Ultimate showdown

Cardio or weights? Photo: Getty Images

When it comes to slimming down, who wins? We play referee...

TO BURN FAT

Yep, cardio is the kilojoule-burning king. A study in the Journal of Applied Physiology found aerobic exercisers lose up to four times more flab and in less time than those who solely strength train.

The type to go for depends on your goal: continuous-intensity cardio is better for those with high weight-loss goals, while HIIT retains existing muscle while it stimulates fat-torching muscle enzymes. Your call.

But don’t jump on that treadmill just yet. Lifting weights gives you a metabolic spike an hour after your workout as your body repairs muscular micro tears.

“Muscle is more metabolically active than fat, so the more you gain, the more [kilojoules] you’ll burn – and the more likely you are to keep fat off,” says exercise physiologist Dr Leigh Breen. Dibs on the kettlebells.

TO REIN IN APPETITE

Sure, you’re starving after a run, but a University of Western Australia study found people who did high-intensity cardio ate less in the next meal and the following 24 hours than those who did moderate or no exercise.

“This intensity level causes your body to circulate more blood to prevent overheating,” explains metabolism expert Dr Andy Blannin. Translation: blood is being diverted away from your gut, in turn, putting the brakes on your appetite. We like that.

MORE: Train smart, snack smarter

Strength training lowers your hunger levels, but not in the same way cardio does, says an American Journal of Physiology study. The satiating effect ends about one to two hours after exercise when your body starts to crave the energy it’s using to repair and build muscle.

Unfortunately, this hits women the hardest because we’re wired to keep our weight up for pregnancy and lactation.

TO TONE UP

In a study by Penn State University in the US, dieters lost around 9kg doing either cardio or weights. But here’s the clincher: the cardio group lost 3kg of muscle while the lifters lost only fat.

Translation: cardio junkies don’t choose what they lose – or from where. “Fat is systemic – it belongs to your whole body, meaning you can’t control where you drop it from,” explains Breen.

MORE: Energise every sweat session

“You can target specific muscles with weights because muscles are localised,” says Breen. So if you did a bunch of squats, you’d see results in your hamstrings and glutes – but you’ve still got to do cardio for muscle tone to show. Work it girl.

OUR VERDICT? It's a dead heat!
When you exercise, your body uses anaerobic (quick bursts of) energy then moves on to aerobic energy, which requires oxygen. Strength only needs short energy spurts, so lift weights first, then cardio. Score.

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Easy ways to boost your burn. Photo: Getty Images.