Boosting Metabolism: Cardiovascular or Resistance?
As many of you may have heard CV and weight training are both claimed to boost metabolic rate, but which is best?
Metabolism is important with regards to fat burning and weight maintenance; the body burns calories at all times, therefore the greater your metabolic rate, the greater number of calories you will burn daily.
It’s estimated that raising your lean tissue (muscle) by half a kilo (just over 1lb) can burn an extra 35 calories daily; so 5lbs in weight would equate to an extra 175 calories. Doesn’t sound a lot, but that’s free calories everyday, as muscle is the most metabolically active tissue in the body.
The effect of CV is a bit more complex, but basically the harder your workouts, the greater the effect will be. One survey recently indicated that a workout of higher than 85% of maximum heart rate can burn as much as 180 calories would be burned as the body returns to normal. This is known as a high post-workout metabolic rate.
Also interestingly, increased food intake at the same time as increased exercise intensity can also increase metabolic rate. Eating requires energy, not just whilst you’re eating but afterwards (Thermic Effect of Feeding – TEF). Calorie burning is required as the body digests, absorbs, utilizes and discards what is taken in.
Bottom Line – An exercise routine that incorporates both intense CV and weights would be likely to maximize the effects on metabolism.
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