One Year Aerobic Endurance Training Raises Fat Oxidation During Exercise But Not Resting Metabolic Rate

While doing aerobics on a regular basis is unquestionably healthy, it will not have the same beneficial effects on resting metabolic rate (RMR) as weight training. At least this is what a recent study (Scharhag-Rosenberger. 2010) suggests.

The German scientists observed previously untrained, but healthy subject, who jogged/walked 3 days a week for 45 minutes, over a whole year and recognized positive effects on body composition and rate of fat oxidation during exercise.

Relative contribution of fat and carbohydrate (CHO) oxidation to
RMR (pie chart: means, data: means ± SD, N = 17). (Scharhag-Rosenberger. 2010. Fig.3)

On the other hand cardiovascular exercise failed to provide beneficial effects on the subjects' resting metabolic rate. Thus, if you intend to lose weight and to keep it off, you should complemented your jogging/walking sessions by a concurrent strength training regime. The latter will increase RMR (due to an increase in energy consuming muscle mass) and thus facilitate weight loss and weight management especially after and in the course of a calorie restricted diet.