In my last blog Fat Loss we learned that losing fat in specific areas or spot reduction of fat was not possible. That the body uses fat as a source of fuel and doing sit ups to tone the tummy will simply make the muscles stronger and burn total body fat, IT WON’T target body fat loss! Check out that article for a really good insight into burning fat and how to transform your body Now I want to share with you the importance of weight training in weight loss programs and how lifting some weights or even doing body weight exercises can help you to BURN FAT FASTER.
For starters I would just like to mention that woman do not have anywhere near the level of testosterone as men do, so if you are worried that lifting weights will make you bulky then please read on and never think like that again! That thought alone will kill your potential for a lower body fat percentage and a healthier body. One of the key benefits of weight training that most women don’t know is that when you put on muscle your metabolism increases and when you diet your metabolism slows down.
One of the key reasons women give up on weight training programs and fitness programs and substitute them for fad diets is that they don’t see the instant results in weight loss. When you go on a fad diet you are both starving your body of food, and slowing you’re your metabolism. However because this is not obvious it’s easy to focus on the fact that you are not eating eating as much fuel so you have an instant drop in weight. Great! If you are eating too much then cut down your food intake but most fad diets get you to dramatically lower your food intake to the point where you feel sluggish, have no energy and want nothing else but to eat regularly again. So at this point your metabolism has slowed down, you can’t burn the fuel as fast and it get stored as fat. Now you are eating the same quantity of food as before and getting fatter all because you have slowed down your metabolism and suffered a starved diet. Naturally when you start out a weight loss program and start exercising more, eating better and doing some weight training your body will be burning more fuel. If you are lifting weights and you haven’t lifted any sort of weight for a very long time, or ever, then you are going to feel stronger, have healthier bones and feel muscles where you have never felt them before. All of these benefits are positive but you must now remember MUSCLE WEIGHS MORE THAN FAT!!
It’s important to understand this when setting goals too. When setting a weight loss goal you don’t want to monitor your success in the early stages on weight loss, but on the doing the right things regularly. The reason is you may become discouraged in the first few weeks that you are doing ALL THE RIGHT THINGS but NOT LOSING WEIGHT. Fast strength progressions happen early in the beginning and as you become stronger, with more muscle, you are also gaining muscle weight. A good weight loss program combines cardiovascular exercise, weight training and quality food in reasonable portions and therefore your muscle gain will counter your fat loss and your weight may stay the same initially. Once you have developed the new muscle your muscle weight will not increase because women don’t have enough testosterone to have bulky muscles and the fat that you are burning will show up on the scales as reduced weight.
Weight loss is a lifestyle change and should happen gradually for the best health benefits. Let me tell you in the first few weeks of any transformational exercise whether it is mental, emotional or physical transformation if it is taking place for the better then your brain will know. We are built with instincts that guide us towards looking after our mind, bodies and health. That’s why sometimes we feel guilty when we have too much chocolate! I’m sure some of you can relate.
Other benefits of weight training include stronger bones and less chance of having osteoporosis. Weight training puts demands on bones and muscles, which causes bones to develop greater bone mineral density and muscles to grow in strength. It will also develop greater joint strength and stability, which will decrease your chances of injury and increase your functionality. You will decrease the risk of degenerative joint disease and lower blood pressure. These are just some of the major benefits of adding strength training to your weight loss program. Try the TrickyFit Squat
Another benefit of weight training is after you have finished your workout your body is still burning more calories than normal even when you are on the couch. This is because you have attacked the muscle fibers and now your body has to work harder to recover and rebuild.
In summary:
· Weight training combined with cardiovascular exercise and good nutrition is the best combination for building a lean, mean fighting machine physique.
· Weight training has dramatic health benefits.
· Metabolism speed will increase with weight training J
· Weight training will not make women bulky, muscly, or masculine because women do not have the physiological make up.
Fat Loss and specific areas.
No comments:
Post a Comment