Members ask: “If I’m trying to lose fat, should I focus on cardio? Isn’t cardio the best for fat loss?” The short answer: yes, cardio is a good way to burn calories by exercise for a short time, but when you’re looking for long term weight loss and better body composition, the combination of resistance training (lifting weights) and cardiovascular exercise provides the best results. Here’s the science-backed breakdown of why resistance training needs to be included in fat loss programming and how to do it right…

Resistance Training & Fat Loss: The Basics

Fat loss all comes down to Calories in vs Calories out… Yes, it’s more complex… But it’s also true (I’m happy to debate if you wish). See here for a further breakdown urhealthandfitness.com.au/calories-in-vs-calories-out

Most people assume cardio is the best way to slim down. And while cardio burns calories, resistance training burns calories and builds the engine that keeps burning calories all day long — even when you’re resting. Here’s why smart fat loss starts with strength training.

Resistance Training Builds Lean Muscle — Your Metabolic Engine

Muscle is metabolically active. The more lean muscle you have, the higher your resting metabolic rate (RMR) — meaning you burn more calories all day.

The science:

Just 10 weeks of consistent resistance training can increase RMR by 7–10% and reduce fat mass by up to 2 kg, even without extra cardio. https://journals.lww.com/acsm-csmr/abstract/2012/07000/resistance_training_is_medicine__effects_of.13.aspx 

Unlike cardio, which mainly expends calories during the workout, resistance training raises total daily energy expenditure by increasing muscle mass and post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC).

EPOC: The Afterburn Effect

After a strength session, your body continues to burn calories for hours as it repairs muscle fibers and restores homeostasis — known as Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC).

High-intensity or compound lifting (squats, deadlifts, presses) can elevate metabolism for 24–48 hours post-workout.

Studies have shown that EPOC after heavy resistance sessions can exceed that of steady-state cardio by 30–50%.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3071293/

Resistance Training Helps Retain (or Gain) Muscle While Losing Fat

When you diet or lose weight through cardio-only methods, you often lose both fat and muscle — which can slow metabolism and make it easier to regain fat later.

In contrast, RT preserves or even increases muscle mass during a calorie deficit, leading to higher long-term fat loss retention.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1038/oby.2008.38

A meta-analysis in Obesity Reviews (2021) found that combining RT with diet led to greater reductions in total fat mass and preserved fat-free mass compared to diet alone.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/46289066_Evidence_for_Resistance_Training_as_a_Treatment_Therapy_in_Obesity

Hormonal and Molecular Advantages

Resistance training triggers hormonal and cellular changes that make your body more efficient at fat utilization:

Increased insulin sensitivity → improved nutrient partitioning (your body stores fewer calories as fat and more as glycogen/muscle).

Elevated growth hormone & testosterone post-exercise → both support lipolysis (fat breakdown) and muscle retention.

Improved mitochondrial efficiency in muscle tissue → higher capacity for fat oxidation over time.

https://www.thieme-connect.de/products/ejournals/html/10.1055/a-1121-7851

RT Changes Body Composition, Not Just Weight

Cardio might reduce scale weight, but RT changes your shape.

In multiple trials, subjects doing RT had smaller waist circumferences, lower visceral fat, and better metabolic health than those doing cardio-only programs.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3544497/

For older adults, RT is particularly crucial because it offsets age-related sarcopenia (muscle loss) and slows decreases in bone density — meaning better long-term body composition and functional ability.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/strength-training-builds-more-than-muscles

Best Strategy: Combine Strength + Cardio

Your training program should include both, resistance training and cardio exercise. For example, if you are training 5 times per week, that could look like 3 strength sessions and 2 cardio sessions, or you could train 4 strength sessions with a cardio component at the end. What works best for you will be personalised to your goals and routine.

If your goal is fat loss, or muscle definition we can help with group fitness classes or a program to balance cardio and resistance training so you’re fit, strong and healthy—not just lean.

If your goal is improved strength, muscle endurance or functionality for sport, life and old age, we can design a test based on your goals and design a training program to improve your results over time.