Can You Lose Weight Lifting Weights Alone

There's no one perfect way to transform your body composition, so if cardio just isn't your cup of tea, you might be wondering if lifting weights is a good way to burn fat. First off, know that finding what works best for you is the key to weight loss — and then being consistent about your routine. Weightlifting is a good choice for weight loss, if that's your favorite workout to do — and for a number of other reasons, like the metabolism-boosting effect it has on your body. But how exactly does weightlifting lead to weight loss, and how often should you do it? Will you still need to do cardio on top of your weightlifting routine?

Lose weight by lifting weights, and you'll do it while getting stronger at the same time. That means, yes, with the right routine, you can build muscle and burn fat simultaneously. In fact, building muscle can actually help you lose weight by increasing your metabolic rate to help you burn more calories when you're at rest. To explore all the ins and outs of weightlifting for weight loss, spoke to Tiffany Chag, MS, RD, CSCS, a sports performance specialist and sports dietitian at the Hospital For Special Surgery's Tish Sports Performance Center.

It is absolutely fine to only lift weights to promote fat loss, Chag told . (If you despise running, take a moment to celebrate. Now back to burning fat.) However, if you're trying to burn fat

Lifting Weights Linked With Living Longer

, you won't want to cut out cardio completely. Adding some cardiovascular work and making small changes to [your] diet will create a more well-balanced routine and may lead to faster results, she said.

But if cardio really isn't your thing, lifting weights alone is absolutely fine; actually, it's great, Chag explained. But adding in cardio and modifying [your] diet will be even better.

As we mentioned earlier, there's so much information going around, it's hard to differentiate between workouts that will help you achieve your goals and ones that just look cool. According to Chag, there's no one best way to lose fat.

Cardio And Strength Training: How To Combine The Two For Weight Loss

In general, the best workout is really one you enjoy doing, she said. If you don't like something, you're less likely to do it, so find something you enjoy and start there. To lose body fat, Chag recommends starting with a combination of strength training, cardio, and eating healthy.

Now that you have a general idea of what you should do to lose body fat, you're probably wondering what exactly your weekly workout regimen should look like. Here are a few tips:

As Chag mentioned earlier, you can lose fat with weightlifting alone. But if you want quicker results, she recommends doing cardio and eating healthy foods as well. When trying to change our body composition, increase lean muscle, and decrease fat mass, taking a moment to look at what we eat is absolutely a part of the equation, she said. However, cutting out entire food groups, like carbs, isn't necessary.

Is Cardio Or Weightlifting Better For Weight Loss + Fat Burn?

Losing fat may not happen overnight, but now you've got a game plan; time to implement it! Here's an eating plan you can follow and a four-week strength-training program that will help you burn fat and build muscle.

Workouts Paralympic Rower Dani Hansen Is Prepping For Paris 2024: If Team USA Needs Me, I'll Be There by Lena Felton 4 days ago

Entertainment News Adam Sandler's Daughters Star in His New Netflix Comedy, You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah by Noelle Devoe 1 day ago

Want To Lose Weight? Build Muscle

Entertainment News Bryan Cranston to Retire From Acting in 2026 to Spend More Time With His Wife by Victoria Edel 1 day ago

Entertainment News Will Smith and Martin Lawrence Spotted Filming Bad Boys 4 at Florida Amusement Park by Eden Arielle Gordon 1 day agoEddie Beaton, 34, had struggled with his weight for years. He shares with Men's Health the changes he made to his diet and lifestyle, and what kept him motivated to keep training and eating healthy during the pandemic.

As a teenager I was extremely sporty; I would play rugby three times a week and other sports at weekends. I was definitely stocky, but never fat. And like many teenagers, I did not take any real notice of what I was eating; I never had any concept of nutrition or an understanding of what was healthy. I was clueless in this department. I absolutely love food, all cuisines from around the world, and would try anything. I'm also extremely social, which means alcohol. I went abroad to university and went from playing sports five or six times per week to drinking and being extremely inactive, leading to weight gain.

Why You Shouldn't Exercise To Lose Weight, Explained With 60+ Studies

I ballooned at university to what I know now was a dangerous level. This was likely brought on by eating and drinking so much socially as a way of meet people while I was away from home. I was the president of my student association, which mainly revolved around organising social activities. When I cam home from university, I had some success in losing weight; I started eating better and going to the gym regularly. However, I was still not in shape.

In my early to mid-twenties, my attempts at controlling my weight were hampered by a demanding job which involved working long hours and being away from home regularly. Things got progressively worse once I started my own business, with even more stress and nights spent working late. This was often accompanied by three day weekends with lots of restaurant food and alcohol, which ended up leading to eating takeout and a glass of wine or two during the week. I continued to slowly gain weight.

In 2016, my partner and I had our first child and the second came very quickly in 2017. This added to the difficulties in sticking to a routine. As a result, by 2019 I was 211 pounds and probably close to 40% body fat. This left me feeling unhealthy, unmotivated and self-conscious. I had always dreamed of being a very active father, and my current physical form was never going to meet that.

How To Lift Weights To Lose Weight

The contributor to my overall weight gain was a mixture of poor yoyo dieting and infrequent exercise. I remember I would always try to lose weight for the summer, leaving it too late. I would set out to lose 20 pounds, lose about 13, and it was likely I had put it on by the time I was halfway through my holiday.

I found Ultimate Performance through social media. Their message was around a ‘life transformation’. It wasn’t about losing weight for a short period of time, it was about real change. I managed to get my first consultation shortly before my summer holiday in August 2019. My thought process here was that I wanted to go on holiday having done a few weeks training, and having a set nutrition plan to follow whilst away. My goal was not to lose weight whilst away, it was actually to try to maintain my current weight. So, try to enjoy but don’t make the job harder.

That first consultation with Rom was brutal: a ‘no filter’ look in the mirror. The job ahead was gigantic. I felt like cancelling the holiday. But Rom was never negative, he reminded me that I had taken the first biggest step by showing up. His words at that consultation are engrained in me and I remember them very distinctly: What is the fastest way from A to B? A straight line. I had no idea that this small and obvious phrase was the key to success.

What To Do If You're Gaining Muscle And Not Losing Fat

I was put on a strict diet plan that involved a caloric deficit and closely tracking my daily macros: I had a protein target and carb/fat limits. I was also instructed to be more active, mainly through ensuring I did a minimum of 15, 000 steps per day. Rom was great in giving recipe tips. I've always been a keen cook, so the meal prep side of things was OK and I soon found ways time to make the meals more interesting.

Heavy weight lifting three times a week, then 15, 000 steps each day and another one or two cardio sessions. The training was hard at first, especially so on my lower body and legs. The stairs to the gym were long and steep; I remember some days I would drag myself up using the bannister. I was used to the tiredness that comes with cardio, but weight training is a different type of fatigue altogether. The main things is, I did get used to it and I learned to love it!

This new regime was a real education for me and it became apparent what I was doing wrong for so many years. If you want to get into shape, the fat needs to go and the muscle needs to build. Running alone won’t achieve that. For the muscle, you need protein. To many people this is obvious, but it wasn’t to me.

Cardio Before Or After Weight Lifting: Which One Is Better For Weight Loss?

After eight or nine weeks, the results were beginning to really