Cardio has long been associated with a weight loss regimen to help burn fat, thinking that weight lifting can increase muscle, increasing weight and making you look “bulky”. This, as many other nutritional hypotheses, is false. Although, muscle is much more dense than fat it results in a much leaner physique and women are just not capable of ever becoming truly bulky. Weight training wins the fat loss/weight loss war against cardio due to the increased caloric burn after the workout is completed.
Studies have shown that after a weight training workout, the metabolism can be boosted for up to 36 hours post-workout, which means that rather than burning only 60 calories while taking a nap, you’re actually burning 70. While you may think “big deal, 10 extra calories?” when multiplied by an additional 36 hours, you can see what a significant impact weight training can have on your calorie expenditure over the next day and a half. When converted into a weekly or monthly total, it becomes evident what a significant impact weight-lifting can have on your fat burning capacity.