The Study
Resistance training as a key strategy for high-quality weight loss in men and women
This study watched what happened when people chose different ways to lose weight, but didn't assign them randomly. So we can say people who picked weightlifting often lost more fat and kept more muscle—but we don't know if the weightlifting itself caused it, or if those people were just more motivated or healthier to begin with.
Analysis score
Maximum 72 for a cohort study.
Where the score came from
When people eat less to lose weight, they often lose both fat and muscle. This study looked at whether lifting weights helps you lose more fat and keep or even gain muscle.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 565 / 100
Quality score
Groups of people are followed over time to see who develops an outcome. Strong for identifying risk factors and associations, but cannot prove causation as firmly as RCTs.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — gaining muscle while losing fat means you look leaner, stay stronger, and reduce health risks like diabetes and heart disease.
- 2People who lifted weights lost more fat and gained muscle (up to +0.9 kg), while those who did cardio or nothing lost muscle (up to -2.9 kg).
- 3Their waist got smaller too.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Frontiers in Endocrinology
Year
2026
Authors
Yair Lahav, Roi Yavetz, Y. Gepner
Related Content
Claims (6)
Trained individuals can lose body fat and gain muscle at the same time while consuming fewer calories than they burn.
When people lose weight by eating fewer calories, a decrease in waist size is closely linked to a loss of body fat, making waist measurement a reliable way to track effective weight loss.
When adults lose weight by eating fewer calories, doing resistance training leads to more fat loss and less muscle loss than doing aerobic exercise or no exercise.
When people reduce their calorie intake, those who do resistance training lose a greater share of their weight as fat compared to those who do aerobic exercise or no exercise.
During calorie restriction, people who do resistance training maintain or gain fat-free mass, while those who do aerobic exercise or no exercise lose fat-free mass.
When people reduce their calorie intake, doing resistance training leads to larger decreases in waist size compared to doing aerobic exercise or no exercise, which corresponds to a greater loss of fat around internal organs.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.