In order to lose weight you must reduce your caloric intake. But this causes a major problem. As you cut your calories your metabolic rate goes down. The metabolic rate is the rate at which the body burns calories. The higher your metabolic rate the more calories you burn even at rest.
But there is good news the more muscle you have the higher your metabolic rate. Ever wondered why younger people can eat many more calories than older people without gaining weight. Younger people generally have more muscle mass than older people and thus have a higher metabolic rate. As we age, eating the same number of calories causes us to gain weight.
Weight lifting increases your metabolism. Muscle burns more calories than fat. If we lose muscle instead of fat when dieting, we decrease our metabolic rate. When our metabolic rate decreases we plateau and cannot lose any more weight. That's why it's best to lose weight gradually to prevent a significant decrease in our metabolic rate. Weight lifting while dieting will keep your metabolic rate at a high level.
Use strength training to build muscle instead of losing it. For every one pound of muscle your body will burn 50 calories. And this happens without dieting or any more exercise. You can even lose weight while sleeping. Muscle keeps your metabolic rate higher longer. A pound of fat will not burn any calories. A pound of muscle will. Keep muscle rather that fat and you will look better too. It's a no-brainer put on some muscle. Be sure to work your major muscle groups. Try for 30 minutes of weight bearing exercise every other day. Since muscle weighs more than fat you might see an increase in your weight at first. Don't let this bother you. If you are lifting weights and cutting calories the extra weight is muscle not fat.
In addition to the above benefits strength training is effective in improving glucose tolerance. It also helps to prevent osteoporosis. To achieve results it is not necessary to lift excessive amounts of weight. Develop a strength training program that fits your needs.
Unfortunately, as we age we lose muscle and gain fat. We lose about 20% of our muscle mass after 30 years of age. The only way to retain our muscle mass is with weight lifting.
When you increase your muscle mass you burn more calories. And that means you can eat more without gaining weight. Your metabolic rate will remain elevated longer and you will burn more calories without any effort. Weight lifting will help you lose weight faster.
When you combine cardiovascular workouts with weight training you will lose fat faster and more efficiently. So opt for the weight training along with the aerobics. It will keep you leaner and more muscular.
by Linda Tremer
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