New Year New Approach. You want to lose body fat? Weights all the way in 2024

With a new year upon us many people approach the gym determined to make this the year that they lose the body fat and be a better healthier version of themselves. I love it! I'm in the business of it. But so so often those perfect intentions get disrupted by the wrong approach, motivation wanes and progress stalls and suddenly what was a river of energy is now a simple stream. So how do we set ourselves up for success in 2024? Focus on Strength Training and less on Cardio Training!

The New Evidence

A study completed by researchers at the University of Stanford and published in the October 2023 edition of Diabetologia found that among around 200 participants that those who did resistance training alone outperformed those on cardio training alone in losing body fat and maintaining healthy blood sugar levels over a 9 month period. Even more suprising that there was no difference in the group doing both cardio and resistance training. While this was a study conducted among type 2 diabetics in a healthy weight (<25kg/m2) the results are still interesting.

Muscle for Fat Loss

Muscle is an expensive tissue to maintain on the body, it can when increased improve your Basal Metabolic Rate and require more energy to maintain your Total Daily Energy Expenditure. Building and maintaining lean muscle is a great way to decrease body fat and improve your energy expenditure while monitoring caloric intake.

What about Cardio

No one doubts that for a strong heart and healthy lungs that cardio is an absolute must, especially for a life of longevity. To improve endurance and especially for athletes who compete in endurance sports cardio is an absolute excellent choice. But if your goal is primarily fat loss you shouldn't be dedicating hours and hours of time on the treadmill or elliptical because there is another way that is much more efficient and effective if the goal is primarily the loss of body fat.

The Goal for 2024

For the vast majority of people the number 1 goal will be to lose some body fat in 2024. Let's be sure not to confuse this with weight loss. With this in mind the mindset should shift to resistance training first. Make it your 2024 priority, combined with improvements in your nutrition and caloric intake and you are setting yourself up for the strongest success for the year. Do not forget cardio, not at all as it is a part of a well rounded exercise routine. Just don't make it the be all and end all when it comes to fat loss. Use cardio to improve your heart health and endurance and focus on your resistance training and nutrition for your primary body composition changes. Start this year off with a shift in your thinking and you will set yourself up for the happiest and most successful year of training. A great book I have mentioned in the past "The Resistance Training Revolution" by Sal Di Stefano should be a must read for you this year.

Happy New Year and good luck. I am always here to help or lend advice so don't hesitate to reach out to me at bpitfit@gmail.com to discuss your training goals for the year ahead. Any to all of my clients, we already focus on resistance training so let's go out and be even better and learn more about what we already do!