focusing on weights will help you reach your goals in the best way possible.
Your Body is Different to Mine
I’m what some would call an ectomorph. I have a fast metabolism and don’t tend to put weight on easily.
The opposite would be an endomorph; someone with a slow metabolism and who has a higher body fat percentage.
But don’t take these body types too seriously. The exact science behind them is still debated, and it is possible to break the mould.
However, it’s important to know your body type because it has an impact on what you should eat, and how you should exercise.
For example, I can get away with eating large portions of food for dinner, but that might not work for you.
I also don’t do cardio because my goal isn’t to lose weight. I don’t want to eat more to make up for those lost calories.
You, however, may want to incorporate more cardio to help accelerate your weight loss journey.
Your journey and results are unique to you
Why is Weight Training Better?
Did you know that from a cardiovascular endurance perspective, there is almost no difference between doing squats vs cycling?
I know this because I am not a cardio enthusiast, so when I joined my colleagues after work on their 3-mile run one day, my main worry was whether or not I could keep up.
To my surprise, I was actually able to keep up. I may not have been as fast as them, but I wasn’t running out of breath after a few minutes either.
How could a person who never runs manage to keep up with a dozen hardcore running enthusiasts?
Because lifting heavy weights pushes your heart rate up. It causes you to sweat. Just like a cardio workout.
I challenge you to do weights for a year and then go on a run. I guarantee you’ll be surprised by the effects too.
Does Science Agree?
Cardio workouts indeed burn more calories while you perform them. But the moment you stop, this effect ends and you can easily regain the calories by eating a reward chocolate bar.
This is one of the reasons why some people find cardio doesn’t work for them. You must be disciplined with both your exercising and dieting.
However, the difference with weight training is that you burn calories during the exercise, and up to 48 hours afterwards as well.
Think of it as your body continuing its workout long after you’ve stopped and have fallen asleep. Sounds crazy right?
The reason this happens is that when you train with weights, your muscle fibres break down and need to repair. This doesn’t happen immediately but goes on for several days after your workout has ended.
If you have ever felt delayed onset muscle soreness after a workout, this is the process you feel.
The good news is, once the fibres have been repaired, they become stronger, causing your muscle mass to increase and your metabolism to improve.
While cardio can do this to some extent, it can’t replicate the magic.
The Fear of Weight Training
Unfortunately, there are a lot of misconceptions about weight training that we need to address. To keep it simple, I’ll only break it down to 3 points.
- I’ll Get Bulky and Big
- I Won’t Lose Fat
- I’m Intimidated by the Gym
1. I’ll Get Bulky and Big
One of the unfortunate truths of weight training is that in the past, marketing has been on showcasing huge bodybuilders and how strong you can get by going to the gym.
While this is now changing, many still think weight training is specifically for those that want to get large muscles.
This is not true at all.
I have been going to the gym for 4 years and I am by no means big and bulky. However, I am fitter and stronger which is how you will feel if you pick up weight training too.
Training your muscles allows them to become stronger, but the only way they will get bigger is if you have a calorie surplus.
If you eat fewer calories than your body needs, then this won’t happen.
2. I Won’t Lose Fat
As we age, our muscle mass decreases. In fact, after the age of 30, we lose between 3–8% every decade!
Since muscle burns more calories compared to fat, this can easily lead to us gaining more weight, and also fat as we age.
Losing fat is more about your diet than your exercise routine. You can work out every day of the week if you like, but if you’re consuming more than you need, losing fat will be a much slower process.
If you want to burn fat through weight training, then prepare for a marathon and not a sprint.
Just remember that life is also not a sprint, but a marathon.
3. I’m Intimidated by the Gym
One of the biggest reasons why people are afraid to work out with weights is that they need to go to a gym and exercise in front of others.
Seeing people much fitter and stronger than you is scary. I get it. I was in the same boat. But the fact is, they don’t care how big or small you are. They’re focused on their own routine.
I know it because I’m now one of those very same people that don’t care when I see someone new to the gym.
You probably wouldn’t worry about what people think of you if you could know how seldom they do!
– Olin Miller
Walking and running can certainly help improve fitness. They build your cardiovascular endurance, and they also make you feel good. But the moment you stop is the moment those advantages start to slowly whittle away.
Weight training, on the other hand, provides lifelong benefits to your overall health that last even if you take an extended break.
If you’re still unconvinced, then don’t do it for your physique or to lose weight. Do it to preserve your health so that you can do everything that you do now, a decade from now.
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