The Truth About Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Exercise

Every few months or so someone asks me “what’s the best and quickest way to burn fat and calories.” My answer is always the same: a mixture of aerobic and anaerobic workouts are the most effective method to reach your fitness goals.

When we exercise, our body burns off energy in the form of calories. Those calories are burned from fat and carbohydrate reserves. Just as the number of calories burned depends on your level of activity, the number of fat and carbohydrates burned varies by activity as well. Both aerobic and anaerobic exercises burn fat and carbohydrates at different rates. Whether an exercise is considered aerobic or anaerobic depends on the energy system your body uses to fuel it.

Aerobic exercise (more commonly known as cardio) is exercise that requires pumping of oxygenated blood by the heart to deliver oxygen to working muscles. Aerobic exercise causes the heart rate and breathing rate to increase in a way that can be sustained for the exercise duration. In contrast, anaerobic exercise is activity that causes you to be quickly out of breath, like sprinting or lifting heavy weight. Examples of aerobic exercises include cardio machines, spinning, running swimming, walking, hiking, aerobics classes, dancing, cross country skiing, and kick boxing.

Benefits of aerobic exercise is improvement in fitness levels, and physical and emotional health. Aerobic activity also prevents or reduces the chance of developing some cancers, diabetes, depression, cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis.

Benefits of anaerobic exercise is that it builds muscle, improves physical performance, augments metabolism, supports weight loss, fights depression, reduces chronic disease risk, strengthens bones, and promotes healthy aging. Anaerobic exercise is beneficial for good health across the lifespan, the benefits are especially important as the body ages. Examples of anaerobic exercises include weight lifting, sprints, plyometrics, isometrics, and high intensity interval training (HIIT).

As with any workout routine always remember the importance of recovery and allow the body to rest at least 24 to 48-hours per week. Also, be sure that you fuel your body properly with good nutrition and maintain hydration.