Many people who go to the gym regularly want to lose some bodyweight. Having excessive body fat is not ideal and can lead one to be unhealthy. Being overweight can lead to various health conditions like heart problems. Getting into shape and burning more body fat should be a priority for everyone who wishes to stay healthy. Though cardio is known to be effective when training to lose weight, there are other forms of workouts that are equally and more efficient. One such workout is strength training. Strength training has a lot to offer to those who wish to lose some weight and should be included in your workout routine. Here is why strength training is essential for weight loss.
Improvement of Your Metabolic Rate
When doing cardio to lose weight, a lot of people end up sacrificing their muscle mass. Though cardio exercises can lead to slight muscle growth to some people, most of the time, you end up losing your muscle mass. Those with low muscle mass tend to have a slow rate of metabolism. Having a slow metabolism usually means that you will end up not burning more calories, thus not losing weight as fast. On the other hand, strength training is essential in increasing your metabolic rate. This means that you will be burning more calories. You will end up burning more calories, even when resting. When lifting heavy weights, you are most likely to injure your muscles. Your body will be forced to burn more calories as the muscles recover. Taking supplements may be the way to reach your goals faster when strength training, so if you dig this, you should purchase one online.
Reducing Belly Fat
Getting belly fat is quite easy, but it’s hard to remove. Many people who spend a lot of time in the gym are trying to remove stubborn belly fat. Belly fat is quite unhealthy and may lead to life-threatening illnesses. Well, many people may not be aware that strength exercises are essential in reducing belly fat. For many people, doing cardio is all it takes, but in reality, it may not be enough. Research has shown that those who do high-intensity strength training and a little cardio end up reducing belly fat quickly compared to those who do cardio alone.
Other Benefits of Strength Training
Strength training has other health benefits besides losing weight. One of the benefits you will get from strength training is that it improves joint function and strengthens ligaments and tendons. This form of exercise also increases bone density and lowers insulin resistance. Other benefits you will gain include an increase in testosterone levels, improves your mood, thus helping those with anxiety and depression. It also increases your HDL cholesterol, which is the good cholesterol and lower LDL, the bad cholesterol.
Conclusion
Strength training is beneficial at any age and will have positive effects. Contrary to many peoples’ perspective, strength training is essential and beneficial to women. So, don’t shy away from adding strength training to your routine.