| Posted in Food & Health on 16 May 2014 |
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The age-old question of ‘which is better; cardio or weights?' is a bit like asking ‘what's more important in a Greek salad; olives or feta?' The answer is that they are both vital components and neither should be overlooked.
Most of us have a preference when we hit the gym floor, whether it's zoning out on the treadmill or grunting through a few heavy sets of squats in the weights room. But, to maximize both your aesthetic and health goals, you need to include both.
Long Term Health
Cardio is excellent for improving your heart health as it increases blood circulation and helps burn calories. Conversely, weight training is great for building muscle, increasing bone density (which will help to avoid osteoporosis in later years), shaping your body and boosting your metabolism. So, when you hit the gym, the balance of cardio and strength training will give you the best all-round health boost.
A Butt like Two Scoops of Ice Cream
Okay, let's face it, most of us hit the gym because we want a butt you can bounce a coin off and washboard tummy that'd make Kate Middleton weep with envy. Aesthetic goals are what motivate most of us when we first take out a gym membership and while many of us head straight to the treadmills to lose a few pounds, the reality is that this isn't the most efficient and, let's face it, isn't the most exciting way, to lose fat.
Lift Weights, Shed Fat Fast
Weight lifting, including full body movements like heavy squats, lunges and rows will build muscle, giving you ‘tone' and will help raise your metabolism so, even though you won't burn many calories during a workout, you'll turn yourself into a fat burning machine all day and night. Shapelier legs AND a roaring metabolism – where do we sign? Chuck in a few High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) sessions per week of fast, full body exercises with light resistance and you'll shred fat faster than ever while maintaining the muscle mass that'll give you that lean, sculpted body you're after.
Conclusion:
Forget wasting your time running 10k every morning before work or curling 2kg dumbbells for 100-reps. If you're looking for a killer bod, you don't have to work out more, you just need to work out wiser. Want to know the formula for a lean healthy body?
Heavy lifting + fast, efficient cardio + plenty of sleep + healthy, wholesome foods is our secret recipe. Now it's over to you to start sculpting that perfect body.
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