What is the best exercise/training for weight loss?
As a cycling and nutrition coach, I get that question a lot. When someone goes from doing nothing or little exercise to more, at first, they might see some weight loss if they keep their energy (food) intake the same. Law of thermodynamics is no different in humans (energy in vs. energy out). However, exercise/training alone is not how progressive and sustainable weight loss is achieved.
Nutrition is the most important area of focus for weight loss. Not diets either (plenty of evidence these are not sustainable long-term), but positive eating habits that last a lifetime. Sure there are numerous physical and mental health benefits to exercise. Nevertheless, its main role in weight loss is really weight management - that is, once the target weight is achieved.
Also, for those who want improvement in body composition (less fat, more lean mass), a combination of cardio (cycling) and strength (weights) offers the best results. Many people believe cardio is king because it makes them “feel” like they worked their butts off with all the sweat.
This is a helpful post on the topic.
The podcast below gives fascinating insight on research showing how the body behaves/adapts to changes in weight and energy consumption. The main conclusion here is that after losing weight, our bodies will have a very strong drive to eat more, and the best way to balance this for weight maintenance is with exercise.