Losing weight is no easy task. And while many people work to achieve this goal by engaging in cardiovascular exercises such as walking, running, biking, and rowing, resistance training is another effective weight loss aid. The reasons why are two-fold.
Why Resistance Training Is Good for Weight Loss
First, it takes more energy for your body to sustain muscle than it does fat. In other words, if you have 20 pounds of muscle, you’ll burn more calories per day than if you have 20 pounds of excess fat. This means that adding more muscle mass to your body via resistance training is a great way to increase your calorie burn—even while engaged in non-active activities such as watching a movie with family or even sleeping.
The second reason that resistance training is wonderful for helping you lose weight is that it makes you look better while going through the process. After all, when your muscles are trim and tone, your body appears more in shape and proportionate which also works to keep you motivated to continue with your workout regimens to get and keep the fit body you desire.
How to Use Resistance Training to Lose More Weight
To achieve your weight loss goals while adding resistance training to your exercise routine, you’ll want to choose weights or resistance that pushes your muscles to the max. This requires choosing resistance that is taxing to your muscles, only allowing you to complete 10-15 reps before feeling fatigued.
Now, a lot of people shy away from using heavy resistance while attempting to lose weight for fear that they will bulk up their body instead of trim them down. However, it is important to remember that many body builders often use a number of supplements to grow their muscles to their massive size, so just doing a grueling strength training workout a couple times a week isn’t going to give you supersized muscles.
If you have any other questions regarding resistance training for weight loss, post them below! I’d love to answer them for you!
