Running vs. Weightlifting
Ever spend hours per week running and struggle to understand why you can’t lose weight? The truth is, unless you are super consistent with your running regimen, it is less effective at weight loss than strength training. In this blog I am going to unpack the benefits of strength training and explain why it is superior for long term weight loss than running alone, while giving running the credit it deserves.
Strength training is anything you do for exercise that requires resistance. This can be body weight, dumbbells, kettlebells, or cable equipment (this is not an exhaustive list). Benefits of strength training can be found in detail in an earlier blog post, but for the purposes of this blog, I am outlining the 5 reasons that strength training is important in weight loss and maintenance:
1) Burn calories efficiently; metabolism can be boosted for up to 72 hours after a strength workout.
2) Increase resting metabolic rate (RMR) by increasing muscle mass (which burns more calories at rest than fat… aka when you’re sitting on the couch).
3) Increase heart health by strengthening the heart and vessels and improving circulation.
4) Promote bone development and maintenance. When the bones are placed under stress, osteoblasts rebuild them stronger. This can help with osteoporosis and arthritis at any age.
5) Brain health is improved in people that strength train, and it also helps prevent against age related cognitive decline. Brain derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) expression is increased, which is linked to learning and memory.
Running definitely has a place in your training program, but it should be in conjunction with a regular strength program that hits all of your muscles. Benefits of running include:
1) Improved cardiovascular function, lowers resting heart rate.
2) Burn a lot of calories (depending on time/distance).
3) Can help grow strong leg bones, as it is weight bearing.
4) Improved knee and back health.
5) Better sleep quality.
*Running in conjunction with a strength program can help maintain a healthy body weight
There are other factors that contribute to which type of program you should be following, but at the end of the day, no matter who you are, you should be incorporating strength training into your fitness regimen as well as cardio. Sometimes (ideally most times) your strength training will also serve as an adequate cardio workout, so if you have to choose just one, prioritize hitting all of your muscle groups in a week with strength training (3-4 days per week), and run on opposite days (1-2 days per week).
*Endurance runners and those training for long distance runs (half marathons, etc.) would follow a different style of training program. This information is for the average person.