Health and Fitness Myth Busters: Cardio Burns More Fat

The Myth: The only way I'm going to burn off that layer of fat is to put in some hours on the treadmill or elliptical machine (or some other form of cardio exercise).

The Reality: Sure, cardio can burn calories, but it isn't the only type of exercise you should be doing. In fact, many experts agree that it's not even the best exercise for significant fat loss. Slow, steady cardio burns calories while you're exercising, but a short while after you stop, your body settles back into its basal metabolic rate (BMR). Strength training, on the other hand, using a varied program that is changed up every 4 or 5 weeks, causes muscle confusion and keeps your body burning more calories for around 38 hours after the workout. Also keep in mind that muscle tissue is extremely active and burns 5 or 6 times more calories than fat when your body is at rest (a pound of muscle burns 10-20 calories a day).

Cardio is excellent if you're training for an activity that requires physical endurance, but it is not the best solution for fat loss. Stick to strength training and high intensity interval training (HIIT) to burn the most fat in the shortest amount of time. Then when you need to shed those last couple of pounds and get totally shredded, feel free to hop on the stationary bike and pedal to your heart's content!

Train hard and pray harder,
Brandon Jubar