A common objective for many people looking to live healthier lives is to lose weight. Then the question arises: whether to do cardio or weightlifting?

Each type of exercise has its own pros and cons. In order to determine which is the best, we need to go through this article to find our solution.

Table of Contents:

Understanding the cardio workouts

The exercise that raises heart rate and increases oxygen consumption over time is called cardiovascular exercise, or simply cardio.

Popular cardio exercises include swimming, cycling, running, and brisk walking. This kind of exercise improves heart health and endurance by focusing mostly on the cardiovascular system.

Burning a lot of calories in a short amount of time is possible with cardio exercise. This helps create a calorie deficit, which is important for weight loss.

It might not, however, make a big difference in muscle growth or metabolic rate when you’re not working out.

The Cardio Workout: Image 1: Running the best cardio exercise & Image 2: Summing the second best cardio exercise

Pros of cardio workouts

Improved heart health: Cardiovascular exercise strengthens the heart muscle, improves blood flow, and lowers blood pressure, reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Weight management: Regular cardio helps burn calories and can assist in weight loss or weight management when combined with a balanced diet.

Increased endurance: Cardiovascular workouts enhance your stamina and endurance, making daily activities easier and improving athletic performance.

Mood enhancement: Cardio releases endorphins, which are natural mood lifters, reducing stress, anxiety, and symptoms of depression.

Better sleep: Regular aerobic exercise can improve sleep quality and help regulate sleep patterns.

Increased lung capacity: Cardio workouts improve respiratory function, enhancing oxygen delivery to the body and increasing lung capacity.

Reduced risk of chronic diseases: Regular cardiovascular exercise reduces the risk of developing chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and metabolic syndrome.

Cons of cardio workouts

Risk of injury: High-impact cardio activities like running can put stress on joints and lead to injuries such as shin splints or stress fractures if not done with proper form or moderation.

Time commitment: Some cardio exercises require a significant time investment to achieve desired results, which can be a barrier for individuals with busy schedules.

Plateau effect: Over time, the body can adapt to a cardio routine, leading to a plateau in fitness gains. To continue seeing improvements, it’s essential to vary the intensity, duration, and type of cardio activities.

Muscle loss: Excessive cardio combined with inadequate protein intake can lead to muscle loss, particularly if not balanced with strength training.

Overtraining: Too much cardio without sufficient rest can lead to overtraining syndrome, characterized by fatigue, decreased performance, and increased risk of injury.

Boredom: Doing the same cardio routine repeatedly can become monotonous, leading to boredom and reduced motivation to exercise.

Not suitable for everyone: Some individuals, such as those with certain medical conditions or injuries, may need to avoid or modify certain types of cardio exercise. It’s essential to consult with a healthcare professional before starting a new exercise regimen.

The Weightlifting Perspective

Image 3: Weight Lifting

Weightlifting involves resistance training with weights or resistance bands to strengthen and build muscle.

While weightlifting may not burn as many calories during the activity compared to cardio, it helps in increasing muscle mass.

Having more muscle mass can boost your resting metabolic rate, meaning you’ll burn more calories even when you’re at rest.

Pros of Weightlifting

Strength gains: Weightlifting is one of the most effective ways to build muscle and increase strength. It targets specific muscle groups and allows for progressive overload, which is essential for muscle growth.

bone density: Weightlifting places stress on bones, which in turn stimulates bone growth and helps prevent osteoporosis, which is particularly important as we age.

Metabolic benefits: Weightlifting increases metabolism, leading to more calories burned both during exercise and at rest. This can aid in weight management and improve overall metabolic health.

Enhanced functional strength: Gaining strength through weightlifting enhances performance in daily activities, sports, and other physical pursuits.

Mental health benefits: Weightlifting can boost mood and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. The sense of accomplishment from hitting personal records and achieving fitness goals can improve self-esteem and confidence.

Injury prevention: Strengthening muscles and bones through weightlifting can help prevent injuries, particularly in areas like the knees, back, and shoulders, by providing better support and stability.

Cons of Weightlifting

Risk of injury: Improper form or lifting too heavy weights can lead to injuries such as strains, sprains, or more serious issues like muscle tears or joint damage.

Time commitment: Weightlifting requires time for a proper warm-up, lifting sessions, and post-workout stretching or recovery. This may be challenging for individuals with busy schedules.

Equipment and space: Access to proper equipment like barbells, dumbbells, and weight racks, as well as sufficient space, may be limited, especially for those working out at home.

Plateaus: Like any exercise regimen, progress in weightlifting can plateau over time. This may require changes in workout routine, intensity, or other factors to continue seeing gains.

Muscle soreness: Especially for beginners or after intense workouts, muscle soreness (known as delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS) can occur, which may temporarily limit mobility and comfort.

Cost: Joining a gym or purchasing home gym equipment can be costly, depending on the quality and quantity of equipment desired.

Risk of overtraining: Intense weightlifting sessions without adequate rest and recovery can lead to overtraining, which may result in fatigue, decreased performance, and an increased risk of injury.

Conclusions

In the end, the argument about whether exercise or weightlifting is better for weight loss is complicated and has many sides.

Although both types of exercise have different benefits, like improving cardiovascular health and keeping muscle mass, which one is best for weight loss depends on the person, their preferences, and their general lifestyle.

Cardio activities, like running, riding, or swimming, are mostly about burning calories during the workout. On the other hand, lifting weights helps you lose weight over time by building muscle and speeding up your metabolism.

Also, a balanced method that includes both running and weightlifting may give you the best results, since each type of exercise helps your health and fitness in different ways.

In the end, the best way to lose weight is to stick to an exercise plan that you enjoy and that fits your tastes and goals, along with making healthy food choices and other changes to your lifestyle.

Therefore, instead of seeing exercise and weightlifting as opposites, it is better to combine them into a complete fitness plan that fits each person’s needs, tastes, and goals.