When you think of lifting weights, what image pops into your mind? Is it a muscle bound man or woman with arms and legs the size of tree trunks? Unfortunately, it is this one image that stops a number of people from lifting weights when their goal is to lose weight. However, building muscle is just as critical to decreasing your waistline as cardio. Let me explain.
One of the top reasons that people struggle with dropping their excess pounds is a too-low metabolism. This is generally a result of years and years of binging and dieting, and it can be even more problematic if you tend to have a sedentary job. Fortunately, lifting weights is one way to easily raise your metabolism so that you burn even more calories—even while at rest.
Basically, you want to think of your body like a wood burning stove. When you engage in strength training, you are adding wood and oxygen to the fire, causing it to burn hotter than ever, which ultimately melts off your excess pounds.
Even when you’re done throwing the dry logs into it (a.k.a. when you’re done exercising), it still simmers at a moderate intensity heat, keeping your body in calorie burning mode long after your workout is complete. This means that your time spent later in the day relaxing with family and friends isn’t lowering your body’s ability to get rid of fat as it is still at an elevated level.
This helps you get to your weight loss goals faster than if you just do cardio alone. In fact, just adding 2 to 4 strength training sessions per week is enough to give you that edge, helping you fit into those smaller jeans quicker than ever.
If your goal is to lose weight, give lifting weights a try. You may be pleasantly surprised!
