Cardio or Weights II

Weights or Cardio: Part II

Last post I discussed the different calorie expenditures seen during resistance training and cardio.  I mentioned that when duration and intensity are “controlled” for (as best they can), cardio workouts can burn almost twice as many calories in an hour compared to weight training.  However I also talked about how the best way to increase your overall energy expenditure throughout the day is by increasing your muscle mass because muscle is an active tissue that can ramp up your metabolism.  Even though the additional calories burned during a cardio session sounds enticing, it may in fact be more beneficial over time to lift weights if your overall goal is to lose weight.  It makes sense right? More muscle = more calories burned = weight loss (unless you increase your energy intake above normal).  In addition to this, there is also the theory of Exercise Post Oxygen Consumption (EPOC) which suggests that in the hours following a bout of exercise, your metabolism will be higher as a result of your muscles requiring energy and nutrients to recover from exercise.  Typically the theory of EPOC is associated with resistance training but high intensity cardio sessions may have a similar effect. 

It’s difficult to quantify the exact amount of additional calories burned during EPOC and there are a lot of mixed results in the literature.  Some studies show no increase in calorie expenditure throughout the day following resistance training while others have shown increases of ~100-400 in the amount of “extra” calories burned.

 I know from personal experience, that I can never seem to eat enough food after a hard leg workout.  Therefore I feel that the INTENSITY of the exercise performed is probably the most important factor but this is just speculation.  People have also asked me if it’s more beneficial to combine cardio and weights into one session. Most often I tell them they would be better off choosing one method for the day for the sole reason that you are going to get more out of a workout if you have more energy and can push yourself harder.  If you run for 30 min and then try to lift weights afterwards you may not benefit as much if you were to just lift weights for an hour one day and then run the next day.  However, if you are crunched for time during the week and are forced to combine your weights and cardio into one day I would suggest doing the method of exercise that relates to your top priority first. If your goal is to gain muscle or increase strength, then hit the weights first and vice versa.

Take Home Message: Don’t forget to incorporate resistance training into your exercise regimen if your goal is to improve your body composition.

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