Weight training for weight loss

Many times people think that running for hours a week or biking or swimming is the key to helping them slim down and get in great shape. However, weight training yields a number of benefits that cardio alone cannot making it the superior choice for weight loss and body shaping.

1. Weight training helps maintain and potentially build muscle mass – Unlike cardio training which can lead to a loss of muscle and fat, weight training helps limit weight loss to fat only. The benefit being more muscle per pound of fat (which translates into a more defined appearance).
2. Muscle burns more calories actively at rest – Weight training can help contribute to increased muscle mass which will help your body to burn calories regardless of what your doing
3. Weight training increases release of adventitious fat loss hormones including testosterone and growth hormone
4. Strength training can become closer to cardiovascular in nature by shortening rest periods as well as combining exercises in a back to back manner

So does that mean we throw out cardio training in our workout regiments? No cardio can and still is beneficial in helping lose weight, it just isn’t necessary to be the mainstay of your weight loss program.

For cardio benefits, greater calorie burn, and the potential for what is known as an afterburn effect HIIT training is a great idea. HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training. This type of training consists of excercising at top intensity for short periods followed by slowing down for rest periods. For faster results with weight loss it can be good to place a HIIT style workout once or twice a week in addition to a solid weight training workout two to three times a week.

While exercise is important in toning and shaping your appearance, nutrition is by far the greatest key to shedding calories. To effectively lose weight it is important to have a good nutrient balance along with a calorie defiict. Calorie deficit can be calculated by determining your basic metabolic rate (you can find a basic calculator on the web). Utilizing a your basic metabolic rate you then can calculate a goal for the amount of weight you wish to lose per week. For each pound of desired weight loss you must run a 3500 calorie deficit. For most people a deficit of a pound or at most two pounds a week is a healthy goal.