Many Americans perform cardio day in and day out with little or no results to show for it. Make no mistake about it, cardio is a vital part of any weight loss routine, but it is not the only part. Believe it or not, resistance training exercises such as weight lifting are crucial to lose fat and change your body shape and composition.
When you increase your strength and muscle endurance, you can train at a higher intensity using more weight for an extended period of time. Also, by adding resistance training to your workout, you increase the variety of your workouts which leads to muscle confusion and an increased calorie burn. The variety in your workout also keeps you more interested in your workout and less likely to get bored and drop your routine.
Muscle is an active tissue meaning it constantly requires energy to maintain the muscle. Weight lifting increases the muscle mass in your body. Increased muscle mass means increased caloric requirements to maintain the muscle which leads to an increased metabolism and ultimately you burn more total calories throughout the day—including while at rest! Let me give you an example. Let’s say “Stan” is 6’0, 250 lbs, 30 years old, and has a body fat percentage of 60% (and therefore a lean body mass percentage of 40%). “Bob” is 6’0, 250 lbs, 30 years old, and has a body fat percentage of 20% (and therefore a lean body mass of 80%). Stan and Bob are identical in all ways except for the muscle mass of each. Because Bob has much more muscle, he is going to burn significantly more calories than Stan. Even at rest, Bob will be burning more calories than Stan because his resting metabolic rate (RMR) is higher—You heard that right, just sitting at his desk, Bob will burn more calories than Stan!
Resistance training is the best way that you can change
the shape of your body. Aerobic exercises (cardio) can help you lose fat, but nothing screams healthy like a toned body….one that has muscle definition. Now ladies, I know what you are thinking: “All that weight training is for guys….I don’t want to bulk up and look manly”. Lifting weights will not cause you to look manly; in fact, it can help you look more toned and feminine. Resistance training is a crucial part of any successful health plan and can easily be added into your daily workout routine. At Utah’s Live-In Fitness Camp our staff of certified personal trainers will teach you how to lift weights including the proper form and breathing techniques. You will learn different ways to perform resistance exercises and therefore increase your metabolism. Our trainers at Utah's Live-In Fitness Camp our the most experienced in the industry and have the most knowledge in completing your desired weight loss goals for a lasting change. They are extremely passionate about their jobs and want to help you reach your full potential. Give us a call today and talk to a member of our caring staff. It is never too late to start lifting weights and losing weight!