Aerobic exercise, such as walking, jogging, or cycling is usually the first port of call for anyone wanting to lose weight and burn fat faster. Why? For one, it's relatively easy to do. Most people can use a bike or treadmill without too much instruction. Lifting weights, on the other hand, can take a lot of practice. A cardiovascular workout is also a great way to burn off a lot of calories. And because creating a calorie deficit – burning more calories than you take in – is the key to weight loss, cardio should form a part of any weight loss plan.
Resistance exercise gives you the power to sculpt your body. It's the key to giving you the leaner, more toned body that you want. Instead of getting bigger, the exchange of fat for muscle will make you look smaller and shapelier. You'll drop several dress sizes and feel confident wearing your favourite clothes again. Not only will you lose inches from your hips, thighs and arms, you'll also take on a more toned and shapely appearance. Resistance exercise ranks alongside cardio as one of the best fat-burning exercises around. New research shows that weight training boosts your metabolic rate for hours after the workout has finished. Researchers from Colorado State University found that women who lifted weights were still burning over 50% more fat 16 hours after the workout ended than those who didn't. Not only that, but their resting metabolic rate was also increased.
It's important to remember that not all resistance workouts will deliver the same impressive results. Most women make the mistake of doing hundreds of repetitions with very light weights in an effort to "tone and shape" their body. But this simply won't work for most people. To give your muscles that much sought-after toned appearance, you need to challenge them with sufficient resistance. In the Colorado State University study, the women used a heavy resistance that caused muscle fatigue after 10-15 repetitions. This is what created such a powerful "afterburn" effect.
As you can see, both types of exercise have a role to play in giving you a firm, lean, toned body, it's a combination of aerobic and resistance exercise that will deliver the best results. Weight training will shape and tone your muscles, while the cardio strips away the fat to leave you looking fitter, firmer and leaner.