- “Another new study demonstrated the belly-fat-frying benefit of adding weight training to a vigorous walking or jogging routine. In the 12-week experiment at Skidmore College, exercisers who did a high-intensity total-body resistance workout along with cardio lost four times as much belly fat when compared with exercisers who only did cardio workouts. The researchers attribute the extra fat loss to two things: the stepped-up calorie burn you get immediately after lifting weights and later when you increase your lean muscle mass. Whenever you lose weight, it typically comes from both fat and muscle tissue. Resistance training helps you maintain muscle, which prevents a slowdown in your metabolism. A 2009 study from The College of New Jersey offers further support: Participants who performed an intense weight workout before riding a stationary bike burned more fat during the cardio session than other subjects who pedaled but skipped the weight workout. TCNJ researchers speculate that weight training triggers the release of hormones that burn fat.” The New Abs Diet: The 6-Week Plan to Flatten Your Stomach and Keep You Lean for Life (The Abs Diet) (David Zinczenko and Ted Spiker). Page 11