Weight training, resistance training, strength training – it’s called many things and contrary to popular belief it is still the best thing you can start doing today for your health and weight loss goals.
1: Resistance Training Burns Calories and Fat Most people still believe that getting hot & sweaty from traditional cardio is the answer to their weight loss goals.
WRONG. Building lean muscle is your best friend when it comes to burning fat. 1lb of muscle burns 10-20 calories each day while you’re at rest – no extra effort required. Regular resistance training will help to increase your lean muscle mass as well as preserve existing muscle mass. Quite simply, the more lean muscle you have and can retain, the more calories you will burn.
2: Muscle toning & shaping requires resistance/weight Contrary to popular belief, light weights and high reps do not result in a toned physique. Sorry to break this news to you. These high rep schemes will increase your muscular endurance but will not add strength or shape.
In order to gain that toned, athletic shape, you need to start building lean muscle mass. The only way to do this is to increase the weights you use and drop the number of reps you do. This increased resistance will challenge your body and force it to adapt and to build muscle.
Start with an 8-10 repetition range and increase the weights (in small increments) with each set.
3: Lifting Weights Does Not Women Bulk Up. Quite the opposite, in fact. In a combination on points 1 and 2, resistance training will increase the amount of lean muscle on your body and will result in a toned, shaped look. At the same time, resistance training enables you to burn calories and fat to enhance that athletic look.
Let’s got something straight, building lean muscle is not the same thing as ‘bulking up’. We cannot tell you the number of times we hear that women don’t want to use weights as it will make the bulky.
The female body does not contain high enough levels of testosterone to produce high levels of muscle building. Bulking up takes a huge amount of effort, dedication and time. If it were that easy to build muscle (which it isn’t), every guy would be at spin to build his calves & quads……
4: Resistance Training is for Everyone Resistance training is not just for the young – everyone can and should be doing it. No matter your age, we can all benefit from better strength and joint flexibility, improved co-ordination and better balance.
Another huge reason why everyone at any age should be using resistance training is to improve bone density. Improving bone density can lead to a decreased risk of osteoporosis (also known as brittle bones), which can be a big issue as we age.
Start today and include resistance training as part of your regular fitness routine. We promise you’ll see marked improvements in your general health as well as achieving your weight loss goals.