You see, lifting weights isn’t just about building 20 inch biceps. In fact, for most women, it’s not about that at all, sinceresistance training may be the single most effective way to losefat and look great in a swimsuit.
What’s more ?, the benefits of lifting extend into nearly every aspect of your health andwell-being. So much so that after nearly 12 years of reportingin the field of
Health and
Fitness, I’ve come to one rock-solidconclusion: You’d have to be crazy not to
Lift Weights even if bigger biceps are the last thing you want.
↪ Want some proof ? Here are 20 reasons you shouldn’t liveanother day without lifting.
1.You’ll Lose 40 Percent More Fat :
➥ This might be the biggest secret in fat loss. While you’ve no doubt been told that aerobic ercise is the key to losing yourgut, weight training is actually far more valuable.
Case in point : Penn State University researchers put overweight people on a reduced calorie diet and divided the minto three groups. One group didn’t ercise, another performedaerobic ercise 3 days a week, and a third did both aerobic ercise and weight training 3 days a week.
Each of the groups lost nearly the same amount of weight around 21 pounds. But the lifters shed about 6 more pounds of fat than did those who didn’t pump iron. Why? Because the lifters’weight loss was almost pure fat, while the other two groupslost just 15 pounds of lard, along with several pounds ofmuscle. Do the math and you’ll see that weights led to 40% greater fat loss.
This isn’t a one-time finding. Research on non-lifting dietersshows that, on average, 75% of their weight loss is from fat, and 25% is from muscle. That 25% may reduce your scale weight, but it doesn’t do a lot for your reflection in the mirror. It also makes you more likely to gainback the flab you lost. However, if you weight train as youdiet, you’ll protect your hard-earned muscle and burn more fatinstead.
Think of it in terms of liposuction: The whole point is tosimply remove unattractive flab, Right? That’s exactly what you should demand from your workout.
2. You’ll Burn More Calories :
➥ Lifting increases the number of calories you burn while you’resitting on the couch. One reason : Your muscles need energy torepair and upgrade your muscle fibers after each resistance training workout.
For instance, a University of Wisconsin study found that when people performed a total-bodyworkout comprising of just three big-muscle ercises, theirmetabolisms were elevated for 39 hours afterward. Theercisers also burned a greater percentage of calories from fatduring this time, compared with those who didn’t lift.
But what about during your workout ? After all, many expertssay jogging burns more calories than weight training. Turnsout, when scientists at the University of Southern Maine usedan advanced method to estimate energy expenditure, theyfound that lifting burns as many as 71% more caloriesthan originally thought. The researchers calculated thatperforming just one circuit of eight ercises—which takes about8 minutes can expend 159 to 231 calories. That’s about thesame number burned by running at a 6 minute mile pace forthe same duration.
3. Your Clothes Will Fit Better :
➥ If you don’t lift weights, you can say goodbye to toned arms.
Research shows that between the ages of 30 and 50, you’relikely to lose 10% of the total muscle on your body. Andthat percentage will double by the time you’re 60.
Worse yet, it’s likely that lost muscle is replaced by fat overtime, according to a study in the American Journal of ClinicalNutrition. The scientists found that even people who maintainedtheir body weights for up to 38 years lost 3 pounds of muscleand added 3 pounds of fat every decade.
Not only does thatmake you look flabby, it increases your waist size. That’sbecause 1 pound of fat takes up 18 percent more space onyour body than 1 pound of muscle. Thankfully, regularresistance training can prevent this fate.
4. You’ll Keep Your Body Young :
➥ It’s not just the quantity of the muscle you lose that’s important, it’s the quality. Research shows that your fast-twitchmuscle fibers are reduced by up to 50% as you age,while slow-twitch fibers decrease by less than 25% muscles largely responsible for generating power, a combined measure of strength and speed.
While this attribute is key to peak sports performance, it’s also the reason you can rise from your livingroom chair. Ever notice how the elderly often have troublestanding up? Blame fast-twitch muscles that are underused andwasting away.
The secret to turning back the clock? Pumping iron, of course. Heavy strength training is especially effective, as is lifting light weights really fast. (Hint : Any ercise in this book withthe word explosive or jump in its name is ideal for workingyour fast-twitch muscle fibers.)
5. You’ll Build Stronger Bones :
➥ You lose bone mass as you age, which increases the likelihood that you’ll one day suffer a debilitating fracture in your hips orvertebrae. That’s even worse than it sounds, since UK researchers found that among older women who break a hipduring a fall, more than 50% never walk again.
Inaddition, significant bone loss in your spine can result in the dreaded “dowager’s hump,” or hunchback. The good news: Astudy in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that 16 weeksof resistance training increased hip bone density and elevatedblood levels of osteocalcin a marker of bone growth by 19%.
6. You’ll Be More Flexible :
➥ Over time, your flexibility can decrease by up to 50%.
This makes it harder to squat down, bend over, and reach behind you. But in a study published in the International Journal of Sports.
Medicine, scientists found that three full-bodyworkouts a week for 16 weeks increased flexibility of the hipsand shoulders, while improving sit-and-reach test scores by 11%. Not convinced that weight training won’t leave you“muscle-bound”? Research shows that Olympic weight lifters ratesecond only to gymnasts in overall flexibility.
7. Your Heart Will Be Healthier :
➥ Pumping iron really does get your blood flowing. Researchers atthe University of Michigan found that people who performed three total-body weight workouts per week for 2 months decreased diastolic blood pressure by anaverage of eight points. That’s enough to reduce the risk of a stroke by 40%, and the risk of a heart attack by 15%.
8. You’ll Derail Diabetes :
➥ Call it muscle medication. In a 4 month study, Austrian scientists found that people with type 2 diabetes who started strength training significantly lowered their blood sugar levels, improving their condition. Just as important, lifting may be one of the best ways to prevent diabetes in the first place.
That’s because it not only fights the fat that puts you at an increased risk for the disease but also improves your sensitivity to thehormone insulin. This helps keep your blood sugar undercontrol, reducing the likelihood that you’ll develop diabetes.
9. You’ll Cut Your Cancer Risk :
➥ Don’t settle for an ounce of prevention; weights may offer it bythe pound. A University of Florida study found that people who performed three resistance-training workouts a week for 6 months experienced significantly less oxidative cell damage than non-lifters.
That’s important since damaged cells can lead tocancer and other diseases. And in a study published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Ercise, scientists discovered that resistance training speeds the rate at which food is moved through your large intestine by up to 56%, an effect that’s thought to reduce the risk for coloncancer.
10. Your Diet Will Improve :
➥ Lifting weights provides a double dose of weight-loss fuel: Ontop of burning calories, ercise helps your brain stick to adiet. University of Pittsburgh researchers studied 169 over weight adults for 2 years and found that the participants who didn’t follow a 3 hour-a-week training plan ate more than theirallotted 1,500 calories per day.
The reverse was alsotrue sneaking snacks sabotaged their workouts. The studyauthors say it’s likely that both actions are a reminder to stayon track, reinforcing your weight-loss goal and drive.
11. You’ll Handle Stress Better :
➥ Break a sweat in the weight room and you’ll stay cool underpressure. Texas A&M University scientists determined that thefittest people exhibited lower levels of stress hormones thanthose who were the least fit.
And a Medical College of Georgiastudy found that the blood pressure levels of the people with the most muscle returned to normal the fastest after a stressfulsituation, compared to those who had the least muscle.
12. You’ll Shrug Off Jet Lag :
➥ Next time you travel overseas, hit the hotel gym before youunpack. When researchers at Northwestern University and theUniversity of California at San Francisco studied muscle biopsies from people who had performed resistance ercise, theydiscovered changes in the proteins that regulate circadian rhythms.
The researchers’ conclusion? Strength training helpsyour body adjust faster to a change in time zones or workshifts.
13. You’ll Be Happier :
➥ Yoga isn’t the only ercise that’s soothing. Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham discovered that people who performed three weight workouts a week for 6 months significantly improved their scores on measures of anger andoverall mood.
14. You’ll Sleep Better :
➥ Lifting hard helps you rest easier. Australian researchers observed that patients who performed three total body weight workouts a week for 8 weeks experienced a 23% improvement in sleep quality. In fact, the study participants were able to fall asleep faster and slept longer than before they started lifting weights.
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15. You’ll Get in Shape Faster :
➥ The term cardio shouldn’t just describe aerobic ercise. Astudy at the University of Hawaii found that circuit training with weights raises your heart rate 15 beats per minute higher than does running at 60 to 70% of your maximum heartrate.
According to the researchers, this approach not onlystrengthens your muscles, it provides cardio vascular benefits similar to those of aerobic ercise. So you save time withoutsacrificing results.
16. You’ll Fight Depression :
➥ Squats may be the new Prozac. Scientists at the University of Sydney found that regularly lifting weights significantly reduces symptoms of major depression. In fact, the researchers reportthat a meaningful improvement was seen in 60% of clinically diagnosed patients, similar to the response rate from anti-depressant but without the negative side effects.
17. You’ll Be More Productive :
➥ Invest in dumbbells it could help you land a raise. UK researchers found that workers were 15% more productive on the days they made time to ercise comparedto days they skipped their workouts.
Now consider for amoment what these numbers mean to you : On days when you ercise, you can theoretically, at least accomplish in an 8 hour day what normally would take you 9 hours and 12 minutes. Or you’d still work 9 hours but get more done,leaving you feeling less stressed and happier with yourjob another perk that the workers reported on the days theyercised.
18. You’ll Add Years to Your Life :
➥ Get strong to live long. University of South Carolina researchersdetermined that total-body strength was linked to lower risks ofdeath from cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all causes.
Similarly, University of Hawaii scientists found that being strongat middle age was associated with “exceptional survival,” definedas living until 85 years of age without developing a majordisease.
19. You’ll Stay Sharp :
➥ Never forget how important it is to pump iron. University of Virginia scientists discovered that men and women who lifted weights three times a week for 6 months significantly decreased their blood levels of homocysteine, a protein that’s linked to the development of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
20. You’ll Even Be Smarter :
➥ Talk about a mind-muscle connection: Brazilian researchers found that 6 months of resistance training enhanced lifters’cognitive function. In fact, the workouts resulted in better shortand long-term memory, improved verbal reasoning, and alonger attention span.
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