Many people think of "getting in shape" as losing weight by burning calories through aerobic exercise. When pressed, they would admit that what they really mean by this is reducing their level of fat and "in shape" is taken to mean how far they can run without losing their breath. Then there are others who think of getting in shape as getting bigger and stronger through lifting weights. Which is better for you? You may be surprised.

Lifting weights has a long history of being misunderstood. Many have avoided it because they believed it would make them “musclebound” or otherwise unattractive. However, such people neglect how unlikely such results are, or how much weight lifting can benefit them. Strong muscles are themselves desirable, if only because they improve posture and the function of internal organs. But strength also improves almost everyone’s appearance. Greater strength does mean bigger muscles, but, in nearly all people, this simply means a better shape or tone. Larger muscles also burn more calories than small muscles do, even at rest! Perhaps even better, when a weight lifting session is done with sufficient intensity, it also improves heart and lung capacity.

Heart and lung capacity is what cardiovascular or "aerobic" training is all about. Heart disease is the biggest killer in the United States, so a strong heart and lungs can improve anyone’s chances of avoiding it. It is widely accepted that cardiovascular exercise can strengthen our heart and lungs. It is also an article of faith that this type of exercise burns calorie and helps us lose weight. Indeed, that is good advice for most of us, and it holds especially true for those who don’t have much time. However, a big drawback is that running so much can simply take too much time. Moreover, many people are just not disciplined enough.

The best solution may be to both lift weights and do cardiovascular training. Would you do this combination if you could do it in less time than it takes you to just do the typical cardiovascular training? You can accomplish this by training intensely. Intensity means great effort for a very brief period. Though low intensity cardiovascular effort can burn calories using more fat as fuel than intense weight training can, the intense weight training can burn that same number of calories in far less time. Thus, intense weight training can burn more fat than low intensity aerobic exercise in less time. This surprises those who have heard so many times that spending a lot of time on a calorie-burning machine is the fastest way to lose weight.

Thus, for losing weight, as well as promoting their general health, most people can get the maximum benefit from brief and intense weight training, followed by about half an hour of lower intensity cardio work. This only needs to be one only a few times per week. It seems that more people don’t do intense weight training because it is just so hard! Easier is always easier, but it is not always best, especially when it comes to exercise. Many folks want to talk or read while working out so accomplish very little. If you really don't want to look like a bodybuilder, but only slimmer and better, it won’t be so hard. In any case, you can always reduce your effort when you start getting those stares of admiration.



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