Many times, people new to fitness automatically gravitate towards cardio as it seems less intimidating. However, people who are serious about losing weight or changing their physique need to incorporate weight training if they want to see the progress they are hoping for. Cardio is still a good exercise but doesn’t always lead to the goals people are looking for. Weight training can look different for everyone and does not necessarily mean lifting the heaviest dumbbell you can find in the gym, it’s about finding a challenging weight for you. Cardio can only take you so far. Stop walking for hours on a treadmill and instead spend half the time with some dumbbells and simple compound movements.

         Cardio is one of the number one workouts to cause overuse injuries over time. Think about it: running over and over for miles at a time puts unnecessary pressure and strain on your knees and hips, often leading to injury. Cardio burns calories while moving, but not continuously after your workout. Often times beginners who do cardio drop their calories into a deficit and they end up not consuming enough nutrients to fuel their body. According to Fit Man Performance, “When you drop your calories and you begin any activity, your body will have to respond as you have gone from nothing to something. However, since the calorie drops are extreme, and the cardio is too excessive, the trainees are not building any muscle during the process.” Cardio helps lose fat but does not gain muscle.

         Weightlifting can truthfully be one of the biggest game-changers when it comes to gaining muscle and getting toned. Muscle continues to burn more calories, even while at rest or not exercising. Many people get frustrated with weight training because they are attempting to lose weight but see the scale stay the same or even go up. They are building lean muscle, which in fact weighs more than fat. According to Quick Stop urgent care, “The thing with strength training, as opposed to cardio, is that it doesn’t just burn calories in the moment. It continues doing so throughout the day, even after you’ve left the gym! This is because it provides a major boost to your metabolic rate and hence burns off more fat than simple cardio can.” If you want muscle and to continuously lose fat, start lifting some weights.