Why is Weight Lifting Better for Fat Loss

Training Bodybuilding
1

I got into a debate today with a girl about weather or not lifting weights is a better way to get yourself in shape than running on a treadmill. Her arguments were pretty much the standard b.s. you hear when the topic is brought up.

I think I explained my argument pretty well, but I’ve forgotten alot of the details since I first learnt myself. She’s in med school to be a doctor so I told her I’d find sources that prove my point…that and because shes had more schooling than me she automaticly thinks shes right.

Anyone that can help me dig up all the stuff is A ok in my book. :slight_smile:

2

keep in mind that you might not be debating the same thing,… it depends on how you define being in shape,… if it is cardiovascular shape then she is right but if it is being lean then you are right,… if it is both then it’s a bit mixed bag.

3

Just punch her in the face =)

4

[quote]mthomps wrote:
I got into a debate today with a girl about weather or not lifting weights is a better way to get yourself in shape than running on a treadmill. Her arguments were pretty much the standard b.s. you hear when the topic is brought up.

I think I explained my argument pretty well, but I’ve forgotten alot of the details since I first learnt myself. She’s in med school to be a doctor so I told her I’d find sources that prove my point…that and because shes had more schooling than me she automaticly thinks shes right.

Anyone that can help me dig up all the stuff is A ok in my book. :-)[/quote]

She is right some of the time and you are right some of the time.

A lot of running for a large body builder isn’t a good way to get rid of fat, but since they have a lot more muscle, they are already using more energy than a skinny person.

In order for a skinny person to burn a lot of energy, they need to move more so running is an effective method. If they lift weights, they’ll need to do a lot more volume to get the effect that a well muscled person does because their capacity for work is much lower.

FWIW - arguing with a women is a bad idea. Arguing about something like this is even worse because what you say applies to you and what she says applies to her. You’re both right and wrong so good luck with it.

5

There are some studies and misc. info on this over at exrx.net I think most of the studies were done on obese women though.

6

punch her in the ovary. boom!!

No seriously, both activities have a part to play. As with most things when it comes to training, there is no one answer.

Running endlessly will make you lose fat,but also muscle and probably your mind.

Both together is the best combination, so why pick one over the other?

7

I personally don’t believe in low intensity long distance running for pretty much any reason. Its just a personal choice though. I can’t stand it and it makes me lose my mind, if I’m going to stick to something I must enjoy it. My new favorite form of cardiovascular training is interval sprints pulling my tire sled, those are fun!

To the OP - also look up the technical terms for the post exercise metabolism boosting benefits of intense resistance training, something low intensity jogging/running doesn’t offer, that should help your case.

8

stengh training is the best thing you can possibly do for yourself. Running on a treadmill everyday and only doing that for hours on hand will not make ayou a healthier person as apposed to someone who goes to the gym. But eating good is above all

9

I don’t really like the title the mods changed this topic into. I’m not asking why, I’m just asking for sources.

For body composition goals, and what I mean is having a nice looking body, its been proven that if you choose one or the other, the best choice is weightlifting. Run on a treadmill and you are going to get skinny fat. Lift only weights and your fat loss progress will be slower, but you will look better in the end.

I’m refering to both “t-men and women” and normal out of shape people.

I’m aware the ideal way is to do both, but the argment was for black and white, one or the other. I’m just looking for the articles that state the science for her.

10

[quote]905Patrick wrote:
mthomps wrote:
I got into a debate today with a girl about weather or not lifting weights is a better way to get yourself in shape than running on a treadmill. Her arguments were pretty much the standard b.s. you hear when the topic is brought up.

I think I explained my argument pretty well, but I’ve forgotten alot of the details since I first learnt myself. She’s in med school to be a doctor so I told her I’d find sources that prove my point…that and because shes had more schooling than me she automaticly thinks shes right.

Anyone that can help me dig up all the stuff is A ok in my book. :slight_smile:

She is right some of the time and you are right some of the time.

A lot of running for a large body builder isn’t a good way to get rid of fat, but since they have a lot more muscle, they are already using more energy than a skinny person.

In order for a skinny person to burn a lot of energy, they need to move more so running is an effective method. If they lift weights, they’ll need to do a lot more volume to get the effect that a well muscled person does because their capacity for work is much lower.

FWIW - arguing with a women is a bad idea. Arguing about something like this is even worse because what you say applies to you and what she says applies to her. You’re both right and wrong so good luck with it. [/quote]

The argument isnt for bodybuilders, it is for the average person who is a statistic of our 60% fat population. You are honestly telling me that you think running is just as good to get someone like this into great shape as weight training?

11

[quote]mthomps wrote:
The argument isnt for bodybuilders, it is for the average person who is a statistic of our 60% fat population. You are honestly telling me that you think running is just as good to get someone like this into great shape as weight training?[/quote]

Someone like what? I have no idea who either one of you is so I can’t answer that question. I do know what you and her are not the same thing and likely have two different views on what “in shape” means.

Guys tend to like muscles - growing them and maintaining them. Girls tend to like to be skinnier - and if this girl is advocating for running then she clearly doesn’t want the big muscle you do.

It’s apple and oranges mthomps, and a very ambiguous post.

12

Go to the Figure Athlete site and go through their articles. Since ‘women’ tend to want to be cardio bunnies and only lift pink dumbbells under extreme duress, there have been some specific articles there that address the benefit of weight lifting compared to cardio for fat loss.

In other words, they are working a lot harder there to dispell that myth so you should be able to find something there.

Good luck.

13

Go to the Figure Athlete site and go through their articles. Since ‘women’ tend to want to be cardio bunnies and only lift pink dumbbells under extreme duress, there have been some specific articles there that address the benefit of weight lifting compared to cardio for fat loss.

In other words, they are working a lot harder there to dispell that myth so you should be able to find something there.

Good luck.

14

[quote]mthomps wrote:
I don’t really like the title the mods changed this topic into. I’m not asking why, I’m just asking for sources.

For body composition goals, and what I mean is having a nice looking body, its been proven that if you choose one or the other, the best choice is weightlifting. Run on a treadmill and you are going to get skinny fat. Lift only weights and your fat loss progress will be slower, but you will look better in the end.

I’m refering to both “t-men and women” and normal out of shape people.

I’m aware the ideal way is to do both, but the argment was for black and white, one or the other. I’m just looking for the articles that state the science for her.[/quote]

Strength training is far better for fat loss than steady state cardio, staedy state cardio burns very very little fat, and destroys your joints.

15

For a beginner running on a treadmill is one of the worst things you can do.
Or so says the article written by nate green and clay hydt.

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[quote]905Patrick wrote:
mthomps wrote:
The argument isnt for bodybuilders, it is for the average person who is a statistic of our 60% fat population. You are honestly telling me that you think running is just as good to get someone like this into great shape as weight training?

Someone like what? I have no idea who either one of you is so I can’t answer that question. I do know what you and her are not the same thing and likely have two different views on what “in shape” means.

Guys tend to like muscles - growing them and maintaining them. Girls tend to like to be skinnier - and if this girl is advocating for running then she clearly doesn’t want the big muscle you do.

It’s apple and oranges mthomps, and a very ambiguous post.
[/quote]

Look, you are wrong.

Without getting too in depth, running as a main method of fatloss is a very bad thing. Normal, fat people (isn’t it sad that fat is now normal?) have very little muscle mass. When you have very little muscle mass its harder to lose fat, and even if you do lose alot of fat this way, you are still going to look like a smaller version of your out of shape body.

Lifting weights doesn’t make girls hyoooge, guy. They don’t have enough testosterone and whatever other hormones are needed to build large amounts of muscle. “You don’t look like a freak on accident” to paraphrase alot of great coaches.

What happens when an out of shape fat chick starts lifting some weights along with proper nutrition? They turn into really hot looking girls with curves and “toned” muscles.

What happens when a fat chick runs her ass off on an elliptical or a treadmill alot with proper nutrition? She’s going to end up with the same unattractive body proportions, just a smaller version of it.

edit: one more thing, you cannot look at fat loss as calories in calories out. This is the same mistake that she made. You don’t up training volume in order to “burn more calories”.

On paper, yes 3500 calories makes up a pound of fat, subtracting 500 a day will burn about a pound a week, yadda yadda yadda. In theory, the shit doesn’t work that perfectly. You aren’t training muscles for fat loss in order to burn calories, you are training them so that when you do eventually strip the fat off, you are going to have a body that is pleasing to what humans see as attractive.

17

[quote]mthomps wrote:

edit: one more thing, you cannot look at fat loss as calories in calories out. This is the same mistake that she made. You don’t up training volume in order to “burn more calories”.

On paper, yes 3500 calories makes up a pound of fat, subtracting 500 a day will burn about a pound a week, yadda yadda yadda. In theory, the shit doesn’t work that perfectly. You aren’t training muscles for fat loss in order to burn calories, you are training them so that when you do eventually strip the fat off, you are going to have a body that is pleasing to what humans see as attractive.

[/quote]

^

this

your average joe (or female) needs to understand that the body is not a simple heat engine where you just dump in any fuel you want and get the same results in the end, because of hormones

18

[quote]mthomps wrote:
Look, you are wrong.

Without getting too in depth, running as a main method of fatloss is a very bad thing. Normal, fat people (isn’t it sad that fat is now normal?) have very little muscle mass. When you have very little muscle mass its harder to lose fat, and even if you do lose alot of fat this way, you are still going to look like a smaller version of your out of shape body.

Lifting weights doesn’t make girls hyoooge, guy. They don’t have enough testosterone and whatever other hormones are needed to build large amounts of muscle. “You don’t look like a freak on accident” to paraphrase alot of great coaches.

What happens when an out of shape fat chick starts lifting some weights along with proper nutrition? They turn into really hot looking girls with curves and “toned” muscles.

What happens when a fat chick runs her ass off on an elliptical or a treadmill alot with proper nutrition? She’s going to end up with the same unattractive body proportions, just a smaller version of it.

edit: one more thing, you cannot look at fat loss as calories in calories out. This is the same mistake that she made. You don’t up training volume in order to “burn more calories”. On paper, yes 3500 calories makes up a pound of fat, subtracting 500 a day will burn about a pound a week, yadda yadda yadda.

In theory, the shit doesn’t work that perfectly. You aren’t training muscles for fat loss in order to burn calories, you are training them so that when you do eventually strip the fat off, you are going to have a body that is pleasing to what humans see as attractive.

[/quote]

Your initial post used subjective terms that are meaningless - great shape means different things to different people. You should have been a lot more clear in your first post and you should have been more clear in your first post at me.

I point out the fact that it is unclear and that men and women view great shape in very different terms and you again mention what YOU view great shape to be. I agree that a well muscled body looks better on everyone, but I have worked with people who do not agree. You are stating your opinion and there are people who disagree with you about it.

“You aren’t training muscles for fat loss in order to burn calories, you are training them so that when you do eventually strip the fat off,”

Metabolic and lactate inducing resistance workouts are very good at burning calories and promoting fat loss that ISN’T the result of the cost of muscle maintenance.

19

[quote]mthomps wrote:
She’s in med school to be a doctor so I told her I’d find sources that prove my point…that and because shes had more schooling than me she automaticly thinks shes right.

[/quote]

that is what gets me the most… as if they teach you a damn thing about exercise and nutrition in medical school.

i am in a phd program at a medical school with a bunch of phd/md students and md’s on faculty and they are all clueless when it comes to the subject. law students have a bunch of schooling as well, and that is just about as meaningful as medical school when it comes to exercise and nutrition. it is simply not a big part of the curriculum in any allopathic medical school.

i am going to try to dig up some studies for you as people like this chick piss me off. but off the top of my head, i always thought compound exercises like squats, lunges, deadlifts, pullups burned more calories in less time than cardio and built muscle which ultimately would lead to favorable metabolic changes. furthermore, i would think the transient release of testosterone and other hormones with a positive effect is greater in strength training than cardio.

20

[quote]mthomps wrote:
. . . so I told her I’d find sources that prove my point…that and because shes had more schooling than me she automaticly thinks shes right.

Anyone that can help me dig up all the stuff is A ok in my book. :-)[/quote]

Do a search for some of Alwyn Cosgrove’s stuff (after burner, etc.). Maybe check out his website.