Anaerobic and aerobic exercise for weight loss: Which is better?

Anaerobic and aerobic exercises are good for your overall health, especially your heart. So, should you choose walking and cycling or skipping squats for weight loss?

Wondering whether you should choose anaerobic or aerobic exercise? The choice depends on your fitness goals. While aerobic exercise, or cardio, uses oxygen to break down nutrients to provide energy, anaerobic works differently. It relies on glucose stored in the muscles to power you up. How your body uses stored energy is one of the main differences between the two, but they are both great ways to stay fit. One may be better than the other, especially if you want to lose weight. Let’s find out who wins in this anaerobic vs aerobic exercise weight loss debate.

What is anaerobic exercise?

anaerobic exercise It involves high-intensity activity in a short period of time, fueled by energy stored in the body. “Anaerobic exercises often include strength and power training exercises such as sprinting, weightlifting, resistance exercises, push-ups, jump training (plyometrics), and burpees,” shares the fitness and nutrition expert. Aman Puri.

A woman doing anaerobic exercise — Anaerobic exercise is good for building strength. Image courtesy: Freepik

Regular anaerobic exercise helps:

What is aerobic exercise?

Aerobic exercise training involves increasing the use of oxygen and burning fatty acids, which provide energy during exercise. These types of activities are often performed at varying intensities over a longer period of time. Aerobic exercise, also called cardio or endurance activity, involves sustained activity that increases heart rate and breathing as well as oxygenation.

Exercises such as walking, cycling, running and swimming may help:

Increase stamina and endurance
General strength and conditioning
Manage weight
Improve cardio-respiratory health

Anaerobic and aerobic exercise for weight loss: Which is better?

If your goal is to lose excess weight, aerobic exercise may be better for you. In a study published in 2015 Journal of Physical Therapy ScienceResearchers found that aerobic exercise reduced weight better than anaerobic exercise in obese participants. Another study published in the journal obesity journal in 2013 showed that aerobic exercise alone led to significant weight loss in both men and women. They saw an average weight loss of 5 percent due to a decrease in fat mass.

“Both aerobic and anaerobic exercises burn calories, but they vary in the intensity or duration of the exercise,” says Puri.

Activities like running or cycling for 30 minutes can burn almost 280 to 350 calories.
Moderate circuit training or moderate rowing burns about 200 to 240 calories in half an hour.
Doing butterfly or backstroke in swimming can burn approximately 400 calories.
Brisk walking burns approximately 150 to 180 calories. Walking or running uphill burns almost 600 calories.
Power barbell or strength training It can burn up to 370 to 410 calories.
Burpees and jumping squats burn almost 350 to 400 calories in 30 minutes of intense exercise.

Aerobic exercise may be better than anaerobic for weight loss. Image courtesy: Freepik

Including aerobic activities such as jumping, running and cycling can help with weight control in daily life, but you should also include anaerobic activities to burn calories.

“Combining aerobic and anaerobic exercises in your routine can help you build better endurance and increase muscle strength, in addition to shedding extra pounds,” says the expert.

Anaerobic and aerobic exercises for weight loss

1. Running (aerobic exercise)

It can be done simply by beginners or intensified with incline or uphill runs.
Start with a 10-minute running warm-up and 15 to 20 minutes of jogging.

2. Jump squats (anaerobic exercise)

Keep your body straight with your feet hip-width apart.
Bend your hips and knees in a squat pose.
Stand up straight again, push through your heels and leap forward.
Start with one set of 8 to 15 repetitions, then increase the number of sets to intensify the training.

3. Swimming (aerobic exercise)

There are many swimming stylesand breaststroke is one of them.

Keep your body straight and swim with your face in the water.
Place your hands on top of each other while keeping your arms and legs straight.
With your thumbs down, press your hands out and back to form a circle.
Lift your head up a little and breathe.
Point your thumbs up, clasp your hands in front of your shoulders, and keep your elbows close to your body.
Bend your knees and point them out as you bring your feet toward your hips.
Extend your arms forward and kick out and back in a circle.
Bring your feet together, drop your head under the water and exhale.
Move forward and repeat the steps for about 30 minutes.

4. Deadlift (anaerobic exercise)

Pick up a weight bar from the floor with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Bend over and lift the gym equipment and move your back straight up.
Slowly bring the weight back while leaning forward.

5. Cycling (aerobic exercise)

Sit on the bike, hold the handlebars with your elbows straight.
Your knees should be lower than your hips as you tap your feet on the pedal in a circular motion.

Anaerobic and aerobic exercises are beneficial for general health. They can help with weight loss, strength building, and improving heart health. However, people with chronic medical problems or injuries or those in the older age group should consult their doctors before doing these physical activities.