What type of exercise is most effective for weight loss – strength training or cardio?
As everyone has already said, a combination of the two is the best prescription, but, if I had to choose one, I would say strength training, because of the longterm effects, the addition of muscle, which burns more calories than fat, and the fact that you continue to burn calories well after the workout because of the healing process the muscles encounter.
“Cardio” is highly over-rated & an old concept that was brought in years ago based off studies done at the time. The studies however have proven to be wrong. Anyone who’s a trainer shld know that cardio is NOT the best way to obtain wt loss goals. MUSCLE MUSCLE MUSCLE is the ONLY way to increase metabolism! In fact all trainers shld b hip to the fact that long duration/ steady state cardio decreases muscle mass therefore decreasing metabolism. Building Muscle through High Intensity Workouts…High Intensity meaning: Brief activity causing a failure of the involved musculature w/in only 1-4 minutes, is the MOST effective & efficient way to wt loss while not including nutrition into this question b/c all in all in boils down to what you are feeding your body.
Here’s a tip to get a lot of peoples panties in a bunch…A reduction of body fat is almost entirely a dietary issue; yet the general population REFUSES to give up the notion of exercising for fat loss.
Trainers are not responsible for wt/fat loss that depends on the client’s discipline to clean eating, but we are able to aid them in increased muscle mass which aids in increased calorie burning while inactive!