There is no deep, dark secret to losing weight. It is simply a matter of burning more calories than you take in. You can cut back on those incoming calories by eliminating certain foods or by reducing portion sizes. Burning excess calories and body fat is accomplished through cardiovascular exercise in the form of walking, running, hiking, biking, swimming, or any one of a dozen other activities that elevate your heart rate for a sustained period of time.
But here's the problem: If you reduce your portion sizes and run three miles every day, you will lose weight, but some of it will be in the form of muscle unless you do something to protect that valuable tissue. Enter weight lifting! It accomplishes what diet and aerobic exercise alone cannot. Specifically, lifting weights adds density and definition to your muscles, which, in turn, can help to change the overall shape of your body. But that's not the only good news. Increasing muscle is also one of the most effective ways of boosting your metabolism. That's because muscle tissue burns calories 24 hours a day, which means that EVEN WHILE YOU'RE SLEEPING, your muscles are helping you burn fat.
Men have been weight training for literally centuries, but there is still a myth among some women that a dumbbell that weighs more than a Kleenex will add unwanted bulk and size, particularly to problem areas such as thighs and behinds. Ladies, your handbags weigh more than that! And the truth is, in fact, just the opposite. We women simply don't produce sufficient amounts of the necessary hormones (namely, testosterone) to gain that kind of muscle. In fact, resistance exercises, performed in conjunction with proper diet and adequate fat-burning cardiovascular exercise, can actually make us SMALLER. Here's why: Pound for pound, fat takes up 3-5 times more space than muscle. It spreads out into shapeless, uneven layers, while denser, more compact muscle adds tone and definition. Plus, muscle tissue burns calories 24 hours a day while fat tissue just sits there, hoping you'll do the same. And let's not waste time worrying about looking like the professional female bodybuilders we've seen in magazines. Weight lifting is their job; they work harder at it than you or I could possibly imagine. Trust me, the rest of us are not going to look like that by accident.
So there is no deep, dark secret to losing weight, but there is a secret weapon at your disposal -- weight lifting. Add it to your reducing diet and cardiovascular program, and watch your body take shape!
Care to share your experience with weight lifting? Leave a comment! (Look for the instructions in red after all the articles.)
6 comments:
While not necessarily thinking of lifting weights as a method for losing weight I've recently been relying on it since I've had a pulled calf muscle and haven't been able to run. I've gone back to something that I know works -- the Body for Life training method. The most important part is to only rest for one minute between sets. It really only allows for adding more weights to a bar or getting a quick drink. In no time I've broken a sweat and my HR is increasing. It takes motivation but it feels like I'm burning fat and building muscle.
Joe, thanks for the reminder about the Body for Life program. It's tried and true, no question about it, but it's crucial to keep moving and to keep the exercise level intense -- sounds like you're right on. That's the way I like to train my clients who are trying to lose weight too -- keep them moving quickly, include combination exercises that involve using the arms overhead (always elevates the heart rate), and throw in short intense bursts of cardio. They should be at least partially winded a lot of the time. And it works! Thanks again for the reminder.
Is that why exercise trainers exhort you to do as many weight repetitions until you feel the burn? I've always wondered what the 'burn' really represents? Can you enlighten me?
Barb, "the burn" is that uncomfortable sensation you feel in a muscle after you've worked it to the point that its oxygen is depleted and it has started to produce lactic acid, which is a byproduct of intense exercise. Feeling the burn is a pretty good indication that you've worked hard enough to get that muscle's attention, but it doesn't necessarily mean you haven't had a productive workout overall. From a trainer's standpoint, going for the burn is the reason why I never answer the question, "How many reps do I have to do?" BEFORE the exercise even starts. I won't know how many reps are enough until I see the look on your face. You know, the ugly-scrunched-up-if-I-had-a-free-hand-I-would-slap-you-with-it look. It's what dreams are made of. Thanks for your question!
Marilyn,
Great explanation about 'the burn' situation ....we need some pictures to demonstrate the 'ugly-scrunched-up-i-want-to-hurt-you' look!
Barb, what a splendid idea! I'll be holding auditions at the gym this week to see who can demonstrate the most convincing scrunched-up face. Calendars, anyone? Thanks!
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