Strength training or aerobic exercise: Which one makes you thinner?
That’s a question researchers recently explored in a new study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology.
Though weight loss is often associated with dieting, recent research suggests exercise also matters–with many people claiming aerobic exercise, and not strength training exercise, is the best way to slim down because strength training “bulks people up.”
As it turns out though, that wasn’t the case.
“The present study shows that, when adhered to alongside a hypocaloric diet, different exercise training programs (endurance, strength, or their combination) or the following of physical activity recommendations are equally efficient in terms of improving body weight and body composition variables in obesity management,” write researchers in the online version of the Journal of Applied Physiology. “To our knowledge, this is the first clinical trial designed to examine the effect of different physical activity interventions, in combination with a hypocaloric diet, on body weight and composition variables in obese Spanish people.”
Studying 96 obese participants, researchers had them undergo a 22 week supervised diet and exercise program, reducing their normal caloric intake by 30 percent. In addition, they followed one of the following exercise programs: A strength training program, an endurance exercise program, or a combination of both. All participants performed these workouts 3 times per week.
At the end of the 22 week testing period, researchers then measured their weight, fat mass, and weight circumference to see if any changes had occurred–and it did for all of the participants. The most shocking revelation was that it didn’t matter which workouts they performed either–they still managed to lose weight.
That’s surprising news, considering most experts believe endurance exercise is supposed to be the most effective.
“After the present interventions, all subjects saw improvements in their anthropometric and body composition variables, with no significant differences detected between any of the groups,” say researchers. “The present study shows that, when adhered to alongside a hypocaloric diet, different exercise training programs (endurance, strength, or their combination) or the following of physical activity recommendations are equally efficient in terms of improving body weight and body composition variables in obesity management.”
So bottom line? How you exercise isn’t important–instead, it’s important to just make it a priority.
What This Means For You
Struggling to lose weight? Don’t fall for the hype that endurance training only works–in fact, research shows any type of exercise works. For the best results, make sure you’re exercising at least 3 times per week while on a hypocaloric diet.
Readers: Do you prefer strength training exercise or endurance exercise?
Sources:
Strength vs Endurance: Does Exercise Type Matter in the Fight Against Obesity? – ScienceDaily.com
Change in Weight and Body Composition in Obese Subjects Following Different Training Programs (Study) – Physiology.org
Strength Training vs. Endurance: Do Exercise Types Matter in the Fight Against Obesity? (Press Release) – The-Aps.org
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