GeneralImportance of Strength Training in Weight Loss

Many people’s idea of a workout is walking or, at the most, cycling. It is true that simple exercises like walking can help in losing weight by creating a calorie deficit. However, just seeing a downward trend on the weighing scale should not be the only goal! Instead, building body strength, bone strength, and balance should also be a part of the plan. And this can be reached when we have a solid muscular base.

Building and maintaining good muscle mass can help protect against obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases while keeping the metabolism and hormone levels functioning well.

Now, to understand why ‘muscle mass’ is important, let’s first understand the overall body composition. The human body is made up of different components which contribute to its total weight, which are:

1. Muscle mass – these consist of the skeletal, smooth and cardiac muscles and are very important for healthy functioning of the body
2. Bone mass – this is the amount of mineral present in the bones. Although this is defined by heredity, it can be improved by strength training and consuming calcium, vitamin D and proteins from the diet.
3. Water weight – this is the water held in the body for regular bodily functions. This should remain in the adequate range to avoid dehydration
4. Fat mass – this is the main thing we need to focus on while trying to lose weight.

There are two types of fat cells in the body:

• Essential fat – is the minimum fat the body requires for normal and healthy functioning
• Non-essential fat – is the stored fat in the adipose tissue. This should be reduced for healthy weight loss

Common myth: Cardio is the best way to lose weight

Cardiovascular exercises, also known as endurance exercises, have long been considered the best way to lose weight. But this is not enough when targeting long-term weight loss, for numerous reasons.

Cardio causes muscle loss

Cardio routines like brisk walking, jogging, cycling or top-rated elliptical machines are known to improve heart health and burn calories during a workout session. But these workouts result in fat as well as muscle loss.

Cardiovascular exercises may leave you feeling hungry

Excess cardio leads to reduced glycogen stores and in turn low blood sugar levels. This is a cue for the release of ghrelin, the hormone responsible for hunger. This causes an increase in the  overall food intake, adding to the total daily calories.

So, it isn’t ideal to do excess cardio if you are aiming for healthy weight loss. On the other hand, strength or weight training, along with a proper diet, will ensure that you lose fat and retain muscle.

So, how will strength training help you lose weight?

Strength training might not make you look sweaty and gasping for breath, but it sure is the best way to lose weight. It helps retain muscle and lose fat while you continue being in a calorie deficit. Muscle retention can be minimized by regularly consuming protein powders that help in weight loss.

Ok, so the more muscle mass is built through strength training; the more calories are burned. Resulting in fat loss. But how exactly does this work?

The ‘after-burn effect’

The process of burning calories continues even after a strength training session is over. The fat-burning effect peaks in the first hour after a workout and continues for 72 hours.

Long-term fat loss

Strength training causes an increase in the size of the muscles. This increase in muscles determines the body’s Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR). RMR means the number of calories a body requires to function when at rest. The RMR accounts for 60-75% of the total energy expenditure in people who do not exercise. And since the body’s preferred energy source at rest is fat, thereby increasing fat loss over time.

What are the other advantages of retaining muscle mass?

In addition to weight loss, there are a few other important benefits of strength training.

Makes you look leaner

As already pointed out, strength training leads to forming larger muscles in the body.

Suppose one is to compare a kilogram of muscle mass to a kilogram of fat mass. In that case, the muscle will take up less space and be more compact than the fat mass.

The change in the composition of the body from reducing fat and increasing muscle makes you look lean. This is why people might not see the changes in the weighing scale but see visible changes in their inch measurements when following a healthy diet and workout routine.

Improves strength and agility

With a higher muscle proportion in the body, you have more strength and agility to do regular activities. Additionally, it is a known fact that muscle aging starts around the age group of 20 – 30. If no measures are taken to control muscle loss from aging, your ability to function independently will get affected over time. Numerous studies suggest weight training can improve long-term balance in older adults.

Reduces the risk of metabolic diseases

Good muscle mass ensures the body is protected from infections and diseases since it acts as a protective layer. A 2009 study has shown that the more muscle mass men have, the lower the risk of them dying from cancer. Another recent study done in 2017 proves that muscle mass helps improve insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance.

Conclusion

Focusing on building your muscles regardless of gender or age doesn’t necessarily mean that you will put on weight like the bodybuilders. Instead, muscles are required for sustainable weight loss and healthy body functioning and are crucial to leading a quality life as we are aging every day.

This is a sponsored post