If you’re trying to lose weight, you’ll no doubt be wondering which exercise regime provides the best and fastest results. Is it cardio or weights? Well, the truth it that it’s both. A combination of the two provides you with each set of health and weight loss benefits, which you’ll be missing out on if you limit yourself to just one kind of exercise. Most cardio workouts these days involve some element of weight resistance training, as the results you’ll see are astounding. Likewise, weight training is generally done in circuits which gives you your cardio element. Many people fall foul to the myths about weight training, in that it will make you bulky and muscular – this isn’t true. Similarly, cardio can actually help you to build muscle – these myths could be stopping you from benefiting from a great workout.
The myth that weights make you bulky has been thrown around for years, but there is little truth to it – gaining muscle is hard work and takes a long time to achieve. In the early stages of a new workout, your body produces a hormone known as cortisol which leads you to retain water. People think this is muscle and believe that they are bulking up, but they’re actually just adapting to a new regime. Whether you’re trying to lose weight or not, this will happen every time – it has nothing to do with your muscle mass though, so don’t panic. Once your body adapts, you’ll be able to see the real results of your efforts.
Cardio is a term used for exercises which get your heart rate up for the entirety of your workout. Modern cardio training is generally interval training, which is a combination of aerobic and anaerobic workouts. This form of exercising does build muscle, contrary to popular belief. And adding muscle can build your metabolism, which leads to more weight loss (as long as your diet is balanced and you’re not overeating). The best way to lose weight is to vary your exercise regime and eat healthily to reap the rewards.
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