Lifting Weights Is Better Than Cardio for Fat Loss — Here's the Data

If your goal is fat loss and you spend more time doing cardio than lifting weights, you're making a grave mistake.

Lifting weights is the best — the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world! — form of exercise for fat loss. Like cardio, it burns calories. Unlike cardio, it helps you build muscle and burn more calories at rest.

After you’ve lost the weight, it helps you look toned instead of just a smaller version of your current self. We call that skinny fat. And nobody likes skinny fat. Unless it's your arch enemy scrolling through your photos going "Hahaha, sucker."

We've known this for a while. But a recent study laid it out about as clearly as you'll ever see.

What a 2026 Study of 304 Adults Found About Resistance Training and Fat Loss

Lahav et al. (2026) published a retrospective cohort study in Frontiers in Endocrinology tracking 304 adults — men and women, ages 20 to 74 — over roughly five months. Everyone followed a calorie-restricted diet with a ~500 calorie daily deficit. Three groups emerged based on what exercise each person chose: no exercise, aerobic training, or resistance training. Body composition was measured via DXA, the gold standard.

All three groups lost a similar amount of total weight. But the composition of that weight loss told a completely different story.

• Resistance training group: Lost the most fat. Only group — men and women — that gained lean mass.

• Aerobic group: Lost some fat, but also lost muscle.

• No exercise group: Lost the least fat and shed the most muscle relative to total weight lost.

The ratio seals it!

For every kilogram of weight the no-exercise group lost, only 0.7 kg was fat. Aerobic group: 0.86 kg. Resistance training group: 1.1 kg. They lost more fat than total body weight because they were adding muscle at the same time.

Why Muscle Loss During a Diet Matters More Than You Think

When you lose muscle along with fat, three things happen. None of them good:

• Your metabolic rate drops faster than it should

• You look softer at the same body weight

• You become more likely to regain the fat you lost

When you preserve or gain muscle while losing fat, you flip all three of those outcomes. Higher metabolic rate, leaner appearance at any given scale weight, AND better long-term results.

Two people can lose 15 pounds and end up in very different places depending on what those 15 pounds were made of.

Cardio Is Still Important

Any exercise is better than no exercise, and cardiovascular training is critical for heart health, endurance, blood pressure, and longevity. You should be definitely be doing it.

But for fat loss — for reshaping how your body looks and functions — lifting weights is your golden ticket to a leaner, more defined version of yourself.

Best,

John

P.S. Kelly and I went to the Museum of Natural Science in Houston on Saturday and it was AWESOME. The Terracotta Army exhibit was mind blowing. Here I am with a 2,000 year old statue. 2,000!!

FAQ

Is lifting weights or cardio better for losing fat? Lifting weights. While both burn calories, resistance training preserves and builds lean muscle during a calorie deficit. That means more of the weight you lose comes from fat, not muscle — which leads to a leaner look, a higher metabolic rate, and better long-term weight maintenance.

Can you lose fat by lifting weights without cardio? Yes. Fat loss comes from a calorie deficit, not from cardio specifically. Lifting weights in a deficit drives fat loss while protecting muscle mass. Cardio can help increase your deficit, but it's a supplement to resistance training — not a requirement.

Why do I look "skinny fat" after losing weight? When you lose weight without resistance training, a significant portion of that weight comes from muscle. The result is a lower number on the scale but a softer, less defined appearance. Lifting weights during fat loss prevents this by preserving the lean tissue that gives your body shape and definition.

How many times per week should I lift weights to lose fat? Two to three resistance training sessions per week is enough to preserve muscle and drive fat loss during a calorie deficit. Consistency and progressive overload matter more than frequency.