Gym Lycan

Cardio or Weights First: Which Boosts Weight Loss Best?

Quick Answer: If your goal is weight loss, it’s generally best to do cardio after lifting weights. Weight training first makes your body burn through glycogen stores, and then it has to turn to fat stores for fuel during your cardio workout. This maximizes fat loss.

When it comes to fat loss, your body first prioritizes burning stored glycogen for fuel.¹ Glycogen is stored sugars and carbs in your muscles and liver. This glycogen is mostly burned first before your body starts burning fat stores.

Weight training mainly uses glycogen for fuel since it can be quickly broken down to create energy for short bursts of energy.² Glycogen is the ideal energy source since weight training is mostly high-intensity and shorter intervals.

By burning through your glycogen stores first, your body will then be primed for a higher level of fat burning. Lower intensity, longer duration steady state cardio generally uses your fat metabolism.³

Weightlifting uses up your glycogen stores, and then your body is forced to burn even more fat for fuel during cardio. The fat loss will be even higher since cardio typically burns fat for fuel.

Doing weight training first also allows you to have more energy for the strength training. If you do cardio first, then your muscles will be weaker due to the depleted glycogen stores. This worsens your results by reducing muscle gains.⁴

It’s easier to power your way through your cardio exercises than it is to power your way through a strength training workout.