What is best to lose weight: strength training or cardio?

Do you want to feel nice this summer and lose some extra kilos? Doing well! In addition to changing your diet, you will most likely also have to add extra movement to your daily routine. (The rule applies: 80% food and 20% training). Many wonder: what is best to lose weight training or cardio? Or: can I do strength training and cardio together? In this article we will tell you more about both types of training, so that you know in the future how to use both if you want to lose weight and /or be fitter.

Cardio vs power training

The University of Michigan investigated the difference between cardio and strength training and the effect of fat loss. The participants of the study were divided into three groups. A group does not work at all, a group only did strength training and the other group was only allowed to do Cardio. The two groups who did sports during the experiment had a lower fat percentage at the end than the one who did not do sports. Yet they still did a striking discovery: the results of fat loss were the same for the cardio and power group. So in the short term you are good with both sport types.

Experience the benefits of strength training

in the long term it is wise to add strength training to your daily routine. People with more muscle mass are usually older and experience fewer physical problems during aging. With Cardio you can burn a lot of calories within an hour, but after the training, combustion also stops. If you do strength training, you will most likely burn fewer calories during the same training hour, but you build muscles. And muscles need a lot of energy to continue to exist. So the more muscle mass you have, the more daily calories you will burn, even if you lie lazily on the couch.

How do you adjust Cardio to lose fat?

So Cardio can be a real calories killer, but then you have to be challenged exactly enough. What do we mean with this? The intensity of your training is important here. Fat burning has everything to make your heart rate. For example, the rule of thumb is: Train at 60 to 70% of your total intensity to burn optimum fat. In this case the energy is mainly supplied by fats. However, your calorie consumption is not as high as with an interval method. You calculate your maximum heart rate through the following formula: 220 - Your age. Then you must train at least 20 minutes at low to moderate intensity to burn fat.

• 20 years: 220 - 20 = 200 (maximum heart rate) 200 x 0.60% = 120

• 30 years: 220 - 30 = 190 (maximum heart rate) 190 x 0.60% = 114

• 40 years : 220 - 40 = 190 (Maximum heart rate) 180 x 0.70% = 126

• 50 years: 220 - 50 = 170 (maximum heart rate) 170 x 0.70% = 119

• 60 years: 220 - 60 = 160 (maximum heart rate) 160 x 0.70% = 112

So: what is best to lose weight?

From this we can conclude that strength training is effective to lose weight in the long term and you burn a few calories through cardio training courses in a shorter time frame. In addition, strength training provides a tighter body and you create more shape. If you have more muscles, you burn more fat (even if you take just down on the couch). So definitely add strength training to your training schedule, alternate it with cardio to improve your endurance and just add variety.. You can do strength training and cardio training together one day. We will then advise you to start your training with power because you are still full of energy and work more effectively. You also limit the risk of injuries in this way. Then do a fitness training at moderate intensity, because your energy supply is currently empty and your body will now start to burn fat reserves.

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