Why You Should Lift Weights to Lose Weight

If you want to lose weight, you might think that cardio is the best way to burn calories and shed fat. But did you know that lifting weights can also help you achieve your weight loss goals? In this blog post, I will explain why weight training is an effective and beneficial way to lose weight and improve your health.

Cardio vs. Weight Training: Which Burns More Calories?

Many people assume that cardio burns more calories than weight training, and that's true for a single session of exercise. For example, if you weigh 160 pounds and jog for 30 minutes at a moderate pace, you will burn about 250 calories. If you do the same amount of time on weight training, you will burn only around 130 to 220 calories¹.

However, the calorie-burning effect of exercise does not end when you stop moving. Your body continues to use energy to restore and repair itself after a workout. This is called excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), or the "afterburn" effect. And guess what? Weight training has a higher EPOC than cardio, meaning that you burn more calories in the hours following a weight training session than a cardio session².

In fact, some studies have shown that weight training can elevate your metabolism for up to 36 hours after exercise, while cardio has no such effect³. This means that weight training can help you burn more calories throughout the day, even when you are resting.

Weight Training Helps You Build Muscle and Lose Fat

Another benefit of weight training is that it helps you build muscle and lose fat. Muscle is more metabolically active than fat, meaning that it burns more calories at rest. By increasing your muscle mass, you can boost your resting metabolic rate (RMR), which is the number of calories your body burns to maintain its basic functions.

One study found that men who did weight training for 24 weeks increased their RMR by 9%, while women increased it by 4%. This may not sound like much, but over time, it can make a significant difference in your calorie balance and weight loss.

Moreover, weight training can help you preserve your muscle mass while losing weight. When you are in a calorie deficit, your body tends to lose both fat and muscle. This can lower your metabolism and make it harder to maintain your weight loss. However, by doing weight training, you can stimulate your muscles and prevent them from wasting away. This way, you can lose more fat and less muscle, resulting in a leaner and stronger physique.

Weight Training Improves Your Health and Well-Being

Weight training is not only good for your appearance, but also for your health and well-being. Numerous studies have shown that weight training can improve various aspects of your physical and mental health, such as:

• Cardiovascular health: Weight training can lower your blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides, reducing your risk of heart disease and stroke.

• Bone health: Weight training can increase your bone density and strength, preventing osteoporosis and fractures.

• Diabetes prevention: Weight training can improve your insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism, lowering your blood sugar levels and preventing type 2 diabetes.

• Mood and cognition: Weight training can release endorphins and other brain chemicals that enhance your mood, memory, and learning abilities.

As you can see, weight training has many benefits for your weight loss and overall health. It can help you burn more calories, build more muscle, lose more fat, and improve your quality of life. So what are you waiting for? Grab some weights and start lifting today!

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(1) Cardio vs. Weight Lifting: Which Is Better for Weight Loss? - Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cardio-vs-weights-for-weight-loss.

(2) Weight Lifting Routine for Weight Loss - Greatest Physiques. https://www.greatestphysiques.com/training/muscle-building/weight-lifting-routine-for-weight-loss/.

(3) What Happens to Your Body When You Lift Weights Every Day - Verywell Fit. https://www.verywellfit.com/lift-weights-every-day-7692844.