DAY 17- CARDIO vs. WEIGHTS. What's more important?

O.k. here we go.  I get asked this question constantly by women.  Now that we're in the 21st century, I do believe more and more women are beginning to leave that "building too much bulk" fear behind and realizing the benefits of strength training. 

But do we REALLY understand all the benefits?  Below is a list of just some of the benefits of both cardio and strength training.  You decide for yourself. 

STRENGTH 

Lose Body Fat-Studies show the average woman who trains 2-3x's per weekfor 2 months will gain 2 lbs. of muscle and lose 3.5 lbs of body fat! For each pound of muscle gained, you can burn an additional 35-50 calories per day.

Gain Strength without Bulking-One of the biggest misconceptions why some women still shy away from weight lifting is fear of building bulk.  This physically cannot happen without the prevalence of testerone. In general, women have 10-30 times LESS testosterone than men. Therefore a woman who strength trains results in leaner muscle creating more sculpt.

Decrease Risk of Osteoporosis-Strength training not only helps build muscle but bone as well.

Helps Prevent Injury-Weight training also increases the strength of connective tissue and joints. So important to help decrease risk of injury not only in exercise but daily activities.

Burns More Calories-EPOC or (Excess-post exercise oxygen consumption) is responsible for raising your metabolism for up to 24 hours AFTER your workout. Increasing calorie burn without doing anything extra!

Improve Posture and Reduce Back Pain-Strengthens your entire core, shoulders and back. Especially if you sit at a desk all day.

Enhance Mood and Reduce Stress- Releases endorphins.  The neurotransmitters that help improve mood and combat depression.


CARDIO

Cardio- is any exercise that gets your heart rate up for a sustained period of time.

Strenghtens your heart by challenging it to work hard within a certain target range.

Helps promote weight loss but will not have the same impact overall on your body as in combination with resistance training. 


Hmmm...Seems pretty clear to me. While it is important to do some type of cardio for mostly heart health, incorporating strength training will get you the results you are looking for and a lot quicker! 
And if the thought of working out with weights in a gym scares you or turns you off, I have a couple of solutions for that too.  One is strength/resistance training doesn't necessarily mean you have to lift weights.  There are countless body weight exercises that you can do at home. Or, you can visit us at Attiude where we offer a small group setting and a variety of workouts everyday for every single need!  

What are your thoughts? How many of you are using resistance training on a regular basis?