Experts are saying weight training is underrated when it comes to choosing effective weight loss workouts because prior studies too often tout the benefits of aerobic exercises. A study conducted by researchers at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) compared two different exercises to figure out which ones provided more weight loss benefits, and published their findings in the journal Obesity.

"Because aging is associated with sarcopenia, the loss of skeletal muscle mass, relying on body weight alone is insufficient for the study of healthy aging," the study’s lead author Rania Mekary, a researcher in HSPH's Department of Nutrition, said in a press release. "Measuring waist circumference is a better indicator of healthy body composition among older adults. Engaging in resistance training or, ideally, combining it with aerobic exercise could help older adults lessen abdominal fat while increasing or preserving muscle mass."

Over a 12-year period, researchers measured the waist circumference and body weight of 10,500 healthy American men who were 40 and older. The study took place between 1996 and 2008, where they compared 20 minutes of weight training a day to moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise, yard work, or stair climbing. When it comes to losing inches from their waistline, weight training was the most effective. For years, aerobic exercises, such as cycling, swimming, stair climbing, elliptical, dancing, and running have been some of the most relied upon exercise approaches for weight loss, yet weight training trumps them all.

Muscle tissue growth is stimulated when pressure is applied to it, which is why using weights with repetitions improves muscle response. Many times, dieters will lighten up or avoid weight lifting all together, especially females, because they think they’ll bulk instead of slim down. Fewer repetitions with heavier weight workouts actually burn more calories during the workout because it requires greater exertion from the body. Women shouldn’t shy away from weight training because they don’t naturally have enough testosterone to achieve the physique of a body builder.