Strength training vs running for fat loss?

[rapax]

@pero Best bang for your buck if you only want to lose weight is running/cardio.

 

[pero]

@rapax Yeah but running also increases the hunger hormone as I’ve found out.

 

[dragonfly34]

@pero I’ve found that with lifting too - trying whey protein daily to curb it.

 

[rapax]

@pero But you still burn more doing cardio than lifting weights. Another option would be to combine those. With a good program you can implement both .

 

[ivymeow]

@rapax No chance. It’s the opposite. Building lean muscle mass increases BMR which makes it easier to lose weight. Additionally, high impact cardio such as running isn’t really the best for your joints if you’re already overweight.

If you want to lose weight and keep it off, strength training is the way to go.

That said cardio is absolutely essential. Do both but be realistic about what results you are going to get from each modality. Cardio is great for exactly that, cardiovascular health. Strength training is great for strength and improving body composition.

 

[rapax]

@ivymeow Yes and no. If we strictly take how much calories you burn. By doing cardio you burn more calories than by having a 60-90 minute weight lifting session. Thats why I said, both combined is the best option after all.

 

[ivymeow]

@rapax You said best bang for your buck is cardio. This is straight up wrong. Best bang for your buck to lose weight and keep it off is strength training. Source: study

Cardio leads to higher calorie burn / unit time. However, from a physiological perspective this is loss of fat, muscle and bone mass. The former being the only desirable effect. Resistance training results in the loss of fat and increase in muscle and bone mass, although significantly less cardiovascular stimulation than cardio.

Yes do both, but if you want to do only one and get the best results: strength / resistance training.

 

[absentia]

@ivymeow Great reference! Thx

 

[nebula1]

@pero Both, everyone should be doing aerobic exercise and strength training.

Follow a running specific strength training plan maybe with additional arm and shoulder work for aesthetics, shorten your runs as needed to fit this in

 

[cluksha]

@pero 3x per week lifting, 2-3x per week run. Run a calorie deficit, but match the calories to your BMR + Activity Level + Running Calories Burned.

For me, it was 2,000 calories on lift and rest days, 2,250 - 2,500 on running days depending on the distance of the run. Hit your 0.8-1.0g per LB of protein.

Eat lighter before the run so you can slam a big meal of carbs and protein when finished. If your hunger spikes in days you run, focus even more on lean proteins and slow carbs those days to feel fuller.

 

[jely]

@pero For a given deficit, strength training is going to help you retain (or possibly gain) more muscle than running. Therefore, again for a given deficit, you will get more fat loss with strength training than with running.

 

[mvelis15]

@pero Do cardio for heart and general health. Having endurance is awesome. But don't do it for weight loss.

Especially when over 30, the best thing for weight loss is hypertrophy training and caloric deficit. If you do cardio in a deficit, you will burn and lose more muscle than fat. You will lose weight, but not the type of weight you want to be losing. That's why so many runners have that skinny-fat look. It's really hard to maintain muscle when your focus is on endurance training.

Weight lifting on a deficit helps you lose fat and keep or even build muscle in the process, and leads to a more ideal body composition.

 

[seventeen76]

@pero Strength training is better overall option in my opinion. However, that being said, doing what you'll be most consistent with is the best individual choice.

 

[dangerfield]

@pero I’m currently doing both in a deficit, plus biking and I feel like I’m in the best shape of my life.

What a typical week looks like:

2-4 lift days/week. Push/pull/legs split with abs mixed in sporadically

2-4 runs per week. 3-6 miles on normal days, weekend long runs up to 10 miles.

2-3 bike rides/week. All have been on an indoor trainer, usually 40-60 minutes, every couple weeks I’ll try for a long ride on the weekend that’s 2+ hours.

Right now I’m switching focus a bit as I want to run a fast half in the fall, so scaling back the bike and lifting segments. I rarely take days off completely, and have multiple workouts a few times/week. If I’m sensing burnout on any one activity I’ll ease off that for a few days, and add more workouts in the other 2 areas.

 

[xpreciousgiftx]

@pero i tri for two years seriously.
it was 8years ago
brick training and all that fun. didn't lose much weight. wasn't too fat but not lean also.

but when i switched to barbell i start melt that stubborn fat like magic.

now i am full believer in resistance training.

 

[keepuslord]

@pero If your primary goal is weight loss, you are probably best off with a mix of strength training and moderate cardio exercise. Cardio typically burns more calories than strength training while you're actually doing it, but strength training makes your body use more calories the rest of the time. Muscle needs more calories to sustain, and the more muscular you are the higher your basal metabolic rate is going to be, so strength training can make your body less "efficient" and burn more calories. Cardio is still important for your overall health, so I wouldn't neglect it entirely, but maybe shift your focus more towards strength while still getting reasonable 20-30 minute cardio workouts in.

 

[farmgal30]

@pero Neither. Diet is most important