Ultimately, losing weight is about burning more calories than you take in. This can be achieved by exercising more and eating less. Should I Focus Mostly On Exercise For Weight Loss? In this blog, we will give answer of this question.A combination works best to support the waste process and, more importantly, to retain the result. But how does that work? And which sport works best for weight loss? 

Scientists have long been concerned with the question of which sport form best helps you lose weight. They divide ‘sport’ into roughly 2 categories. The sports that make your heart beat faster (cardio) and sports that give you more muscle mass (especially strength training).

If you look purely at the number of calories you burn during exercise, cardio is the winner. Cardio includes sports such as cycling , running , swimming . Depending on your pace and intensity, you can quickly burn 300 to 800 calories per hour. The following applies, the harder your heart beats, the more intensively and the more calories you burn. Swimming enthusiasts have an extra advantage, because the following also applies: the colder the water, the more calories you consume.

Losing weight with strength training: the role of basal metabolic rate

With strength training you burn fewer calories than with cardio. But that’s not to say that strength training can’t help you lose weight. Becoming fat is an insidious process, in which a sedentary existence often plays a major role. Not only will you burn fewer calories, your muscle tissue will slowly disappear. The less muscle tissue, the lower the basal metabolic rate. The basal metabolic rate is the energy that your body uses in resting mode (when you sleep). With strength training you increase your muscle mass, and with that you also increase your basal metabolism. For example: a 100 kg man with little muscle mass and 30% fat mass (a good beer belly) has a basal metabolism of 1,882 calories. In a bodybuilder with a fat mass of 12%, the basal metabolism amounts to 2270 calories *. Do they eat the same thing for a year, then the man with the beer belly at the end is 20 kilos heavier. It works exactly the same for women.

Movement and the effect on your body

Both cardio and strength training improve insulin balance; your cells become more sensitive to the effect of insulin. Insulin is the hormone you produce in response to carbohydrates (grains, sugar, potatoes, fruit). Thanks to insulin, carbohydrates (in the form of glucose) go to your muscles to get their energy. In addition to burning calories, all forms of exercise also do something: it improves the condition of the heart and vessels, which reduces the risk of lifestyle diseases such as cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes .

Losing weight with sports: how do I start?

Getting more exercise is difficult because it requires a change in behavior. One of the most frequently cited reasons why people fail to move or keep moving is because they have no plan and set unrealistic goals. For example: if you want to go from never exercising to exercising 3 times a week. This requires a major change in behavior and does not feel feasible. The latter in particular creates a negative feeling and makes people give up. An important tip is to set a goal that feels achievable and to work towards this goal in small steps. Then it is more likely that you will stick with it. It also prevents nasty injuries . For example, start walking once every week. Do you find that you can keep it up? Then expand it to walk more often or longer or add another sport. Can you use a helping hand in this? Then sign up for the Weekly Goal . In addition, choose a form of sports or exercise that you enjoy. If you exercise only to burn calories, but it feels like torment, chances are you won’t be able to sustain it in the long run. For example, choose a fun team sport, exercise in nature or exercise with a friend. 

Lose weight with sports without dieting?

In addition to more sports and exercise, it is also important to review your diet if you want to lose weight. Do not suddenly change your entire diet here either. Start with small steps and set goals that you can sustain. Take a look at our Healthy Weight Coach if you can use help with this.