In overweight, sedentary adults with moderate dyslipidemia, a combination of aerobic and resistance training for 8 months results in metabolic improvements equivalent to those achieved by aerobic training alone, with no additional reduction in visceral fat, liver fat, alanine aminotransferase levels, or insulin resistance.

When a person does regular aerobic exercise, their body burns more energy, which pulls fat out of belly and liver stores. This fat gets broken down inside liver and muscle cells to make energy, which clears out excess fat buildup. As fat decreases in these organs, the cells respond better to insulin, allowing blood sugar to be taken up more efficiently. Adding weight training does not increase this fat-burning or insulin response beyond what aerobic exercise already does.