You need to have a combination of both, resistance training and cardio, in order to be successful.
Fat loss is something that is very prevalent in our society, especially in North America. The place where eating junk is the norm and eating what is considered normal everywhere else in the world, is considered eating “healthy”.
Even though fat loss is something that a lot of people are looking for, and talk about a lot, most people still get it wrong. Why do they get it wrong? Because most people heavily rely on cardio for fat loss, which is right out of the bath a waste of time.
Although calorie deficit is the most important aspect, we are focusing on training and not in nutrition. You may ask yourself “So, if we take nutrition out of the equation, then cardio is the next most important part, right?”
If you truly want to lose fat you need to first focus on being in a calorie deficit and then comes your training.
The answer is….
No, it is not, cardio it is an extremely important tool in the toolbox when it comes to losing fat, but it is not the end all be all.
You need to have a combination of both, resistance training and cardio, in order to be successful.
Why? Because you want and need to preserve muscle mass. Apart from just the look, building and preserving muscle as we age, have other amazing benefits, you can see them in one of my articles.
Most people confuse weight lost with fat lost and they are not the same! Weight lost is just the number on the scale. Fat lost, on the other hand, could represent numbers on the scale, but it also involves your body composition and how it looks.
This is where resistance training plays a big role.
When you are on a calorie deficit, an adequate amount of protein and enough resistance training will help preserve the hard earned muscle mass that you have built throughout the years. That preserved muscle that once was covered in fat, will pop out, pushing against the skin making you look “tone, jacked, beef up” or whatever you want to call it. On the other hand, if you do not perform any sort of resistance training, your body will not hold on to muscle (use it or lose it) and end up looking like a deflated balloon. Yes, I went there.
I am pretty sure I made it clear that cardio is useful and you need it. But I still feel like I need to say this for the cardio nazis out there.
I am not saying that resistance training is superior to cardio for fat loss. They are both extremely important and they are both necessary.
Cardio burns way more calories than resistance training. This helps putting you at a calorie deficit without having to push your calories too far down making you starve and hate everything and everyone (I talk from experience). Cardio also provide other amazing benefits to the human body. Which type of cardio should choose? Check this out.
Note: I am pretty sure you may be saying to yourself “you mentioned that I need to preserve muscle mass and I do not have any muscles”. Yes, you do! Most people do, especially in you have been active or working out. The reason why you say “you do not have muscles” is because of what I mentioned above: all that hard earned muscle is covered in fat and you just cannot see it. However, with proper diet and training, I can guarantee you will see the results of all that work you have put.
Do not fall in the FAD traps, you are better than that. If you would like more tips or would like to work with me, just email me at [email protected] or add me on Instagram @vangaless and DM me.
Until next time, nos vemos!
