When it comes to fat loss, there is a pecking order of exercise effectiveness, according to a growing body of research. At one point, all of us were certain that doing steady-state aerobic work between 65 percent and 85 percent of your maximum heart rate would melt pounds mercilessly. Of course, we all learned that this type of cardio was mind numbing, and even your current playlist couldn’t speed up perceived time on the treadmill, the stepper, the rower or any other piece of cardio equipment.
But with the improved ability of researchers to measure fat loss more precisely, what we believed about fat loss and cardio has changed. Sure, steady-state cardio done in a particular zone will help you drop pounds, but we now know that cardio intervals do it more efficiently, often in less time. And recently, as it turns out, research shows that resistance training, especially circuits, is on par with cardio intervals. Of course, the additional benefit of resistance training is that it adds muscle, which itself can elevate your resting metabolic rate. But the latest research highlights the increasing link between lifting weights and fat loss – new research shows you can burn fat for 16 hours after you’ve finished resistance training.
Getting your sweat on through fast running or cycling may feel like you’re burning more calories, but according to a study from the University of Southern Maine, half an hour of a weight-training circuit burns just as much fat as running at 10 miles per hour for an identical period of time. Our best advice is to do both. Do your cardio workout, preferably intervals, and hit the iron and see results faster.
Try the Oxygen Beach Body Circuit Workout:
http://oxygenmag.com/Training/Slideshows/Oxygen-Beach-Body-Circuit.aspx#slide-1
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