If you’re looking to burn more calories and get in shape, you may be thinking that cardio is the way to go. While cardio certainly has its benefits, like boosting endurance and improving heart health, it’s not the only game in town. In fact, strength training can help you burn more calories than cardio in some surprising ways.
Here are just a few reasons why strength training can be a calorie-burning powerhouse:
1. It builds muscle.
Strength training is all about building muscle, which is important for burning calories. Muscle tissue is more metabolically active than fat tissue, which means it burns more calories even when you’re at rest. So the more muscle you have, the more calories your body will burn throughout the day.
2. It boosts your metabolism.
Strength training not only builds muscle, but it also revs up your metabolism. After a strength-training workout, your body continues to burn calories at a higher rate for hours, even up to 48 hours after your workout. This is known as the afterburn effect, or excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC).
3. It helps you maintain muscle mass.
As you age, you naturally lose muscle mass, which can slow down your metabolism and make it harder to burn calories. Strength training can help you maintain and even increase muscle mass as you age, which can help keep your metabolism revved up and your body burning calories efficiently.
4. It can be more efficient than cardio.
While cardio can be a great way to burn calories in the moment, it can also be time-consuming and require a lot of effort. Strength training, on the other hand, can be more efficient in terms of time and effort. A 30-minute strength-training workout can burn just as many calories as an hour-long cardio workout, and can be done with just a few pieces of equipment or even just your own bodyweight.
So if you’re looking to burn more calories and get in shape, don’t overlook the power of strength training. Incorporating a few strength-training workouts into your weekly routine can help you build muscle, boost your metabolism, maintain muscle mass as you age, and even be more efficient than cardio. Plus, it’s a great way to mix up your workout routine and keep things interesting.
