A combination of weight training and aerobic exercise is the best prescription for overweight patients at risk for diabetes and heart disease. Only aerobic exercise is also as good as it reduces weight and takes inches off the waist. Just weight lifting alone has very little benefit.According to a study published in the American Journal of Cardiology, people in the weight–training group gained about 1.5 pounds and those in the aerobic exercise group lost an average of 3 pounds and half an inch from their waists.Those who did both weight and aerobic training dropped about 4 pounds and 1 inch from the waistline. This group also saw a decrease in diastolic lower blood pressure and the metabolic syndrome score.Both the aerobic–only group and the combined-exercise group also lowered their levels of bad triglycerides.