Weight Lifting Vs Cardio To Lose Weight

There is so much advice on how to lose fat and sculpt your body that it can be overwhelming when you're a fitness beginner. Should you focus on cardio alone, start squatting double your weight, or just jump head first into a life of CrossFit? The questions and corresponding answers are endless. However, if your goal is to shed some fat, sculpt your muscles, and get fit, the expert advice is pretty clear: you need a routine of both cardio and strength training.

Although an activity such as running supports weight loss, and both your mental and physical health, treadmill workouts can get very boring very fast, not to mention how quickly your muscles adapt to going through the same workout over and over again. Lifting weights, on the other hand, is a great way to sculpt and build the body you want while boosting your metabolism and upping your endurance in the process.

If you're new to the fitness game and feel like you have to pick between one or the other, think again, because you can have both! Don't believe us? Read on to see eight body-sculpting transformations that will convince you to pick up some weights.

Why Weight Training Is Better Than Cardio For Female Fat Loss

Lifting weights is amazing and it will not make you manly or bulky, in fact the more muscle you have the faster your metabolism will be, the more calories you will burn throughout the day, and the easier it will be for you to lose fat and keep it off for good aaaaandddd my favorite part, the more you can eat. — @_shaelashae

I was eating 800 calories a day and doing HOURS of cardio everyday and I saw little to no changes. Fast forward 8 years, lots of mental and physical hurdles and a TON of learning, I now eat 2200-2800 calories of food a day, I lift 3-4x per week and the only cardio I do is hiking (which is around once a week). It's so important to fuel your body properly and to know which exercises will enhance the areas you want to work on. A combination of lifting and cardio (or circuits if you're feeling spicy) will be your best friend in working towards building a leaner, stronger physique. — @fitnika101

Ladies please stop doing only cardio and thinking that lifting weight will make you look like a man! weights are your besties for shaping your body and building curves 🍑 and please don't grab those 5lbs dumbell in gym. If you want to see real results don't be afraid to go heaavy! — @maha_sfit

Strength Training Or Endurance Training: Which Is Better For Weight Loss?

[T]he first photo is from 2015, this is after 2 years of massively undereating calories and my gym sessions consisting of just cardio 🐰 i was stuck at a 'skinny fat' size and hated the shape of my body despite being 'thin' ☹️ the second photo is from today, after 2 years of WEIGHT TRAINING, not being afraid to pick up the big weights and lifting heavy - also fuelling my body with lots of food[.] — @aylish_fitness

I was never super underweight but I was pretty thin, 'skinny fat', very weak, and had unhealthy habits. Starving yourself, running loads, drinking kale and avoiding carbs really won't get you anywhere, it's such a misconception. I promise if you fuel your body right (aka with loads of good food 🍳), shift some weight in the gym or find a sport you enjoy, your body will change for the better. — @emlouisefitness

Yes, I weighed less on the left but was also far less toned, because I had 0 lean muscle mass!🤗 It was a magical day when I decreased my cardio (YAssss) and increased my weight training😆🦄 I also feel SO much fitter, stronger and more energised now vs. then 🏃🏼‍♀️ — @sunshineandwaffles

Cardio Vs Weights: What Should You Do First?

When I got into fitness and decided to make a change to my lifestyle, my body goal was to be 'slim' and to have abs. When this photo was taken I was exercising at home, doing lots of cardio and high intensity workouts and eating less than 1000 cals. Compare that to now where my training is mainly weights based and I eat nearly double! — @fitlifelucy

It's so important to find a great balance of weights and cardio based on your goals !! I used to live on the treadmill and just do Zumba. No more 🙅🏾 I love using weights and it's given me the best results !!! Don't be scared to switch it up ladies !! — @nissafit

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Weight Lifting Vs. Cardio Exercise

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Celebrity News Billie Eilish and Jesse Rutherford Break Up After Less Than 1 Year of Dating by Eden Arielle Gordon 12 hours ago🔹Cardio VS Weights 🔹 Last before & after picture I promise! 😳 ~ There is 9 months between these photos and half a stone (3.5kg) The left picture is 4 months into my weight loss journey and I had lost just over a stone. I was doing lots of HIIT classes, walking, cardio machines and the occasional weights class. I thought I would always have to do mainly cardio to keep weight off and lose more. ✖️WRONG ✖️ I starting cutting down on cardio and doing more weights after some research (also cardio was getting DULL) and I'm soooo pleased I did 🙌🏼 I learnt all of my weight training from YouTube, magazines, IG fitness girls and I'm not saying it's all correct, I've definitely made mistakes but over time I've learnt what works for me and I'm still learning every day! I still do 1-2 cardio sessions a week but I focus mainly on weights. This tends to be my week: HIIT session x 1 Basic slow state cardio (LISS) x 1 Leg/Booty day x 2, Back and biceps x 1 Chest and triceps x 1 Core 3-4 times a week thrown in at the end of my workouts. I'm not body building but I want to have nice toned arms & a fat free back, ya feel me?✌🏼 If you're doing lots of cardio and your results have come to a bit of a stand still, give weights a go! What have you got to lose?! 🤷🏻‍♀️ If you have any nosy questions or general wonderings just DM me or add my Snapchat as your more than welcome to copy my workouts. 👻:daniellapfit 💕😘 #beforeandafter #throwbackthursday #cardiovsweights #transformation #progressnotperfection #weightlossjourney #progresspic #beforeandafterweightloss A post shared by @ daniellapetersfit on Sep 28, 2017 at 7:31am PDT

Cardio Vs Weight Lifting: Which Is Better For Weight Loss?

If you're doing hours and hours of cardio to lose weight, these before-and-after pictures just may inspire you to ditch your runs and reach for the dumbbells and barbells instead. While doing cardio does burn calories, weightlifting builds lean muscle mass and speeds up fat loss, which means you'll lose weight faster — if that's your goal.

#motivation right there @adrienneosuna The comparison is uncanny #cardiovsweights #justdoit #letsgoo #fitchicks #fitness #fitisthenewskinny #fitisthenewsexy #fitfam A post shared by Jackie and Yela (@twosidestofitness) on Jan 10, 2017 at 2:51am PST

Progress takes time and dedication. At the same time, sometimes it’s the small changes that add up to the biggest difference. Between these pictures I finally figured out that doing cardio each and every day wasn’t getting me the results I wanted, and 30 minutes of resistance training three times a week (#bbg) was way more effective for my body. I definitely see my best progress when I am lifting weights and working my muscles rather than just focusing on cardio; I’m loving the #hsh @sweat.with.jenn program right now and can’t wait to show you guys some progress pics #comingsoon 💁🏼‍♀️😜💃 It’s never too late to try different workouts and switch up what you’re doing, this is how we figure out what works best for our own unique body! 💪🏻 A post shared by Jessica (@got.it.girl) on Mar 7, 2018 at 4:27pm PST

Which Burns More Calories Overall? Weight Lifting Or Cardio

Not where you want to be? That’s okay! There’s a gap above of 2 years between these photos. But what’s not shown is that the main difference is in my NUTRITION. Sure cardio alone has its benefits (cardiovascular health, mental health, burns fat short term, etc.), but when combined with weight training, that is when you can start to see toning happen. Weight training has even greater benefits (increase strength, bone density, promotes longevity, burns fat long term, and more) I was guilty of not knowing what I was doing at one point...but when I educated myself, I discovered what is optimal for my body. Aside from exercising, fueling your body with healthy Whole Foods, vegetables and fruits while avoiding high sugar intake and processed foods will shred the unwanted fat and make room for that lean muscle you’re building from weight training. 🌟 if you’re