Mention weight training and most people have the same reaction–I don't want to get huge! Ladies especially make this statement. I want you to begin to understand why weight training is essential for everyone, including you ladies out there!
Most of you reading this post want to lose weight. What you really want to do is recompose your body by lowering your body fat and increasing your lean body mass. Weight training will help you to accomplish this. In fact, there really is no other way to do this without weight training. There are many other benefits to weight training that you should be aware of as well. Ladies, these all apply to you as well. As for the “I don't want to get huge” statement, I will address that later in the article.
Weight Training Improves Your Everyday Functionality
Having stronger muscles makes you more functionally sound. With stronger muscles you can get into a car easier, you can get a package off the top shelf easier and you can do just about anything else in life easier.
Weight Training Reduces Blood Pressure
Training with weights strengthens the heart and in turn lowers your blood pressure. This is true even if you already have blood pressure issues. By taking better care of your body it will respond by lowering your blood pressure and treating you better as well.
Weight Training Increases the Calorie Burn
Weight training increases the metabolic rate in our body. This causes us to burn more calories, even at rest. By increasing the amount of lean mass we carry on our body we increase how many calories we burn on a daily basis.
Weight Training Decreases Back Pain
By making your back stronger you will decrease the pain you feel in your back. A stronger back means a less sore back.
Weight Training Decreases Your Risk of Osteoperosis
Inactivity and aging leads to a decrease in bone density. Weight training counteracts that problem.
Weight Training Decreases Body Fat
Studies performed by Wayne Westcott, PhD, from the South Shore YMCA in Quincy, Massachusetts, found that the average woman who strength trains two to three times a week for two months will gain nearly two pounds of muscle and will lose 3.5 pounds of fat.
As your lean muscle increases so does your resting metabolism, and you burn more calories all day long. Generally speaking, for each pound of muscle you gain, you burn 35 to 50 more calories each day. That can really add up.
Weight Training (for women) Will Increase Strength and Not Bulk
Researchers also found that unlike men, women typically don't gain size from strength training, because compared to men, women have 10 to 30 times less of the hormones that cause muscle hypertrophy. You will, however, develop muscle tone and definition. This is a bonus.
Weight Training Makes You Physically Stronger
It goes without saying that lifting weights will make you much stronger as a person. Your physical strength will help you throughout each day.
Weight Training Reduces Your Risk of Heart Disease
According to Dr. Barry A. Franklin, of William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan, weight training can improve cardiovascular health in several ways, including lowering LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, increasing HDL (“good”) cholesterol and lowering blood pressure.
When cardiovascular exercise is added, these benefits are maximized.
Weight Training Reduces Your Risk of Diabetes
In addition, Dr. Franklin noted that weight training may improve the way the body processes sugar, which may reduce the risk of diabetes. Adult-onset diabetes is a growing problem for women and men. Research indicates that weight training can increase glucose utilization in the body by 23 percent in four months.
Conclusion
By training with weights you will slowly change your body composition. This leads to many health benefits. Weight training is a must for anyone serious about losing weight and body fat.
Want to see all the messages in this May 2016 Challenge Series? I have them organized for you right here.
