Which is More Effective for Reducing Body Fat: Cardio or Resistance Training?

 


A new (2022) Meta-analytic study has found that Resistance training is extremely effective for reducing body fat in people who are overweight and obese, especially when paired with caloric restriction.

The study, which evaluated 116 studies on resistance training, included conditions where resistance training was done by itself or paired with either cardio or calorie restriction.

Resistance training, without aerobic exercise or dietary intervention, resulted in a significant reduction of 1.6% body fat.

Cardio and resistance training without calorie restriction resulted in a modest body fat loss at 1.4%.

However, when resistance training and caloric restriction were combined - subjects enjoyed the most significant reductions in body fat - a whopping 3.8% body fat!

The study found that the fat loss benefit of resistance training seems consistent regardless of the age or sex of the study subjects. The findings of this meta-analysis are fantastic news for people of all ages and sexes who want to lose weight healthily.

The study also discovered that resistance training, paired with calorie restriction, did not build lean mass when paired with calorie restriction, but it did help to maintain muscle mass during periods of weight loss.

Suppose you want to lose body fat and maintain muscle simultaneously. In that case, you need to sustain an effective resistance training program and eat to maintain an optimal caloric deficit (not too much or too little). 

Combining an effective resistance training program and following a diet tailored to your unique needs and how your body responds will allow your body to pull from its fat stores to fuel itself and maintain lean muscle mass.


Hope that helps! - @YourCoachDavid

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Study source: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/obr.13428

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