What exactly are the benefits of cardio exercise (in regards to solely weight loss)?

[Prof_Don]

It's been said that resistance training and HIIT are the best ways to burn the most calories in a set frame of time, as well as raising metabolism after the exercises are done.

With that being said, what is the purpose if doing pure cardio exercises (running, treadmill, elliptical), if the sole goal is to lose weight...

...when HIIT or resistance training is better for burning calories and revving the metabolism after the exercises are finished ?

Please respond as much as you like.

Thanks for your input. 8-)

[kheserthorpe]

Well, the volume you can do is different. You can't do HIIT all day, but you can probably walk for 8 hours, and with some training, run for 8 hours. So if you have half an hour to work out, HIIT will burn more, but if you have all morning, half an hour of HIIT followed by a rest will burn fewer calories then 4 hours of steady state.

TBH, weight loss for most of us doesn't require any exercise.

The main reasons to do long steady state cardio over HIIT are to increase size of the heart's chambers, push down resting heartrate and increase bloodflow through the body. Its _optimal_ for that. The benefits comes slower then HIIT but there is a very high ceiling.

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

Cardio burns more calories per workout then weight lifting. Although 20 minutes of continuous lifting burns more calories than light running for 20 min.. you can run for 60 minutes everyday where as actually lifting continuously for a length of 60 minutes everyday is not sustainable. So per workout (rather than per minute) cardio trumps strength training in terms of weight loss.

Also, cardio has numerous benefits to your health that aren't easily achieved through lifting--- two big ones being, increasing your VO2 max and lowering your heart rate (healthier heart) which in turn these two increase your life expectancy and your overall daily energy.

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

I feel like the two answers that came after me plagarized me a little bit... no?

[lucky24]

in regards to weight loss its only beneficial after a workout

once you finish lifting weights or doing HIIT, the glucose in your body is depleted so jogging/walking, or using elliptical will help burn fat directly from your body.

Really doesn't have great benefits for weight loss unless you create a proper diet where you are creating a calorie deficit to go along with it

[Xx_DRE_xX]

There is some sort of a difference. I figure with more resistance, your working other muscles within your legs harder which not also tones them but burns more aswell.

[Anonymous]

HIIT isn't sustainable, and if you really want to squeeze the most juice on a daily basis you need cardio.