Whether you are vying for those big biceps and strong muscles or not, lifting weights is very important. Most people are convinced that you should shun the weight training room if you don’t want to look like The Hulk. But this is not true, especially for women since they don’t have high levels of testosterone like man. Besides, lifting weights offers numerous benefits for the heart and overall health. Here’s a look at the top 10 reasons you must include working with the weights in your fitness regime.
1. Lose more fat
Cardio is important when it comes to burning fat but according to a number of studies lifting weights can help burn more fat. Studies have proven that those who diet without any exercise and those who exercise only to lose weight or perform aerobic exercises lose almost the same amount of weight. However, those who do aerobic exercises plus lift weights as well lose weight of which more is fat. This is because lifting weights promotes fat loss and normal dieting and aerobics results in both fat and muscle loss.
2. Clothes will fit better
People tend to lose about 10 percent of their muscles if they are over 30 years of age. But as they lose muscles, they accumulate more fat. This increases the size of the waist and makes you bigger. Lifting weights helps maintain the muscle mass making you leaner.
3. Burn more calories
When you perform strength training, your metabolism increases and helps you to burn more calories faster. Lifting weights causes tears in the muscle fibers which accelerates the muscle protein synthesis where amino acids are used to repair the damaged fibers. The energy that fuels the process comes from calories. So the more weight training you perform, the more calories you lose.
4. Live longer
Weight training adds years to your life. According to a number of studies, muscle mass protects you from diseases and lowers the risk of premature death. So the more muscle mass you have, the longer you live.
5. Sleep better
Regular exercises where you truly push yourself as in the case of weight lifting can give you good sleep. Researchers have found that individuals who perform no training are more likely to wake up in the night than individuals who perform resistance training.
6. Improvement in diet
Weight training will help you stick to a diet plan. This is because when you are lifting weights, your goal is to build muscles, get slim, lose weight or stay healthy and all of these go hand in hand with a healthy diet. Those who are not serious about exercise often eat more and those who train strictly stick to a proper balanced diet that helps maintain overall health.
7. Get rid of stress
Fit people experience lower levels of stress. This is because their bodies produce less stress hormones compared to people who are not fit.
8. Reduce anger
People who perform weight workouts are able to improve their overall mood over a period of time. They do not get angry quickly and are generally happier than those who do not perform any kind of exercise.
9. Heart health
Pumping iron gets your blood flowing really efficiently. Studies conducted at the University of Michigan revealed that total body weight workouts performed three times a week for at least two months resulted in a decrease in diastolic blood pressure which is sufficient to reduce the risk of heart attacks by at least 15 percent and strokes by 35 percent.
10. Stronger bones
As you age, you lose muscle mass which increases your chances of sustaining fractures in your vertebrae or hips. In fact, if you suffer significant spinal bone loss, then you can develop dowager’s hump. The good thing about resistance training is that it promotes bone growth and increases hip bone density.
