“I want to lose weight. Should I start with strength training first or cardio fitness first, and for how long per activity?”
Both strength training and cardio fitness have a beneficial effect on weight loss. The best approach is the combination of both. Strength training helps build muscle quality, which in turn can increase metabolic rate (basal metabolic rate) allowing you to burn more calories, even at rest. Muscle training can also increase the effect of “afterburn”, whereby your body continues to burn extra calories for some time after training. Cardio fitness increases the heart rate, improves oxygen absorption capacity, ensures healthier lungs, heart and blood vessels and makes it easier to burn fats such as You can also use fat calories during cardio training.
THE SEQUENCE?
The order in which you do cardio and muscle training depends on your personal fitness goals. If your main goal is to lose weight, you could start by warming up with cardio fitness. After warming up you can continue with muscle training, then your body will already be nice and warm and your muscles will have good blood circulation. Furthermore, if you do muscle training first, before your cardio workout, you will have more energy to focus on these exercises, which often require more technique and concentration.
AFTER MUSCLE TRAINING YOUR CARDIO TRAINING!
If you do cardio after the muscle training, every muscle in your body is already well warmed up and you can burn fat more effectively during your cardio session. However, if your main goal is to improve your endurance or you are training for a specific cardiovascular event such as a marathon, then it is better to start with cardio.
In any case, make sure you always start with a good warm-up to avoid injuries and don’t forget to also pay attention to your diet for optimal results, as nutrition plays an important role in weight loss.
NB! Losing weight mainly depends on creating a calorie deficit, which means you need to burn more calories than you consume, hence paying attention to nutrition is also crucial.
If you have specific questions or would like help putting together your training program, make an appointment with a personal trainer, who can help you develop a personalized plan that suits your needs and goals.