What to choose for weight loss: cardio, interval or strength training

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

It is generally accepted that strength training and high-intensity interval training can help you lose weight faster than cardio. But not everything is so simple.

Several studies have proven that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and weight-lifting exercises are more effective in terms of weight loss than moderate endurance cardio loads.

After interval and strength training, the metabolism returns to a calm state for longer, therefore, more calories are burned.

But does this mean that everyone who is losing weight should immediately switch from cardio to HIIT or buy a gym membership instead of running down the street? Not at all necessary.

First, let's talk about studies that compared the effectiveness of different workouts.

What science claims

A 2015 study compared the effects of HIIT versus cardio training on maximizing oxygen consumption. Interval training was found to be more effective.

However, in the discussion of the study results, it was indicated that HIIT has only slight advantages over cardio.

It should be recalled that HIIT is high intensity interval training, and it got its name for a reason. Most people don't do HIIT all the time because it's too hard.

It turns out that HIIT requires effort, labor and pain, and in the end provides only small benefits? It all depends on you.

For people who don't have time, but want to get the most out of every workout, HIIT can be a real salvation. The rest will prefer a longer, but less thorny (and safe for joints) path to their goal.

The results of one study, of course, do not claim to be absolute truth. However, this shows that the difference between HIIT and cardio in terms of calorie expenditure is not that great.

Let's take a closer look at the effect of calorie burning after exercise.

Post-workout oxygen debt: HIIT versus cardio

The main reason for the ineffectiveness of cardio compared to interval and strength training is the lack of oxygen debt, due to which calories continue to be quickly burned after training.

Oxygen debt is the amount of oxygen the body needs to return to a resting state after exercise (the more oxygen it needs, the more calories it burns).

A 2015 study compared oxygen consumption and metabolic recovery rates after cardio, HIIT, and strength training. It was found that within 21 hours after high-intensity interval and strength training, the metabolism at rest is higher, that is, more calories are burned.

But it was noted that this is the only study showing that more calories are burned after HIIT than after cardio if the energy expenditure during exercise is equal.

It may seem like high-intensity interval training burns calories faster than cardio. However, it is not.

The results of the aforementioned study indicated that the duration and energy expenditure of strength training, high-intensity interval training and cardio training did not differ. In the case of HIIT, you simply rest longer - 1-3 minutes between sets. If you take into account the rest time, all the same 40-45 minutes come out as in the case of cardio or strength training.

When fitness instructor Lyle McDonald researched this question using a bike power meter and calorie counter, he found that an impressive 7% difference between burning calories after 30 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of HIIT is only 14-21 calorie. You can burn that number of calories simply by extending your cardio workout by 5-10 minutes.

When it comes to weight-bearing exercise, the amount of calories burned after exercise increases with intensity. But the actual numbers vary in a very wide range - from 6 to 800 calories. Considering all the benefits of strength training, burning calories afterwards can be considered just a nice bonus.

In terms of the benefits of HIIT, training helps the heart to adapt and overcome the stresses of exercise and daily life.

There is no consensus on which exercise regimen is best for increasing heart rate variability - a new way to measure the body's fitness. Any aerobic exercise seems to work for this, as long as you don't overload your weak heart with extreme workouts.

What to do to lose weight faster

The most important exercise is what you continue to do without risking your health.

If you like the challenge of high-intensity interval training, that's great. If you prefer less intense workouts (but longer), that's fine too. If you love lifting weights, that's cool.

The main thing is that the mere thought of exercise does not make you feel negative. If the mention of a treadmill makes you feel discouraged, try something else. If strength training is not your path, there is no problem.

You should never ignore what works for you. Research designed for laboratories often overlooks the complexity of applying techniques in real life.

One study tested outdoor high-intensity interval training on its own and found that participants had to change the protocol due to injuries. In addition, the results in the real world were very different (for the worse) from the laboratory version.

So if something works for you, keep doing it. Your body is the laboratory where the most important research takes place. The results of scientific experiments can open up new possibilities for you, but never let them negate what you have learned so hard about yourself.

conclusions

If you like to push your limits with short workouts, choose HIIT. But remember, to stay healthy and avoid injury, you shouldn't do more than three interval training sessions per week.

If you have the time and prefer slower gains, cardio will be your best friend. And there are many reasons to do strength sports.

The best option is to combine all three types of workouts.

And don't forget that the real battle for calories is not in the gym, but in your kitchen. The fewer calories you consume from food, the less time you will have to work hard to lose those extra pounds.