Hi lovelies,
Most people get the wrong idea about strength training and cardio. They assume that cardio helps you lose weight while strength training will give you big muscles and make you stronger. So, if you're looking to lose weight and tone up, you just need to do lots of cardio, right? Actually, that's not the case and the reason a lot of people struggle to lose weight is that they don't realize the importance of strength training.
Why Is Strength Training Important For Weight Loss?
Strength training helps you lose weight faster because it burns more calories than cardio, even when you're resting. It's also harder to overtrain when you do strength training instead of cardio, so it prevents burning out and gives you more energy for the day. Strength training builds lean muscle which boosts your metabolism and makes you burn fat in all areas of your body, not just the ones where fat accumulates first (i.e., stomach).
Weight loss is about losing inches, NOT pounds! If your measurements are firming up but the number on the scale isn't changing much yet--don't worry! You'll still see results before other people will because they're likely looking at weight instead of inches. When you are building muscle, your weight won't change that much but you will be healthier and look better.
As your muscle mass increases, your base calorie burn also increases. This means that you will gain weight much slower and it's so much easier to maintain your weight. One of the biggest weight loss mistakes people make is failing to focus on building muscle.
How To Get Started With Strength Training For Weight Loss
If you're just starting out, you don't need to go overboard because you will end up injuring yourself. All you need is some simple resistance training equipment like dumbbells or resistance bands. Start with a few basic exercises that you can find here.
It's important that you train all areas of your body equally to avoid muscle imbalances. Even if you hate working out your legs, for example, you still have to keep up with a regular routine.
Eating right is also crucial when weight training. If you don't get enough protein in your diet, your muscles will not be able to repair themselves. You should consider using supplements from companies like BPN to ensure that your body can recover properly. If you don't get your diet right, you will not be able to build muscle and you risk injuring yourself.
How To Improve Your Performance When Strength Training
There are no shortcuts when strength training but there are some things you can do to improve your performance.
You can improve your performance by increasing the amount of weight you lift gradually. You should always have a spotter to help you with heavier weights but try not to rely on them too much because lifting yourself is better for your muscles!
When you're doing bodyweight exercises, challenge yourself every time and see if you can do it with good form. The higher number of reps doesn't mean that it's a harder workout--you just have to find the proper resistance for each exercise.
Strength training will keep your metabolism going much longer than cardio because there is no rest period between sets. If you are using lighter weights or high reps, consider resting longer in between sets so that you really burn fat fast without injuring yourself.
If you are serious about maintaining a healthy weight, you need to add strength training to your routine.
