We all know doing regular exercise is a way to trim down. However, the best exercise choice for weight loss is debatable.
The most obvious variety is cardio or endurance-based activities, which is usually done at a moderate intensity — a pace where you move strenuously enough to burn off three to six times as much energy per minute as you would do sitting at your desk. Think brisk walking, jogging or stair climbing. That said, minute per minute, cardio exercise burns more calories than strength training.
Still, cardio doesn't do much for your muscles, hence why others would argue the importance of resistance-type training and its effect on the metabolic rate. Put simply, resistance training keeps the calorie burn going for longer and because of this, it's commonly said that building muscle is key to boosting how many calories you burn, even when you're not exercising.
This notion is commonly known as the "after burn effect", which refers to all of the oxygen (and calories) your body needs and uses post workout to help repair your muscles and recover. This effect can last up to 48 hours, depending on the level of intensity you exercise and how fit you are.