Q: I run at least 5 days a week, eat healthy, and get lots of sleep… but I’m not seeing a change on the scale. I’m so frustrated! What should I be doing differently?
A: You’re coming to the gym, choosing healthy foods, and cutting out those midnight snacks (well, most of the time…). But if you’re still having trouble reaching your weight loss goals, then it’s time to look at your workout routine.
Cardiovascular exercise programs (activities like running, biking, swimming, rowing, etc.) have fantastic health benefits, including maintaining heart and lung function and increasing aerobic capacity and endurance (making it easier to walk up those stairs!). These activities are also major calorie burners.
But the idea with weight loss is to actually change your body – to build your strength and increase your metabolism so that eventually you’ll be burning more calories every day (even while you’re sleeping!). This is accomplished through strength training. Continue reading below for 4 big reasons why strength training should be an integral part of your exercise program.
1. LOSE WEIGHT… FASTER!
More muscle = more calories burned. It’s that simple. Your muscles are what carry out the metabolic reactions that burn sugar and fat stores for energy. Want to lose weight? Increase the percentage of lean muscle mass you have on your body, and you’ll be burning more calories per day – even while you’re sleeping!
How it works: Every pound of muscle you add to your body equates to about 30-50 more calories burned daily. So, let’s say you were to gain three pounds of muscle. At 40 extra calories per pound, you can expect to burn 120 more calories per day. Even with small muscle gains, you can see how that would add up – approximately 12 pounds of weight loss in one year!
2. BE STRONGER
Even moderate weight training can significantly increase your strength. And pound for pound, women can develop strength at the same rate as men (but don’t worry, you won’t bulk up the same way!). Increasing muscle strength allows you to do more than lift heavy objects – it increases your bone density, improves your balance, and corrects your posture. Conditioned muscles help you lift and hold your body upright so you appear taller and more confident!
3. REDUCE YOUR RISK OF INJURY
Injuries can usually be attributed to weak muscles, ligaments, and tendons that are unable to support your body weight when you step wrong, fall, or move incorrectly. Weight training not only improves muscle strength, it strengthens the connective tissues surrounding the muscles.
What this means: As you gain strength your body is able to move more efficiently, allowing you better muscle control in your daily activities. This is especially important as you age and if you are at risk for osteoporosis. Simple strength and balance training can increase your coordination, flexibility, and dexterity, decreasing both the incidence and severity of falls.
4. MANAGE CHRONIC CONDITIONS
Although you can’t change your genetics, you can decrease your risk of many diseases and conditions with… that’s right – Strength Training.
Heart Disease: The American Heart Association recommends weight training both to reduce your risk of heart disease and as therapy for those recovering from a cardiac episode.
Diabetes: Exercising regularly, including a strength training routine, can improve glucose control and stimulate weight loss – both extremely important factors in fighting type II diabetes.
Osteoporosis: Bones respond to stress; strength training stresses the skeletal system to increase bone density and bone mass. Research has found that weight training can increase spinal bone density by 13% in just 6 months!
Depression: Not only does exercise make you feel good, it can actually combat depression as effectively as some anti-depressants (and much cheaper!). A Harvard study found that 10 weeks of strength training reduced clinical depression symptoms more successfully than standard counseling.
Back Pain: Most people experience some form of back pain in their lifetime. The surprising fact is: about 80% of these cases can be alleviated or eliminated completely simply by strengthening the abdominal and back muscles. The same goes for other joint pain – strengthening the surrounding muscles and connective tissues helps alleviate pain and can prevent further injury.
In addition, strength training has been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer, help alleviate the pain of arthritis, and reduce stress. And all that exercise will help you sleep better – reducing insomnia and improving the functionality of your immune system.
All it takes is a couple days each week to reap the benefits of strength training. But remember – your body will get used to an exercise routine very quickly, so it’s best to switch up your routine every 4 to 6 weeks. Alternating programs, increasing the weight or reps, and adding some cardio intervals are all ways to “switch up” your routine. Plus it guarantees your workouts will never be boring!
