Getting back to the gym after lockdown.

Now that COVID is under control allowing normality to return and Health Clubs and Gyms, we are now able to get our exercise fix again. However, a few things come to the minds of the people who exercise.

Losing some fat, we undoubtedly gained while not being in the gym and returning to our previous levels of fitness! Perhaps a few myths need to be dispelled regarding cardio and weight loss, this may benefit those who are interested in cardio and those who do not like Cardio but think they should do some as its beneficial!

FACT – Cardio is an inefficient way of burning calories, period!

You cannot compensate for a bad diet by using cardio or resistance training to reduce body fat, reduce calories is more efficient.

 

Here are some studies which are well worth a read and of course we have referenced them for you as there are lots of myths around that state without Cardio, you cannot lose those extra pounds.

Well here goes!

 

1. In a 12-week study of 3 groups: diet only, diet plus aerobics (5 times a week, progressing from 30 mins to 50 mins) and diet plus aerobics plus weight training. Diet group lost 14.6 pounds of fat, diet plus aerobics lost 15.6 pounds, and diet plus aerobics plus weights lost 21.1 pounds of fat (44% and 35% more than the other groups, respectively).

Geliebter A, Maher MM, Gerace L, Gutin B, Heymsfield SB, Hashim SA.

Effects of strength or aerobic training on body composition, resting metabolic rate, and peak oxygen consumption in obese dieting subjects. Am J Clin Nutr. 1997 Sep;66(3):557-63.

 

2. In a low-calorie dieting study, those who added resistance training prevented lean body mass loss and increased their metabolism while they lost fat, whereas a dieting and aerobic exercise group lost lean body mass and decreased their metabolism.

Kramer, Volek et al.

Influence of exercise training on physiological and performance changes with weight loss in men. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., Vol. 31, No. 9, pp. 1320-1329, 1999.

 

3. 3 month study, women exercised at 78% of their max heart rate for 45 minutes, 5 days a week and lost no more weight than those who dieted alone!

Utter AC, Nieman DC, Shannonhouse EM, Butterworth DE, Nieman CN.

Influence of diet and/or exercise on body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness in obese women. Int J Sport Nutr. 1998 Sep;8(3):213-22.

 

4. In a 6-month study, subjects did 50 minutes of cardiovascular exercise 5 days a week and lost no more weight than those who dieted only!

Redman et al.

Effect of calorie restriction with or without exercise on body composition and fat distribution.

 

5. In a low-calorie dieting study, those who added resistance training prevented lean body mass loss and increased their metabolism while they lost fat, whereas a dieting and aerobic exercise group lost lean body mass and decreased their metabolism.

Bryner RW, Ullrich IH, Sauers J, Donley D, Hornsby G, Kolar M, Yeater R.

Effects of resistance vs. aerobic training combined with an 800 calorie liquid diet on lean body mass and resting metabolic rate. J Am Coll Nutr. 1999 Apr;18(2):115-21.

 

6. In a 12-month study, subjects did aerobic exercise for 60 minutes a day, 6 days a week, and only lost an average of 3.5 pounds for the whole year!

McTiernan et al.

Exercise Effect on Weight and Body Fat in Men and Women. Obesity 2007 June – 15:1496-1512.

 

7. Another study compared 3 times a week training for 15 weeks, 20 minutes of interval training vs. 40 minutes of steady state training. Both groups ate the same. The interval training group lost 5.5 pounds of body fat and increased lean mass. The steady state actually gained an average of 1 pound of fat!

 

8. 20 weeks of endurance training cost subjects 28,861 calories, while 15 weeks of interval training caused subjects to burn 13,614 calories. The interval training subjects showed 9 TIMES greater subcutaneous fat loss (when corrected for energy cost) that the endurance group.

Tremblay A, Simoneau JA, Bouchard C. Impact of exercise intensity on body fatness and skeletal muscle metabolism. Metabolism. 1994 Jul;43(7):814-8.

 

9. This strength training group lost significantly more fat and maintained more muscle than the aerobic training group.

Trapp EG, Chisholm DJ, Freund J, Boutcher SH.

The effects of high-intensity intermittent exercise training on fat loss and fasting insulin levels of young women. Int J Obes (Lond). 2008 Jan 15.

 

10. A study showing strength training done in a circuit training protocol with 4 sets of only 3 exercises done for 10 reps each – taking 31 minutes – elevated calories burned for the next 38 hours.

Schuenke MD, Mikat RP, McBride JM.

Effect of an acute period of resistance exercise on excess post-exercise oxygen consumption: implications for body mass management. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2002 Mar;86(5):411-7. Epub 2002 Jan 29.

Resistance training elevates calories burned over a longer period than Cardio training, more muscle, more calories burned at rest, elevated heart rates can be attained higher than through Cardio training.

Its easier to cut back 500 calories a day for a week, this equates to 3500 calories which is a pound of fat or 0.5KG than try and exercise to use those calories

1 hour of running at 7km/h if you weigh 70kg is 490 calories approximately or cut back 500 calories a day in your diet, what is more logical? Less impact on your joints and your time more effectively used?

Speak to any of our instructors on how High Intensity Training using resistance will increase your metabolism, improve your strength, aerobic and cardiovascular system.

Evidence based Training is an option for all at Axis Fitness regardless of age or sex