Swellness LLC

I’m so glad you’re here! With each newsletter you will receive easily digestible tips regarding fitness, exercise, nutrition, meal prep, and much more!

A healthy lifestyle that produces lasting results is 100% possible, and my goal is to show you how you can achieve just that…it’s probably simpler than you think. I’m here to teach you that wellness doesn’t have to be complicated or boring. You can be excited about moving and fueling your body in ways that are sustainable for your unique journey.

So let’s dive in! Today’s topic covers strength training vs cardio – which is better?

I hear this question a lot, so I figured some of you may be wondering the same thing. For many years, we have been told that cardio is the best/quickest way to lose weight. However, as more research and studies are conducted, we can clearly see the benefits of strength training. I’m not here to tell you to only lift weights or to only do cardio. I will share my professional opinion, but my main goal is to provide some insight to help you make the decision that is best for YOU.

• More lean muscle mass = higher resting metabolic rate – Simply put, muscle increases the amount of calories you burn while you are at rest (doing nothing). I think we can all agree that a higher metabolism is a good thing! Time invested in building muscle will pay off not only by expediting weight loss, but also by helping maintain your weight once you reach your goal.

• Strength training increases your heart rate faster than cardio – Since we burn more calories when our heart rate is elevated, the most effective workout will quickly increase our heart rate and keep it there. Typical cardio exercises like walking, elliptical machines, stationery bikes, etc. take longer to increase heart rate than strength training or higher intensity workouts. If you want your workout to be as effective as possible in the time that you have, choose a method with more resistance. If you are going for a walk or jog, try wearing a weighted vest. If you’re on a treadmill, walk or run at an incline or hold weights in your hands. Simply put, make it harder. Most often, more effort leads to higher intensity and increased calorie burn.
  Pro tip : If you’re doing strength training and cardio in the same workout session, start with the weight/resistance work to get your heart rate up, and end with your cardio.
• Weight lifting increases bone density – As we age, we naturally lose bone density, which causes our bones to become more brittle and to break more easily. Incorporating weight training in your workout routine helps to reverse that. You don’t need to lift super heavy or become a bodybuilder. Adding resistance, whether through weights, bands, or even your own body weight, can make a big difference.
• A well-rounded workout routine includes both cardio and resistance training – I often refer to cardio as “strength training for your heart” because it is excellent for improving and maintaining your heart health. The above benefits of strength training do not diminish the value of cardio exercise. To take care of our bodies in the best possible way, we need elements of both in our regular workouts. At a bare minimum, I recommend three workouts per week : one lower body strength day, one upper body strength day, and one cardio day.

Remember, balance is key. Beware of anyone telling you to “only do this” or “never do that.” While there are certainly things that we should incorporate as often as possible, and things we should avoid, living a healthy lifestyle is very much about maintaining balance in our lives.

I hope these tips are helpful as you consider your next step in your wellness journey.

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Until next time, have a Swell Day!