Key to Losing Weight: Not JUST Cardio

One of most common goals I hear from gym members is:
• “I want to lose some weight”
When asked how they plan to do this, the most common response is:
• “I’ll just spend more time/energy on Cardio” (treadmill/elliptical/stairmaster/etc.)

Now by all means, increasing your time/energy on cardio exercises can be an effective tool in reducing weight, but it is not the only exercise needed to lose weight!
Science and experience have shown that the “Key” to losing weight is a balance of combining
• Weight resistance exercises (aka “lifting weights”),
• Cardio exercise.
• Diet modifications (which is a whole new topic/blog coming soon)

In the Most Basic Terms
What is “weight loss”? It’s WORK. Time and energy spent activating your muscles which burn calories. Burning calories equals weight loss.

What is “Cardio”? It’s WORK/exercising in a continual manner that activates muscles which burns calories. Example; running on a treadmill. When you run you are activating all the muscles in your legs, core, back and arms continually (as in nonstop—no rest, either you are running/working or you are not/resting). So, you are correct in thinking that by spending more time and energy working, activating muscles which burn more calories, and therefore losing more weight.

What is “weight resistance”? It’s WORK/lifting weights that activate certain/target muscles which burn calories.

So why does combining/blending “Cardio” with “Lifting weights” produce more weight loss than “just doing more cardio”??
Because it requires more work.
That is the beauty of Cross Training.
When you “Cross Train” you lift weight which activates certain/target muscles continually which burn calories. CONTINUALLY is the hidden secret. Example, which is more work and will burn more calories?
Running at the same pace for 20 minutes? OR
Cross-Training with cardio and strength training intervals for 20 minutes?

CROSS TRAINING

When you are cross training you are blending cardio with lifting weights.
Give it a try, and then tell me which option gives you more bang for your buck:
Exercise A Cross Training or Exercise B cardio?

Exercise A Cross Training Intervals
Nonstop squats (leg muscles) for one minute (1 min)
Pushups nonstop (chest muscles) for one minute (2 min)
Pull ups (back muscles) for one minute (3 min)
Crunches (abdominal muscles) for one minute (4 min)
Shoulder presses (shoulder muscles) for one minute (5 min)
Curls (bicep muscles) for one minute (6 min)
Tricep press downs (tricep muscles) for one minute (7 min)
Jumping jacks (total body) for one minute (8 min)
Sit ups (abdominal muscles) for one minute (9 min)
Lunges (leg muscles) for one minute (10 min)
• REPEAT TWICE

Exercise B Cardio
• Run nonstop for 20 minutes?

When you lift weights you build mass/muscle and burn calories. Not only that, but with more muscle mass, your body demands more calories to feed those muscles to recover. This means you are burning more calories which means you are losing more weight.

So why not do cross training every day? Because your muscles need 24 hrs. to recover, and that’s where the “blending/combining” comes into place. Cross train one day, the next do your cardio running, then back to cross training, etc.

Summary, yes, cardio is important for losing weight, but by combining cardio with lifting weights you have a proven game plan for success.
Find out what type of cross training workouts will compliment your workout routine on Monday night September 19th at 7:30pm.