Picture a person jogging on a treadmill. They’re steadily running, but it’s clear they’re fatigued. They’re putting in all this effort—burning calories, yes—but they’re also at risk of burning muscle tissue, especially if they’re not fueling their body properly. After all, cardio doesn’t have the same long-lasting effects on metabolism as strength training.
Now picture another person lifting weights in the gym. They’re focused, moving through a well-planned routine with compound exercises: squats, deadlifts, presses. While they may not be sweating as much as the cardio person, there’s something more powerful happening under the surface. With every rep, they’re building lean muscle, and this muscle requires energy—meaning even at rest, their body is burning more calories over time.
So while cardio can be beneficial for heart health and burning calories, it’s not the only or even the most effective method for weight loss.
Strength training and focusing on calorie balance are key and here’s why:
1.Strength Training Builds Muscle:
More muscle increases your resting metabolic rate (RMR), meaning you burn more calories at rest. This can contribute to a higher daily calorie burn compared to just cardio.
2.Calorie Deficit Is Essential:
Weight loss fundamentally comes down to consuming fewer calories than you burn (calories in vs. calories out). Strength training helps preserve muscle while you lose fat, ensuring the weight you lose is from fat and not lean body mass.
3.Post-Exercise Burn:
Cardio has a great immediate calorie burn but lacks the same lasting impact on metabolism. Strength training, however, doesn’t just burn calories while you’re working out; it creates an afterburn effect and elevates your resting metabolic rate (how many calories you burn even when you’re doing nothing). Plus, muscle mass increases your body’s overall calorie-burning potential.
4.Sustainable Results:
Combining strength training with proper nutrition makes weight loss more sustainable. Building muscle creates a more “toned”, sculpted appearance and provides functional strength, while extreme reliance on cardio can lead to muscle loss if you’re not careful with nutrition.
In the long run, strength training helps you build something (muscle) that keeps burning more calories even when you’re not actively working out, while cardio mainly burns calories in the short-term.
So, when it comes to weight loss, strength training gives you a more sustainable, metabolic boost that keeps on giving.
Cardio can complement a good fitness program, but it’s not the only or best path to achieving weight loss goals. A mix of strength training, proper diet, and overall activity level works best!
If you are in need of an effective and efficient strength training program be sure to check out my fitness app SloaneSquad or my 12 week Kickstarter plans