I am a member of a local neighborhood bank here in Boston. I joined a year ago when I finally got tired of all the shady hidden fees my previous bank was hammering me with – maintenance fees, minimum balance fees, checking fees, etc.
It was a great experience and I appreciate the more personalized approach my current bank provides. I especially appreciate Nelson, the main person in charge for helping me set up all my business accounts.
Every time I walk in he greets me by name, asks how business is going, and it’s not uncommon for us to detour into some small talk.
Also, since he’s the one who manages my business accounts, Nelson also knows what I do for a living and often asks me for fitness tips…like he did today when he asked my opinion on what’s best for weight loss: cardio or weight lifting?
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Cue Jaws theme music
Now, usually when I’m out in public and a stranger or even a casual acquaintance asks me this question, one of two things happens:
- I immediately fall to the ground and pretend to have a seizure.
- The theme of music from Jaws echoes in my inner dialogue.
It’s such a murky and complicated question with so many variables that there’s no definitive way to answer it. Furthermore, my answer is usually not what most people want to hear and all I get in return is a bunch of “mmmmmm“and”uh-uh“Spicy with a little”Well, that’s great and all, but what I read on the internet was…….“
I prefer to swallow live bees.
However, in Nelson’s case it’s the least I can do. It’s helped me a lot over the last year and, you know, I’m not a bird.
Well, of course, I’ll answer to the best of my ability and hopefully point him (and you, dear reader) in the right direction.
Weight loss 101
At the most basic level, losing weight comes down to one basic thing: creating a caloric deficit by consuming fewer calories than you burn. I often tell my clients that it can be that simple not inhaling that bowl of Fruity pebbles on a nightly basis…….
……one’s diet and calling in calories in versus calories in has always been and always will be the main hurdle to consider/deal with in regards to weight loss.
But also, inducing a caloric deficit can also be achieved through consistent exercise either with a spin class or lifting heavy things.
But which is more effective or optimal?
Well, that depends.
BOTH work and I often repeat to people that the answer is not to do one over the other. In fact, I encourage everyone to implement both strategies if they have the time and means to do so.
I understand why most people tend to gravitate towards the cardio end of the spectrum.
- Getting on a spin bike or putting on a pair of jogging shoes tends to be more ‘user friendly’.
- Cardiovascular efforts tend not to require gym membership.
- They can also be performed anywhere.
Additionally, a major reason I feel a lot of people shy away from lifting weights – aside from not really knowing where to start – is that they see it as something….
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Or this….
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And proceed to ruin the back of their pants.
They see images of advanced, highly trained individuals performing seemingly unfathomable feats of strength and think to themselves “this is too much.
[I’m not going to get into the “will lifting weights make me bulky” argument right now. For starters, “no, it won’t.” But mostly doing so will just make me want to throw my face into a brick wall repeatedly.
FYI: Read THIS.]
The other, more general reason (I think) that many avoid weight training is, hate to have it broken, sheer ignorance.
I’m biased – but here’s why I think weight training works well and should often be prioritized
I try to limit the number of blank stares I get when I try to explain why weight training is important for weight (fat) loss.
Here’s my elevator pitch:
NOTE: Yes, I understand that there are many nuances to consider when analyzing the issue. This is a blog post, not a thesis.
“On a minute-by-minute basis… considering the intensity, cardio will almost always burn more calories compared to lifting weights – I’d say somewhere in the 2-3x range. However, this is what your body does afterwardswhen you’re sitting at home bingeing on Stranger Things on Netflix or playing Magic the Gathering (<— can we hang out?), that's the difference maker. When you get off the elliptical, you're almost done burning calories. However, when you're lifting weights, hours later, you're not done. It goes by many names – the thermic effect of exercise, the afterburn effect, it's a fucking brick – but when you lift weights, you're burning calories long after you're done.”
You can also think of it like this:
- Again considering intensity, weightlifting, for all intents and purposes, breaks down muscle to a (much) greater degree compared to cardio. It takes energy to rebuild that muscle. This requires more energy from the body. This is what is often used to better explain the AfterBurn Effect mentioned above.
- Muscle is a more metabolically “active” tissue compared to fat. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn at rest.
- Cardio doesn’t build (as much) muscle. You lose weight, but then you end up looking like a smaller, weaker version of your original self. Sad face.
At the end of the day, though, it comes down to personal preference and what people will actually do.
If someone really hates lifting weights or just really he likes to do cardio…I would encourage them to stay in whatever way allows them to stay the most consistent.
But here is my last sentence
#1. Don’t eat like an idiot
After that….do both (cardio & weight lifting).
I will tell people that they should prioritize 2-4 times a week of weight training and use their cardio to either compliment those days or serve as auxiliary “bonus” days to work out.
I just feel the benefits of it summation The strength and muscle mass in the mix far outweighs any misconceptions that may exist (and will only help speed up the process).
Since how lifting weights or where to start? An excellent choice would be to read The new lifting rules by Lou Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove (HERE the version for men, and HERE the women’s version) or maybe see mine Beginner to Badass program via TrainHeroic.
