12 Benefits of Strength Training

LADIES GET OFF THE TREADMILL TO SEE RESULTS!

Do you still feel like you need to do a ton of cardio and slave away on the treadmill to lose weight? Are you staying away from strength training because you fear looking bulky? Let’s put this into a little bit of perspective … moms, do you ever pick up your child? How about move a chair? Maybe carry laundry or bring in bags of groceries? Well I guess you have bulked up your muscles from lifting those things that could be up to 40-50 pounds right? This is, by far, the biggest myth in female training, and it literally makes me want to punch a hole in the wall! It’s time to put that fear and uncertainty aside. The fact is: lifting weights does not bulk you up, and it doesn’t cause joint issues. What it does is help you to live in a healthier, stronger body.  

YOU WILL NOT GET BULKY FROM PICKING UP HEAVY THINGS.

You know those women bodybuilders who look really bulky? They eat, train, and take supplements specifically so they can look like that! They’ve probably been working towards that goal for years and years. Here’s the truth: when you pick up heavy things, your muscles get STRONGER (but not necessarily bigger).  If you pump yourself full of testosterone, and eat way more calories than you are burning every day, you will get bigger. If you pick up heavy things, and eat a caloric deficit (by eating the right kinds of food – actual healthy foods), your muscles will get stronger and denser, you will burn the fat on top of your muscle, and you will get that “toned” look that you’re after.  

LADIES, LIFT!

All of us want to feel strong, determined, and confident in everything we do from fitting into jeans, to moving heavy furniture, to playing with kids, to dealing with a stressful career. Strength training can benefit you in all aspects of your life. Put it in your fitness plan and feel stronger, healthier, and more confident!  

Top 12 Reasons You Need Strength Training

  1 YOU WILL LOSE BODY FAT

Studies performed by Wayne Westcott, PhD, from the South Shore YMCA in Quincy, Massachusetts, found that the average woman who strength trains two to three times a week for two months will gain nearly two pounds of muscle and will lose 3.5 pounds of fat. As your lean muscle increases so does your resting metabolism, and you burn more calories all day long. Generally speaking, for each pound of muscle you gain, you burn 35 to 50 more calories each day. That can really add up.  

2 YOU WILL GAIN STRENGTH WITHOUT BULK

Researchers also found that, unlike men, women typically don’t gain size from strength training because, compared to men, women have 10 to 30 times less of the hormones that cause muscle hypertrophy. You will, however, develop muscle tone and definition. This is a bonus.  

3 YOU DECREASE YOUR RISK OF OSTEOPOROSIS

Research has found that weight training can increase spinal bone mineral density (and enhance bone modeling) by 13 percent in six months. This, coupled with an adequate amount of dietary calcium, can be a women’s best defense against osteoporosis.  

4 YOU WILL IMPROVE YOUR ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE

Over and over, research concludes that strength training improves athletic ability in all but the very elite athletes.  Golfers can significantly increase their driving power. Cyclists are able to continue for longer periods of time with less fatigue.  Skiers improve technique and reduce injury. Whatever sport you play, strength training has been shown to improve overall performance as well as decrease the risk of injury.  

5 YOU WILL BE PHYSICALLY STRONGER

Increasing your strength will make you far less dependent upon others for assistance in daily living. Chores will be easier, and lifting kids, groceries and laundry will no longer push you to the max. If your maximum strength is increased, daily tasks and routine exercise will be less likely to cause injury. Research studies conclude that even moderate weight training can increase a woman’s strength by 30 to 50 percent. Research also shows that women can develop their strength at the same rate as men.  

6 REDUCE YOUR RISK OF INJURY, BACK PAIN & ARTHRITIS

Strength training not only builds stronger muscles, but also builds stronger connective tissues and increases joint stability. This acts as reinforcement for the joints and helps prevent injury. A recent 12-year study showed that strengthening the low-back muscles had an 80 percent success rate in eliminating or alleviating low-back pain. Other studies have indicated that weight training can ease the pain of osteoarthritis and strengthen joints.  

7 YOU WILL REDUCE YOUR RISK OF HEART DISEASE

According to Dr. Barry A. Franklin, of William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan, weight training can improve cardiovascular health in several ways, including lowering LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, increasing HDL (“good”) cholesterol, and lowering blood pressure. When cardiovascular exercise is added, these benefits are maximized.  

8 YOU WILL REDUCE YOUR RISK OF DIABETES

In addition, Dr. Franklin noted that weight training may improve the way the body processes sugar, which may reduce the risk of diabetes. Adult-onset diabetes is a growing problem for women and men. Research indicates that weight training can increase glucose utilization in the body by 23 percent in four months.  

9 IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO BENEFIT

Women in their 70’s and 80’s have built up significant strength through weight training and studies show that strength improvements are possible at any age.  

10 YOU WILL IMPROVE YOUR ATTITUDE AND FIGHT DEPRESSION

A Harvard study found that 10 weeks of strength training reduced clinical depression symptoms more successfully than standard counseling did. Women who strength train commonly report feeling more confident and capable as a result of their program, all important factors in fighting depression.  

11 BOOST YOUR METABOLISM

The less muscle you have, the slower your metabolism will be. As women age, they lose muscle at increasing rates, especially after the age of 40. When you diet without doing resistance training, up to 25 percent of the weight loss may be muscle loss. Weight training while dieting can help you preserve and even rebuild muscle fibers. The more lean mass you have, the higher your metabolism will be and the more calories you’ll burn all day long.  

12 CHANGE YOUR BODY SHAPE

You may think your genes determine how you look. That’s not necessarily true. Weight training can slim you down, create new curves, and help avoid the “middle-age spread.” Just look at the amazing body transformations of the women who’ve completed P90X. Dropping only 3 percent of your body fat could translate into a total loss of 3 inches off your hips and thighs. And no, you won’t bulk up—women don’t have enough muscle-building hormones to gain a lot of mass like men do. If you keep your diet clean and create a calorie deficit, you’ll burn fat.  

To get started with strength training today, download my top two quick circuit workouts below:

[button link=”#https://burnfatandfeast.com/strength-training-for-fat-loss-circuit-workouts/”] Download Now![/button]

Save Save