Does cardio burn muscle or fat?
It’s an age-old question. Many people believe that doing aerobic exercise burns fat while strength training builds muscle. But is this really true? The short answer is yes. Doing any type of exercise can burn calories, and strength training and cardio each burn a different type of calories. Let’s break down how these two types of exercise burn calories and what the difference is between them.
Can cardio burn fat?
There is some evidence that short, high-intensity bursts of cardio can burn a small amount of fat, especially around the belly. But it can take up to 20 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio to burn a single calorie. Plus, if you're not building lean muscle at the same time, you might actually be storing more fat than you burn!
Can cardio burn muscle or fat on me?
Cardio burns calories and fat, which is why the primary focus of most programs is to do 30 minutes of aerobic exercise every day. However, not all types of cardio burn the same amount of calories. High-intensity interval training burns the most calories, and walking and jogging are the least efficient.
Can cardio cut fat or burn muscle?
This is one of the most asked questions about cardio and health. It’s a common misconception that doing a lot of aerobic exercise will strip you of your muscles and leave you looking flabby. This is not true! In fact, regular cardio can actually increase your muscle mass, even if you are strength training. Muscle burns more calories than fat does, so the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn. However, to keep your muscle mass, strength training is a must. Cardio
Does cardio burn fat or build muscle?
Whether or not cardio burns fat is a hotly debated topic. A few years ago it was thought that resistance training could burn more calories than cardio. But more recently, studies have shown that it may take longer to burn as many calories from resistance training as it does from cardio. So, if you want to lose weight, a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) program is a great option.