If you lived through the aerobics-obsessed 80s, you know that cardio exercises were long heralded as the single way to reach weight loss goals. A few decades later, weight training for weight loss has entered the fitness chat as a workout meant for everyone, not just body builders and athletes. In fact, weight training can get you where you want to be, faster, and even make your results more sustainable, says Chad Barribeau, a strength and conditioning coach.
Keep reading to learn more about weight exercises for weight loss, including the best moves for beginners, must-have equipment, and how exactly pumping iron works to help you lose weight.
Why weight training for weight loss works
Weight training, also known as strength training or resistance training, is any exercise using weighted objects “like dumbbells, barbells, or weight machines” that increases muscle mass and strength, explains personal trainer Amanda Capritto. You can also practice weight training using your own body weight.
Strength training aids weight loss by building muscle mass, which is more metabolically active than fat tissue, Capritto explains. The more muscle you build, the higher your resting metabolic rate rises, and “the more kilojoules you can burn while you sleep, walk, work, or sit on the couch,” Capritto adds.
This perk isn’t one you’d get from cardio alone, because cardio burns kilojoules solely by spiking the heart rate, forcing the cardiovascular system to work harder to supply blood and oxygen to working muscles. Still, “in a perfect world, you’re doing a little bit of both,” says Barribeau, to maintain good cardiovascular health.
As with any weight loss plan, diet should also be considered, but weight training is the way to go if you don’t plan to dramatically drop your kilojoule intake. That’s because muscle requires more kilojoules to be maintained, Barribeau explains, so building it will naturally burn more kilojoules and lead to weight loss.
Does weight training lead to “bulking up”?
The assumption that lifting weights automatically leads to “bulking up” or weight gain is a myth, says Barribeau. In fact, the growth spurt is actually way more difficult to achieve than most people realise.
“What most people don’t know is that ‘bulking’, or packing on a ton of muscle mass, is actually insanely difficult,” says Capritto. “It requires many hours in the weight room, eating a lot of kilojoules and dialling in macronutrient ratios, and consistently performing near-maximal work. No one ‘bulks’ by lifting weights at moderate intensity three to four times a week.”
Barribeau adds that the only way to truly put on mass is by eating more kilojoules than you’re burning off in a single day.
Sample weight training plan
“The best workout program for losing body fat includes both strength training and cardio,” says Capritto. “For weight training, you can use a barbell to train your upper body, lower body, and even your core.” She and Barribeau recommend starting with basics, such as:
- Back squats (lifting the barbell behind the shoulders)
- Front squats (lifting the barbell in front of the shoulders)
- Romanian dead lifts
- Hip thrusts
- Overhead presses
- Bench presses
- Bent-over rows
If you don’t have access to a barbell, you can use dumbbells, a kettlebell, or your own body weight, simplified as compound exercises like:
- Squats
- Deadlifts
- Push-ups
- Planks
- Hinges (like kettlebell swings)
- Rows
Check with your doctor if this type of exercise is right for you. And if you're new to strength training, you may want to see a personal trainer to talk you through the correct way to do these exercises.
Rest periods, Barribeau adds, are just as important as getting the movements in, as they affect how efficiently you burn kilojoules. “We want to make sure that we’re working out proper work-to-rest ratios where we’re pushing ourselves without gassing ourselves out,” he says.
With that, he recommends starting with four sets of anywhere between 8 to 12 reps of your chosen exercises, with around 90 seconds of rest between each set. “But depending on your endurance level and everything else, that could drop to as low as 60 seconds, or even be as high as about two minutes,” he adds.
The Australian government recommends adults do muscle strengthening activities on at least two days each week, as well as moderate to vigorous cardio most days.
Weight training for weight loss tips
- Start slow. While acclimatising to your new routine, Barribeau can’t stress this enough: “Don’t rush it,” he says. This will help you avoid injury and actually build strength.
- Take rest days. Capritto recommends taking two rest days per week.
- Be consistent. As with any workout plan, don’t expect to see results right away. “Be patient with it and be consistent,” says Barribeau.
- Keep doing cardio: Both forms of exercise offer different benefits, and in order to reap them all, you should make room for both.
- Remember lifestyle and diet matter, too. “While exercise is important for kilojoule burn, your diet plays a crucial role in weight loss and maintenance,” says Capritto. “Whether focusing on cardio or weight training, you should also pay attention to what you eat, get the right amount of sleep, hydrate adequately and prioritise stress management.”
Weight training for weight loss benefits
In addition to losing weight, Barribeau says strength training can also bring increased energy, decreased risk of injury, and improved flexibility and mobility. A lower body fat percentage, he says, can also reduce your risk of chronic disease and improve cardiovascular and mental health.
Here's how to start strength training from home, including a beginner program.
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