I've cycled through both and I keep flipping. First real stretch I did zero lifting, just a 45-minute walk after dinner most nights, rain or not. Lost about 30 pounds across a year and felt genuinely good. Then a bad work stretch wiped out the habit and most of that came back.
This time I've added two lifting days a week because everyone says muscle is what keeps it off long term. And the scale has been slower — noticeably. But my sleep got better, my appetite feels less feral, and my back quit grumbling on the stairs at work.
So walking gave me the number drop. Lifting gave me the mood and the steadier hunger. I don't think I can pick a winner, which is annoying because I want one.
What actually held your loss steady — the slow grind under a bar, or just consistently getting your steps in? Curious what a normal week looked like for you when things felt like they were clicking.