Cardio vs. Resistance Training:

Which One is Best for Losing Fat?

July 13th, 2022

Introduction

If you’re trying to lose weight, you’ve probably heard that cardio and resistance training are both important components of a well-rounded fitness regimen. But which one should you focus on if you want to get a flat belly? And what is the difference between them, anyway? Here’s everything you need to know about cardio vs resistance training and which one is better for fat loss.

To lose body fat, you have to be in a caloric deficit.

If you’re wondering why it’s so important to be in a caloric deficit, the answer is simple: calories in vs. calories out. Your body uses the energy stored in your fat cells as fuel and thus burns calories when you’re at rest. When you eat more calories than what your body needs for daily functions, however, those excess calories get stored as body fat. You can’t lose fat if you’re not in a caloric deficit because that means that more energy is coming into your body than going out of it (and vice versa when it comes to gaining weight).

BMR is the amount of calories your body burns at rest.

Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is a measurement of the number of calories your body burns at rest.

When you’re at rest, your body uses energy to maintain basic functions like breathing and pumping blood. This is called the resting metabolic rate (RMR), which accounts for about two-thirds of your BMR. The remaining one third comes from the energy used when you move around and exercise throughout the day—this is called non-resting activity thermogenesis (NREE).

A pound of muscle takes up less space than a pound of fat.

The difference in bulk can be a big factor when it comes to your overall weight. A pound of muscle takes up less space than a pound of fat. If you’re trying to lose weight, you’ll probably want to gain lean muscle mass instead of losing body fat. Muscle is denser than fat, so it takes up less space in your body and leaves more room for your skin and organs (which also take up space).

Fat has volume due to its position under the skin; muscle does not have this same volume because it’s more compact under the skin. Fat is more spread out, while muscle fibers are tightly packed together—a difference that makes all the difference when it comes to how much space they take up on their own or when combined with other tissue such as organs and bones!

Daily activities such as cooking, cleaning and walking to your car count as physical activity.

The best thing to do when trying to lose weight is to combine both cardio and resistance training. By doing so, you’ll be able to burn more calories in less time and build strength at the same time. Cardio alone won’t do the job for you, but resistance training only will make it harder for your body to lose fat.

Resistance training involves using your body weight as resistance by lifting weights or doing pushups or pull-ups at home. The goal is not just building muscle but also improving bone density, which can help prevent osteoporosis as an older adult. Resistance training can help burn more calories than cardio because it helps build lean muscle mass instead being all fat loss (which also burns more calories).

Examples of cardio exercises and resistance training:

Cardio exercise is any exercise that increases your heart rate to 60-85% of your maximum heart rate, which is the upper threshold for aerobic energy metabolism and therefore can be sustained for longer periods. Examples include biking or jogging on the treadmill. Resistance training is any exercise that places stress on muscles to increase strength and/or size. Examples include lifting weights or engaging in calisthenics (using your own body weight for resistance).

Both cardio and resistance training are important components of any fitness routine because they allow you to achieve both cardiovascular health benefits (improved blood flow) and muscle growth (increased lean muscle mass). This can help you reach your weight loss goals faster than doing just one type of activity—but it’s possible that one type will be more effective depending on what kind of person you are!

Both types of exercise are very important and necessary to meet both fitness and weight loss goals.

Both cardio and resistance training are very important to meeting your fitness and weight loss goals. Both types of exercise can be done in a gym or at home, alone or with a partner, for short times or longer times.

You should aim for at least one hour of moderate intensity aerobic activity per week (for example: cycling). You should also do strength-training activities that work all major muscle groups on two or more days per week (for example: push-ups).

Conclusion

While it’s true that resistance training burns more calories per minute than cardio, overall the amount of calories burned during a workout is not as important as how many calories are burned over time. If you do 10 minutes of resistance training and burn 100 calories, but then don’t do anything else for the rest of the day (or even worse go eat 500-700 more calories), then you won’t lose weight. On the other hand if you run on a treadmill for 45 minutes at 80% maximum heart rate while also eating well throughout the day then your body will start losing fat because it needs less energy!