Cardio alone will not cut it if you want to optimize health, lose weight, and look good in your jeans. Research has repeatedly shown that doing cardio AND strength training results in more fat loss than cardio alone. That’s because doing only cardio results in muscle loss along with fat loss. The goal is really to lose fat, right? Building muscle helps accomplish that while making you stronger and, therefore, healthier and more resilient.
Strength training has many other benefits besides helping people lose weight. Picking up heavy things on a regular basis leads to increased bone density, reduced stress, and lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Another great bonus is that you burn more calories AFTER strength training because the body has a strong metabolic response to lifting weights. As we age, strength training is an even more important component of achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. This is because of the natural metabolic slow down that accompanies getting older (and wiser!).
Strength training does not have to be super expensive or complicated. You can take a strength class at a local gym, purchase some weights and work out at home, or hire a personal trainer to teach you what to do and how to do it properly. The resources are available. You just need to commit.
