What’s the best exercise for fat loss?

Strength training is only for building muscle and if you want to lose fat, you have to do cardio (AKA aerobic exercise). Right?

Numerous studies suggest that resistance training (think weightlifting) might actually be better than cardio for weight and fat loss. Both still work though - so do whichever you enjoy! Cardio is not compulsory for weight loss.

A recent meta-analysis¹ last year tried to answer the question: what’s the best way to lose fat?

The 3 keys to optimal fat loss identified were energy restriction (no surprise) + high protein intake + exercise. Simple enough. What type of exercise was best though?

Resistance training was actually more effective than aerobic exercise alone - it wasn’t a huge difference, but it was consistently seen.

This was the same conclusion as an older meta-analysis in 2015². Again, resistance training was more effective for losing body fat than aerobic exercise or a combination of both, for the same amount of training time.

In this 2023 meta-analysis that looked at 92 different studies, a combination of both types of exercise was the best - though they did not control for exercise volume (how much exercise was done).

Another in 2013 found that combination training was better than either alone³. So it’s possible the combination group just did more exercise in total, or maybe its truly the best way.

There are many mechanisms as to why resistance training appears to be more effective in these studies, though that’s a deep dive for another day.

If you want to lose weight most effectively, strength training or a combination of both strength and cardio training might be your best bet when paired with a calorie deficit and high protein diet. And cardio still works too. Most importantly, do whichever you can stick to!

Key Takeaways: What’s the best exercise for fat loss?‍

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Numerous studies suggest strength training might actually be better for weight loss. Both still work though - so do whatever you enjoy, with or without cardio!

A 2023 meta-analysis of 92 different studies found that the 3 keys to fat loss are:

- Energy restriction (creating a caloric deficit)
- High protein intake
- Exercise

If you want to lose weight most effectively, strength training might be your best bet. Cardio is also effective, but is by no means compulsory for fat loss!

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