{"id":15808,"date":"2026-04-17T23:15:33","date_gmt":"2026-04-17T16:15:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=15808"},"modified":"2026-04-17T23:15:33","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T16:15:33","slug":"whats-better-for-weight-loss-cardio-or-lifting-weights-tony-gentilcore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=15808","title":{"rendered":"What\u2019s Better For Weight Loss: Cardio or Lifting Weights? \u2013 Tony Gentilcore"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>I\u2019m a member of a local neighborhood bank here in Boston. I joined a year ago when I finally grew tired of all the shady hidden fees my previous bank was hammering me with \u2013 maintenance fees, minimal balance fees, checking fees, etc.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s been a lovely experience and I appreciate the more personalized approach my current bank provides. In particular I appreciate Nelson, the gentleman responsible for helping to set up all my business accounts.<\/p>\n<p>Every time I walk in he greets me by name, asks how business is going, and it\u2019s not uncommon for us to detour into some movie small talk.<\/p>\n<p>Also, since he\u2019s the one who manages my business accounts, Nelson also knows what I do for a living and he\u2019ll often ask me for some fitness advice\u2026like he did today when he asked my opinion on what\u2019s better for weight loss: <em><strong>cardio or lifting weights?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter \" src=\"https:\/\/media0.giphy.com\/media\/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExeHYzNnF5eWdremU3bXQ5aXAwYTNoNWw2OXk5NDRpZGpyZzlzd2RhdSZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw\/ObPfCTFbQJDfTbBC73\/giphy.gif\" width=\"334\" height=\"334\"\/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">via <a href=\"https:\/\/giphy.com\/gifs\/sharkweek-shark-week-2021-sharkweek-ObPfCTFbQJDfTbBC73\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">GIPHY<\/a><\/p>\n<h3>Cue Jaws Theme Music<\/h3>\n<p>Now, normally when I\u2019m out in public and stranger or even casual acquaintance asks me that question one of two things happens:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>I immediately fall to the ground and feign an epileptic seizure.<\/li>\n<li>The theme music from <em>Jaws<\/em> reverberates in my inner dialogue.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>It\u2019s such a murky and convoluted question with so many variables to consider that there\u2019s no one definitive way to answer. What\u2019s more, my answer is usually <em>not<\/em> what most people want to hear and all I get in return are a bunch of \u201c<em>mmm\u2019hmms<\/em>\u201d and \u201c<em>uh-huhs<\/em>\u201d peppered with a few \u201c<em>so, that\u2019s great and all , but what I read on the internet was\u2026\u2026.<\/em>\u201c<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019d rather swallow live bees.<\/p>\n<p>However, in Nelson\u2019s case it\u2019s the least I can do. He\u2019s helped me out a ton in the last year, and, you know, I\u2019m not a dick.<\/p>\n<p>So, of course I\u2019m going to answer to the best of my ability and hopefully point him (and you, dear reader) in the right direction.<\/p>\n<h3>Losing Weight 101<\/h3>\n<p>At the most basic level, losing weight comes down to one umbrella theme: eliciting a caloric deficit via taking in less calories than you burn. I often tell clients of mine that this can be as simple as <em>not<\/em> inhaling that bowl of <em>Fruity Pebbles<\/em> on a nightly basis\u2026\u2026.<\/p>\n<p>\u2026\u2026one\u2019s nutrition and being dialed-in with calories in vs. calories out always has been and always will be the main obstacle to consider\/tackle with regards to weight loss.<\/p>\n<p>But too, eliciting a caloric deficit can also be achieved via consistent exercise whether it\u2019s by taking a spin class or by lifting heavy things.<\/p>\n<p>Which is more effective or optimal, however?<\/p>\n<p>Well, that depends.<\/p>\n<p><em><strong>BOTH<\/strong><\/em> work and I often reiterate to people that the answer is not to perform one in lieu of the other. In fact, I encourage everyone to implement both strategies if they have the time and means to do so.<\/p>\n<p>I understand why the bulk of people tend to gravitate towards the cardio end of the spectrum.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Hopping on a spin bike or lacing up a pair of sneakers for a jog tends to be more \u201cuser friendly.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Cardiovascular\u2019centric endeavors tend not to require a gym membership.<\/li>\n<li>They can also be performed anywhere.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>What\u2019s more, one main reason why I feel a lot of people shun lifting weights \u2013 outside of not knowing really where to start \u2013 is that they see is something like this\u2026..<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter \" src=\"https:\/\/media0.giphy.com\/media\/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExdnhqdDgydm5wbWVzMzhtNng4b2F0NWdmMmR4dGZmd3M0dDNpbmVmOCZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw\/EFacCwVwNfubWmxu0A\/giphy.gif\" width=\"397\" height=\"397\"\/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">via <a href=\"https:\/\/giphy.com\/gifs\/BarBend-EFacCwVwNfubWmxu0A\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">GIPHY<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Or this\u2026..<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter \" src=\"https:\/\/media2.giphy.com\/media\/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExMG0wa2ZrOWFrc2o0MTRjZnl2Y2IyNzk5d2ZsdXRxbzgxdnA2djlnMiZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw\/MzEQxvxW4Vxn0JXphU\/giphy.gif\" width=\"367\" height=\"367\"\/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">via <a href=\"https:\/\/media2.giphy.com\/media\/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExMG0wa2ZrOWFrc2o0MTRjZnl2Y2IyNzk5d2ZsdXRxbzgxdnA2djlnMiZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw\/MzEQxvxW4Vxn0JXphU\/giphy.gif\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">GIPHY<\/a><\/p>\n<p>And proceed to destroy the back of their pants.<\/p>\n<p>They see images of advanced, highly-trained individuals performing seemingly unfathomable feats of strength and think to themselves \u201cthat\u2019s a whole lotta nope right there.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>[I\u2019m not going to get into the \u201cwill lifting weights make me bulky\u201d argument right now. For starters, \u201cno, it won\u2019t.\u201d But mostly doing so will just make me want to throw my face into a brick wall repeatedly.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>FYI<\/strong>: Read <a href=\"https:\/\/www.girlsgonestrong.com\/blog\/strength-training\/heavy-bulky\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>THIS<\/strong><\/span><\/a>.]<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The other, more germane reason (I think) why many shun weight-training is, hate to break it to you, sheer ignorance.<\/p>\n<h3>I\u2019m Biased \u2013 But Here\u2019s Why I Think Weight Training Works Well And Should Often Take Priority<\/h3>\n<p>I try to limit the number of blank stares I receive when trying to explain why weight training is important for weight (fat) loss.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s my go-to elevator pitch:<\/p>\n<p><strong>NOTE:<\/strong> Yes, I understand there are many nuances to consider when breaking down the topic. This is a blog post, not a dissertation.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><em>\u201cComparing minute-to-minute\u2026accounting for intensity, cardio will almost always burn more calories compared to lifting weights \u2013 I\u2019d say somewhere in the range of 2-3x more. However, it\u2019s what your body is doing <strong>afterwards<\/strong>, when you\u2019re sitting at home binging Stranger Things on Netflix or playing Magic the Gathering (&lt;\u2014 can we hang out?), that\u2019s the difference maker. When you hop off the elliptical machine you\u2019re pretty much done burning calories. However, when you lift weights, in the hours after, you\u2019re not done. It goes by several names \u2013 Thermal Effect of Exercise, Afterburn Effect, being a brick fucking shit-house \u2013 but when you lift weights, you\u2019re burning calories looooong after you\u2019re done.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h4><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/5743\/files\/tony_g_new_large.jpg?v=1477531863\" width=\"346\" height=\"219\"\/><\/h4>\n<h4>You can also think of it this way:<\/h4>\n<ol>\n<li>Again accounting for intensity, lifting weights, for all intents and purposes, breaks down muscle to a (much) larger degree compared to cardio. It takes energy to build that muscle back up. This requires more energy from the body. This is what\u2019s often used to best explain the AfterBurn Effect mentioned above.<\/li>\n<li>Muscle is more metabolically \u201cactive\u201d tissue compared to fat. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn at rest.<\/li>\n<li>Cardio doesn\u2019t build (that much) muscle. You lose weight, but then you just end up looking like a smaller, weaker version of your original self. Sad face.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>At the end of the day, though, it does come down to personal preference and what people are actually going to do.<\/p>\n<p>If someone <em>really<\/em> hates lifting weights or just <em>really<\/em> likes doing cardio\u2026I\u2019m going to encourage them to stick with whatever modality allows them to remain the most consistent.<\/p>\n<h3>But Here\u2019s My Final Say<\/h3>\n<p>#1. Don\u2019t eat like an asshole<\/p>\n<p>After that\u2026.do both (cardio &amp; lifting weights).<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ll tell people they should prioritize 2-4x per week of weight training and use their cardio to either compliment those days or serve as ancillary \u201cbonus\u201d days to get some exercise in.<\/p>\n<p>I just feel the benefits of <em>adding<\/em>\u00a0strength and muscle to the mix far out-weighs any misconceptions that may exist (and will only help to expedite the process).<\/p>\n<p>As far as <em>how<\/em> to lift weights or where to start? A great option would be to read <em>The New Rules of Lifting<\/em> by Lou Schuler and Alwyn Cosgrove (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/158333338X\/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=158333338X&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=testosteronen-20&amp;linkId=25d3dc1af221f3c1b52732c93d58c026\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>HERE\u2019s<\/strong><\/span><\/a> the version for men, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/gp\/product\/1583333398\/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1583333398&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=testosteronen-20&amp;linkId=98cb39eb4f8e255e7ee9e5efc2d2210f\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>HERE\u2019s<\/strong><\/span><\/a> the version for women) or maybe check out my <a href=\"https:\/\/marketplace.trainheroic.com\/workout-plan\/program\/gentilcore-program-1746476935\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>Beginner to Badass<\/strong><\/span><\/a> program via TrainHeroic.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/tonygentilcore.com\/2026\/04\/whats-better-weight-loss-cardio-lifting-weights\/\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I\u2019m a member of a local neighborhood bank here in Boston. I joined a year ago when I finally grew tired of all the shady hidden fees my previous bank was hammering me with \u2013 maintenance fees, minimal balance fees, checking fees, etc. It\u2019s been a lovely experience and I appreciate the more personalized approach &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15808","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-fitness"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15808","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=15808"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15808\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=15808"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=15808"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=15808"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}