When you want to lose weight, fitness is indispensable. At first, it was always thought that only cardio would be enough to achieve the desired results. But that is not entirely true. In fact, strength training is at least as important and gives an extra boost. With strength training, you build extra muscle tissue and that results in the fact that you burn calories and fat faster, even when you are not physically active.
Another benefit of more muscle tissue is that it speeds up your metabolism. When you are in the process of losing weight, it is recommended that you do both cardio and strength training. At the gym, they can help you create the right workout schedule to fit your goals.
Characteristics & benefits of cardio training
With cardio training, you burn energy, often in the form of carbohydrates and fats. Because you burn a lot of calories with cardio training, you also lose weight. With cardio you do not develop much muscle tissue which of course you do with strength training. Cardio training also has a positive effect on your blood vessels. When you do cardio training, your blood vessels are put under a higher pressure because more blood is pumped through the veins. This improves the quality of the blood vessels and vascular walls and can better regulate blood pressure in the future.
Stronger blood vessels reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Your heart is stronger and, as a result, it is less likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke. Examples of cardio training include swimming, running, rowing, rope jumping, cross-trainer or cycling.
Features & benefits of strength training
A lot of people still think of strength training only in terms of men, bodybuilders or well-trained athletes. But that hasn't been the case for a long time. Strength training can have a positive effect on everyone. Especially for people with health problems such as arthritis or heart disease. When you do strength training regularly, it makes you have a fitter, stronger and tighter body. But those are not all the benefits of strength training. After a workout, you still burn calories for up to 48 hours. Your muscle tissue develops, which is positive because each kilo of muscle tissue already consumes 100 kilocalories per day at rest.
Strength training also has a positive impact on your mood. That's because strength training increases endorphin levels in your body. Endorphins are neurotransmitters and they act as a natural feel-good drug. The body makes the endorphins itself and it improves mood.
Last but not least, strength training can help you sleep better, and everyone knows that adequate sleep is incredibly important. Examples of strength training include fitness, weightlifting, Crossfit and kettlebell workouts.
How can you combine cardio and strength training?
Of course, it varies from person to person and what your goal is. But there are several options. For example, you can go crossfit, kettlebell training by or boatramps because these often use a combination of strength and cardio exercises. If you prefer to train alone, you can divide your workout as follows: Cardio warm up, strength training, cardio/cooling down. Remember that you need strength to perform an exercise as hard as possible. Therefore, spend up to 10 minutes warming up. After your strength training, you can choose to perform a cardio exercise for 15 to 20 minutes, followed by a short cool down.
The right nutrients
After you finish your workout, don't forget to replenish your body with the right nutrients. For example, opt for a protein shake. Protein shakes help the body build muscle and recover after exercise. Perfect for after exercise and to support your training goals.
Just make sure you pick the right whey or plant-based protein. Choose a variety that does not contain refined sugars and other chemical additives that actually break down on your body. In addition, most brands only look to produce as cheaply as possible without regard for the impact on nature and the animals that live in it. Fortunately, however, there are more and more responsible alternatives on the market.
We as Ekopura aim to make a positive change here and create a stronger world through our products. We use mainly organic and/or plant-based ingredients produced with respect for people, animals and nature. Check out our product range here.
In short, when you combine strength training with cardio you will be amazed at the results. And when you also combine this with healthy nutrition, you will see truly amazing results.
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