Lifting Weights for Weight Loss: How to Do It Right With Tips From Personal Trainers

Lifting Weights for Weight Loss: How to Do It Right With Tips From Personal Trainers Here's how to use strength training if losing weight is your goal. Giselle Castro-SlobodaFitness and Nutrition Writer I'm a Fitness & Nutrition writer for CNET who enjoys reviewing the latest fitness gadgets, testing out activewear and sneakers, as well as debunking wellness/fitness myths. In my free time I enjoy cooking, going for a scenic run, hitting the weight room, or watching a documentary. I am a former personal trainer and still enjoy learning and brushing up on my training knowledge from time to time. I've had my wellness and lifestyle content published in various online publications such as: Women's Health, Shape, Healthline, Popsugar and more. Don't underestimate the benefits of weight lifting. PeopleImages/Getty Images Adding some cardio to your workout regimen like running on a treadmill is great for your heart health. However, if your goal is losing weight and building some muscle, you're better off focusing on strength training. Strength training has the ability to give your metabolism a slight boost, melt fat and leave you fitter than ever -- when done correctly. A recent Reddit thread discussion on the weight loss benefits of strength training showed that many people found more success with resistance training than cardio when preserving muscle mass while losing weight. To learn more about the best way to do this, we spoke with fitness experts to get their thoughts and tips. Don't miss any of our unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add CNET as a preferred Google source. Strength training can help you burn more fat. Grace Carey/Getty Images Which is best: Cardio or strength training? There's a constant back-and-forth argument about which is more efficient in reaching your ideal physique: cardio or strength training. According to New York City-based personal trainer Oscar Colon IV, cardio is ideal for burning more calories during a workout session -- and it's key to keeping your heart strong -- but strength training affects your body differently. "Strength training has a two-pronged effect because you burn calories during the workout and during the recovery and restoration of the muscle groups you worked," Colon says. As a result, you get more results for your effort. It's still a good idea to incorporate cardio and strength training into a well-balanced fitness plan so you can reap all the benefits. How much you do of one or the other may also depend on your current goals. If you're training for your first marathon, cardio will be your main focus as you build endurance, whereas strength training will be a priority when you're trying to get stronger or build muscle. Building muscle helps you burn calories even at rest. Getty Images How muscles influence burning fat As mentioned, strength training can help you burn more calories during and after your workout. This is thanks to the lean muscle you gain as a result of strength training. If your goal is to lose weight, having more lean...

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