Weight
Training And Weight Loss
Weight
training, and not aerobics, is the most effective exercise for long
term weight loss success.
Surprised?
No
doubt this is in complete contradiction to what you've been led
to believe over the last decade or so. Typical weight loss programs
couple severe caloric restriction with numerous trips to the gym
to hop, skip, cycle, treadmill, run, or dance your way to fitness.
"Professionals" assured you this was by far the most effective
way to lose weight. The pounds would just drop right off, they said.
So
what's all this about weight training and weight loss? Were they
wrong about aerobics?
Well...
sort of. Yes, you can lose some weight by implementing an
aerobic-based fitness activity. And any good weight loss program
should include an aerobic element. After all, it's hard to
argue with any exercise that has such a beneficial effect on the
entire cardiovascular system. But basing your entire weight loss
program around aerobic activities is a big mistake.
Why?
An
aerobic based exercise regime often sacrifices a large amount of
lean muscle mass. In some cases, you're losing as much lean muscle
mass as you are losing fat. When this happens, your body fat percentage
doesn't actually change, although your physical weight might (although
you weigh less, you're no less fat). In other words, aerobic activity
does not protect lean muscle mass. And that's not good..
Lean
muscle (unlike fat), always burns fuel in the form of calories (even
at rest). The more lean muscle you have, the higher your metabolism.
Result? You burn more calories at rest. But there's more...
Working
out with weights not only protects lean muscle mass - it builds
it. This requires additional calories, since the body must repair
the muscle you damaged by building new muscle. This is done not
while you're working out (again contrary to popular belief), but
later, while you're resting.
And
where, I hear you asking, does the body get the energy to rebuild
damaged muscle? Yup, from your fat stores.
And
there's even better news...
Once
that new muscle is built, it requires additional calories at rest,
and your metabolism raises proportionately. As you continue to work
out, you can see how this gains momentum to work exponentially in
your favor. Other major problems with aerobic activity?
It
is a very inefficient way of burning calories (1 hour on an exercise
bicycle burns just over 300 calories), and it it does not contribute
to a raised metabolism much past the period of exercising. In other
words, you only achieve the benefit of a raised metabolism while
you are performing the aerobic activity. Weight training, on the
other hand, can result in a raised metabolic rate for up to 72 hours
AFTER the training period.
Impressive!
There
are two other VERY powerful reasons why you should consider incorporating
anaerobic exercise into your weight loss program. They are...
Testosterone,
and Human Growth Hormone. Both have very powerful anabolic (muscle-building),
and fat burning properties. And both are released when you work
out with weights. Add this "double-whammy" into the equation,
and you've got a win-win situation for successful weight loss.
Bottom
line?
Working
out with weights means you keep your muscle, dump the fat, elevate
your metabolism, feel better about yourself, and release two vital
hormones (testosterone and growth hormone).
Weight
training is something every man or woman can do. You needn't be
able to bench press 300 lbs to enjoy all the numerous benefits it
has to offer. Best of all, you won't believe how you feel! Isn't
it time you got started?
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