Why Is Strength Training Effective For Losing Weight?
Are you looking to lose weight, but can’t reach your goals by running on a treadmill? You are not alone. Many people wonder whether to do cardio or lift weights to lose weight. Contrary to what some may think, you don’t need to run, cycle, or do cardio to lose weight. Strength training can also be beneficial for weight loss. In this blog post, we’ll explore why is strength training effective for losing weight and how to practice it for optimal results.
The Link between bodybuilding And weight loss
Bodybuilding is often considered a practice to increase muscle mass and improve physical strength. However, strength training can also be used as a very effective way to lose weight. Indeed, muscle strengthening helps to increase basic metabolism.
Indeed, when we perform strength training exercises, our muscles suffer micro-lesions that require repair. To do this, our body must use energy to synthesize new proteins and rebuild damaged muscle fibers.
Additionally, building new muscle fibers increases the total muscle mass of our body, which increases the basal metabolism of our body. By increasing our metabolism, we burn more fat at rest, which can help maintain a healthy weight and lose weight more easily.
Why Is Strength Training Effective For Losing Weight?
–Muscle strengthening
Bodybuilding is a sport that strengthens muscles and improves body composition by increasing muscle mass and reducing body fat. Muscles therefore need more energy to function, even at rest, meaning the body burns more calories over time.
–Calorie Burning
Strength training workouts can help with weight loss by burning calories. Exercises such as squats, pull-ups and bench presses burn around 350 calories in a 45-minute session. This amount of energy can be used to create a calorie deficit conducive to rapid weight loss.
–Increased metabolism
Metabolism is the process by which the body converts food into energy. Several factors can influence metabolism, including muscle mass and rate of physical activity. Strength training can help increase basal metabolism, meaning the body burns more calories even when resting.
Why does the weight on the scale increase when we do strength training?
It is common to find that the weight on the scale increases when you start to do strength training. This can be confusing for some because they may think their body is gaining fat rather than losing weight. However, it is important to understand that strength training can lead to an increase in muscle mass, which can translate into an increase in weight on the scale.
Indeed, strength training can help burn fat and lose weight by increasing metabolism and stimulating muscle growth. However, because muscle is denser than fat, an increase in muscle mass can translate into an increase in body weight.
It is important not to get discouraged by this increase in weight on the scale and instead focus on the other benefits of strength training, such as improved strength and endurance, increased metabolism and reduction of body fat. It is also important not to focus solely on body weight, but rather to consider other health indicators such as body composition, muscle strength and cardiovascular health.
So if the number on the scale doesn’t change right away, don’t give up. It’s worth it in the long run!
How to practice strength training to lose weight?
Lifting weights to lose weight involves structuring your workout program in a particular way, focused on weight loss rather than other goals like muscle development.
–Create a training plan
Here are some tips to help you structure your strength training program to achieve your goal of rapid and lasting weight loss:
- Start with basic exercises: Cross-joint exercises are movements that work multiple muscle groups at once, such as squats, deadlifts, pull-ups, bench presses and dips. They allow you to burn more calories and work multiple muscle groups at the same time. Work on sets of 8 to 12 repetitions (example: 4 sets of 8-12 repetitions)
- Add isolation exercises: Isolation exercises are movements that target a specific muscle group, such as the biceps, triceps, shoulders, or quadriceps. They are useful for building muscle mass, but also for improving muscle definition and burning extra calories.
- Use medium to heavy weights: Using medium to heavy weights is essential for building muscle mass, increasing metabolism and burning calories. It’s important to find the weight that’s right for you, one that’s heavy enough to make you work, but not so heavy that you risk injury.
- Do circuits: Circuit training is a great way to burn calories, improve fitness, and work multiple muscle groups at the same time. Circuit training consists of doing several exercises one after the other without a break, doing several rounds.
- Do interval workouts: Interval workouts are a method of interval exercise that alternates periods of intense effort with periods of recovery. This method is very useful for burning calories and increasing metabolism.
- Do high-intensity (HIIT) workouts: High-intensity HIIT workouts are short but very intense sessions that allow you to burn calories even after training.
–Eat healthy
Next, make sure you eat a balanced and healthy diet. To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume. This means you must be in a calorie deficit. Nutrient-dense, low-calorie foods, such as fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains, should be favored. It’s also important to limit foods that are processed and high in saturated fat.
Finally, strength training is a sport that can help you lose weight by increasing metabolism, burning calories and strengthening muscles. It’s important to create a regular workout plan that includes strength and cardio exercises, as well as a healthy, balanced diet. By incorporating strength training into your daily life and taking breaks and rest, you can achieve optimal weight loss results.
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I hope you enjoyed this overview of the benefits of strength training on weight loss and found it useful. Comment down below what you think. Do you agree? Or share with us your intake if you are a pro!
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