Lose weight by resistance training

Resistance training is one of the most important parts of losing weight if done properly. By doing resistance training, not only do you lose weight, you also build up strength, increase bone density, boost your metabolic rate and best of all you increase your energy level. In my opinion, any workout method without resistance training is not complete and the results do not last long.

Proper weight lifting to lose weight is as important as building muscles for body builders. Most women think that if they weight lift, they will look bigger and might look like men hence losing their feminine look! In fact, if you know how to work on certain parts of the body, you will look more curvy and feminine. The point is to know how much weight, how often and which part of your body needs to work more.

In order to lose weight properly you need to change your metabolism. Metabolism, like anything else in your body, comes from your genetic profile. You cannot change your genes but you can change your metabolism by building up muscles.

Let me explain how it works. A pound of fat sitting in your body burns about 4 calories per day. On the other hand, a pound of muscle in your body burns about 70 calories and as long as you pump and keep that muscle you can keep burning 70 calories. That’s why your body fat measurement is more important than your body weight to determine your metabolism. That means the composition of your body determines your metabolism plus your genes. Since we cannot change the genetic profile, we need to change the composition of the body (body fat). In simpler words, the leaner you are the better metabolism you will have. Note that men have better metabolism than women because men have more muscles in their body and that shows how extra muscles boost your metabolism up. Also see the body fat chart.

Like everything else in the body, age has important effect on metabolism rate. The younger you are the better metabolism you have. The good news is that by performing proper resistance training you can keep a good metabolism of young age in an older body and that’s the beauty of resistance training.

It’s important to consider the following before starting the proper resistance training:

1. Determine your short term and long term goals for muscular fitness
2. Identify area of past injury and/or potential injury
3. Identify your body shape. For example, apple shape body, pearl shape body, etc.
4. Determine your exercise routine by considering frequency, time, intensity and type of equipment.

The best is to get help from a professional fitness trainer to design a fitness program that suits your age, your muscular ability, your flexibility, your cardio vascular ability and nutrition plan.