People tend to focus on cardiovascular exercises when trying to reach a healthier weight, but new research from Iowa State University indicates that weight training could be more effective for long-term weight loss.
The researchers analyzed data from the Aerobics Center Longitudinal Study, which tracked the health and fitness of thousands of patients from 1987 to 2005. They found that those who regularly engaged in weight training were 20 to 30 percent less likely to become obese.
The patients studied engaged in a wide variety of daily exercise regimens, and the researchers compared those habits to measurements of waist circumferences and body-fat percentage to determine the impact of different types of exercise on healthy body weight.
According to the findings, practicing weight-based training several times a week for one to two hours corresponded with healthier body weights. Those who combined weight-based training with aerobic exercise were even more unlikely to become obese.
The bottom line? The researchers say that based on their findings, a little weight training in your routine can go a long way. If you’re just starting to implement a more regular workout schedule, it is worth your time to start with weight training, rather than aerobic exercise.
Source study: PLOS Medicine – Resistance exercise, alone and in combination with aerobic exercise, and obesity in Dallas, Texas
