Fat Loss – Weights or Running? What to Prefer.
A common dilemma for those looking to lose fat is which form of exercise is better, aerobic or anaerobic.
When we refer to aerobic exercise, we mean anything that we can do for a long time without breaks, e.g. walking, swimming, jogging.
On the other hand, anaerobic is more explosive in nature and can be weights, push-ups or sprints. In aerobic exercise the main fuel used is fat while in anaerobic it is glycogen, which is stored in the muscles.
What should I prefer, aerobic or anaerobic exercise?
A very basic prerequisite for answering is the context in which we are referring. For example, if we are dealing with an obese person with low physical fitness, low-intensity aerobic exercise is the only way. If we are referring to a person with normal weight and good physical fitness, the combination of aerobic-anaerobic, moderate to high intensity is preferable. It will help them build muscle tissue and increase their metabolism not only during exercise but also for several hours afterwards.
Women are no exception to this rule. Not only that, but one of the reasons many women don't see results in their efforts to improve their bodies is because they avoid weight training. Even when they do, their unjustified fear of looking like a man causes them to exercise at an excessively low intensity, so low that the stimulus for change in the body is negligible.
A common misconception in gyms is that because aerobic exercise uses proportionally more fat as fuel, it is more suitable for fat loss. As we said above, for an obese person with low fitness, low-intensity aerobic exercise is a better choice. However, you should know that the total energy cost of the workout matters. In other words, if we can run on the track at, say, 7 km/h and 10 km/h, for the same amount of time, of course we will choose 10 km/h!
Does resistance exercise promote health?
In previous years, some old-school health scientists had demonized resistance training (weight training) as unhealthy and harmful to the heart, creating misinformation and confusion. This half-educated view is not in line with the international literature. Weight training can be beneficial for the heart but also for dealing with the scourge of our time, Diabetes Mellitus and Metabolic Syndrome.
Even for young women, it can act as a preventative against osteoporosis, something that other forms of exercise such as swimming cannot imitate. It is indicative that calcium supplements are still under question for the prevention of osteoporosis while weight training has solid evidence for its effectiveness, even in older people.
In terms of body image, anaerobic exercise helps us maintain or even increase our muscle mass during a period of calorie restriction to lose fat. This means that for men, the shoulders and back do not shrink, while for women, the buttocks and thighs do not reflect unhealthy standards.
When a person loses a lot of weight without exercising, muscle mass is also sacrificed along with fat loss. This results in the so-called “Skinny Fat look”.
Conclusion
Anaerobic and aerobic exercise are useful forms of exercise, each for a different purpose and context. Depending on the goals, they can be combined for maximum results. Whatever one prefers, long-term maintenance is very important. Therefore, aerobic or anaerobic, it is a good idea for people to exercise in a way that pleases them. The human body is designed to move and anything else destroys it!
No Comments