If your are about to dive into a weight loss program, chances are, you'll go for a quick loss diet and cardiovascular
exercise program.
Wait!
Read this first before you waste your time and energy any further:
Strength
training is better than dieting only or cardiovascular exercises. Why?
Because resistance training increases muscle
in the body. Not only that, muscle consumes more energy than any part of your body including fat, skin or bones. Problem is,
people who strength train do not lose pounds fast. On account of muscle weighing more than fat. Their bodies, however, look
toned and leaner.
Look at female weight trainers.
Women will not bulk up like men even when they lift heavy weights,
unless they take steroids or have high levels of testosterone. Women tend to look slimmer rather than bulkier when they lift
weights because the muscle that they gain uses up less space than the fat that the muscle replaced.
Strength
training is better than dieting alone for permanent or long term weight loss.
This is because eating fewer calories lowers
the body's metabolic rate. Metabolic rate is the rate by which your body burns calories while carrying out several activities.
Therefore, the body needs less calories to do daily activities. As soon as you start eating more when your diet is over, you'll
start to gain the weight back.
Low calorie dieters lack the fuel they need to function, therefore, they
have little or no energy. As a result, they decrease their activity levels, leading to a decrease in calorie burning throughout
the day. Besides, there are diets that my have serious health consequences such as the high-protein-zero carbohydrates diets.
On the other hand, strength training will enhance joint, muscle and bone functions. It not only forestalls early
death from heart disease, cancer and stroke but it also holds back the progress of severe arthritis and osteoporosis.
Have you noticed how some dieters appear flabby and soft? That's because dieting reduces muscle mass.
Strength training, however, induces a firm and toned countenance.
Increased Metabolism
Muscle needs more
calories to maintain itself. Hence, individuals who lift weights naturally burn more calories even when they are sleeping,
doing day-to-day activities or just digesting food. Studies have shown that strength training may increase metabolism
by nearly 15%.
Cardiovascular Exercise vs. Weight training for Weight Loss
Cardiovascular (cardio for
short) exercises such as jogging, swimming and cycling promote cardiovascular health. Folks who engage in regular cardio
exercises are less likely to die early or be disabled from strokes or heart attacks.
Weight training, however,
is more suitable for weight loss because it burns far more calories even after the exercise is over.
Taking
Things Slowly
Several people who want to lose weight want quick results. However, too quick a weight loss also means
getting it back in the long run. Muscle mass is lost when an individual loses 3 or more pounds per week. This means
that he or she will not only look flabby, but could be fatter than before going on a diet. So, why does the individual gain
the weight back? With the decrease in muscle mass, he or she needs fewer calories to maintain their new weight.
Rochester NY Sports Club, Aerobics Classes of Rochester NY and Quick Weight Loss Programs Rochester NY dedicate their themselves to keeping you fit, healthy and trim.
Our Athletic Club
for Women in Rochester NY offers full use of gym equipment to its members. Weight loss programs and group exercise classes
are also offered.
