Burn more fat, build more muscle, and improve your body self image… Just to name a few!
I think it’s safe to say that most of us out there have different goals in going to the gym. For some of us, it’s all about dropping 5–15 pounds. For others, we may want to put on 5 inches around our legs, but, or biceps. The bottom line is that most of us work out for a reason, and not enough of us understand the benefits of a regular weights routine as part of our weekly regimen. Well today I am here to squash that. Let me introduce you to my “Top 10 Reasons Why You Should Be Lifting Weights” to try to convince you to give the treadmill and elliptical a break every now and then!
10. You will be smarter: Weight lifting actually stimulates the mind, improves clarity, and gives you a heightened mental alertness. It can also boost clarity later in the day!
9. Your clothes will fit better: one pound of fat actually takes up 18% more room than one pound of muscle. Furthermore, a strong muscle is a tight muscle. You’ll start to fill out your clothes in all the right places and make them looser in areas you’d rather not “fill out”.
8. You will build stronger bones: Bone growth is actually stimulated in direct proportion to the amount of stress placed on the bone. Regular weight training increases bone density, thereby decreasing risk for fracture and osteoporosis. Weight training / resisted exercise is truly a lifelong activity!
7. You will get into shape faster: A word about circuit training – if you don’t know what it is you need to read this now. If you’re short on time there is simply NO more effective way than circuit strength training. Circuit training has actually been found to increase your heart rate to similar levels as more-common cardio equipment. The result is you get a great cardio workout combined with a killer shred from the weights!
6. You will be less stressed (and handle it better when it comes): It’s actually been proven scientifically that fitter people have lower levels of stress hormone than their less-fit counterparts. The release of endorphins that comes with exercises has been proven to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. The next time you’re feeling stressed or worried about something don’t hide under the bed or rock in the corner… go throw something heavy around!!
5. You will be more productive: It’s been proven that on days where you workout you’re actually about 15% more productive! Think of it! You can fly through projects at work, school, home, etc if you take a little “me time” first and throw weights around.
4. Your heart will be healthier: Researchers have found that those who participate in regular total body weight exercises were able to decrease their dialstolic blood pressure. And seeing as how heart disease is the #1 killer in the world, this one resonates true for everyone of us reading this!
3. You will be more functional: Muscle=movement. The stronger the muscles that support joints the more functional the movement becomes. This is a phenomenon I encounter daily in the physical therapy clinic. In my opinion one of the most important things that I do everyday is instruct patients in proper exercises to target specific muscle groups to help movement become more functional. It’s astounding how people can feel better immediately with strengthening exercises.
2. You will burn more calories: The harder your muscles work, the more fuel is required. Your body uses calories as fuel for moving muscles. Working out with weights for specific muscle groups burns more calories during the workout, but it also increases your basal metabolic rate – basically you burn more calories at rest! This metabolic increase has been shown to stay for up to a day after lifting.
1. You actually lose more fat: weight training actually burns fat AND builds muscle simultaneously. It’s actually been proven that cardio combined with weight training will toast more fat than cardio alone. With more muscle mass comes a higher metabolism to feed those strong muscles; all of the sudden you’re burning even more calories while at rest! When combined with a nutritious, low-cal and high protein diet you will actually burn more fat than with just cardio workouts. Best bonus ever!
So what’s the bottom line? Well, if you haven’t realized it by now…
You need to be strength training.
Take your results to a level you never thought possible by picking up, pushing, pulling, squatting, lifting, and curling some weights!
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Not sure where to start? Here are some of my favorite weight routines:
Questions or comments? Leave them below or email me at [email protected]
Make it happen,
Jared
By Jared Beckstrand
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Have a great day!
Jared