Let’s be realistic. Sure, you can cut your calories in half, or spend the morning or night doing cardio to lose a few pounds, but I can promise you that both won’t last or give you a healthy, functional body.
It has long been believed that strength training, such as lift weights to burn fat, is neither beneficial nor feasible because it only works to gain muscle mass plus it can increase the figure that appears on the scale. However, a recent study has shown that resistance training not only burns fat in the body, but also reduces the localized fat around the heart, which ultimately reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. Although it does not burn as many calories as aerobic exercise during movement, it does burn 30% of calories in one particular phase which is the resting phase.
The truth behind lift weights to burn fat (Source)
Everyone wonders about how to burn the fats accumulated in our body, and from here the need to start exercising, whether on your own or in a fitness center, appears, and each of them has its advantages and disadvantages as well. For most men, getting started at the gym is the process of following steps: You sign up, and early on, your knees start to shake. The manager of the fitness center is in charge of giving you a tour, among the grunts and moans of those men whose muscles swell and even beat under their skin when exercising. You look in awe at those you hope to one day join, taking his place comfortably alongside those who perform their reps with their eyes focused on the mirror, gazing at his own physique with some kind of wicked adoration.
For a long time it was believed that cardiovascular exercise makes you lose weight, while resistance exercises such as lifting weights, you will gain weight by strengthening your muscles. Therefore, those who do not want to risk gaining weight (even if it is muscular) tend to opt for a complete cardiovascular routine.
But, as science suggests, we are doing it all wrong. A study recently published looked at the effect of aerobic and resistance exercise on cardiac adipose tissues. Have you heard anything? Don’t worry: neither do we. Basically, the study showed that when it comes to burning fat, we shouldn’t be running on the treadmill all day. Lifting weights is the key to burning body fat and therefore losing weight.
Led by a Danish research team, the study looked at 50 participants who were randomly assigned a 12-week resistance training regimen (both groups exercised three times a week for 45 minutes). Their results were compared with those of people who did not exercise at all.
The conclusion?
Not only does resistance training reduce your risk of heart disease by burning fat stored in the heart, but lifting weights can burn it at a higher rate than cardio. While both aerobic exercise and resistance training burned fat in the muscle tissue of the heart, only resistance training burned it around the heart. So if you want to save yourself a trip to the cardiologist, you need to make sure you stick to these exercise routines.
While it’s nice to know that science has confirmed what many already know, you don’t need a bunch of people in white lab coats and safety glasses telling you how to exercise properly. Personal trainers and fitness specialists have determined that training programs need to incorporate both aerobic and resistance training to be fully beneficial and effective. The cardio has its own element resistance training, while lifting weights also has cardiovascular elements. But the idea that weight training bloats you up while cardio helps you lose weight is nothing more than a myth.
Therefore, we now know that we must incorporate both in our sport routines. However, these are some reasons why resistance training is better than cardiovascular exercises, in favor of weight lifting.
You train the whole body at once
While cardiovascular activities have the ability to improve heart health and overall fitness while burning body fat, strength training has all of these benefits too…, and more.
Weight lifting and other resistance exercises not only target specific muscles, but also incorporate movements throughout the body. This means that when you are doing an arm exercise, you are not only exercising your biceps, but you are also improving posture and strengthening your bones.
If we take into account the fact that we work more and more hours – most of which we spend sitting at a desk looking at a computer screen – the effects of this training on our physical figure are astonishing. Most of us get used to terrible posture that can lead to serious future ailments, particularly in the back, hips, shoulders, and neck. Carefully planned strength training can help you improve your quality of life and give you the strength and balance to sit up and get out of your seat without assistance.
You get a toned and slim figure
Although weight training doesn’t burn as many calories as cardio, it is more effective at working muscles that burn more calories at rest, including fat. In addition, lifting weights improves metabolism, as the body is working for the muscles to recover. As a result, those who practice resistance training lose an additional 30% of calories during recovery after a training session.
You gain in bone health
One of the main benefits of strength training is its effect on bone health. Osteoporosis sounds like a disease of the elderly, but it should be a concern for everyone, since it is estimated that 9 million women and 1.9 million men suffer from it. As bones become more brittle and susceptible to fractures, they are more likely to break from a minor fall.
Fortunately, strength training puts pressure on the bones, which pushes the cells into action. Numerous recent studies have shown that strength training plays an important role in slowing bone loss, and even bone formation. This makes it an extremely effective tool to compensate for age-related decline in bone mass.
When the end goal is weight loss (or just about any end goal), lift weights program is a must.
When it comes to lift weights to burn fat, it’s important to put a few key points out there.
First:
You won’t get BIG from lifting weights. You get “big” from consuming too much energy (calories), which can be turned into fat or muscle depending on the type of food you eat and the exercise you do.
Second:
You can lift weights to burn fat more than you think, and you should (with the help of an observer, if necessary).
Third:
If you lift weights correctly, you will likely feel sore within a day or two after your workouts (especially if you are new to resistance exercise). This is called late-onset muscle soreness, and is a normal response to weight training. Make sure to stretch.
5 key points to lift weights to burn fat
Here are five key points to keep in mind as you work toward your weight or fat loss goals. After all, weight is just a number and it doesn’t say much about your body. Keep this in mind as you work towards your goals:
Lift heavy weights:
You will not get results lifting the same weights that you have been lifting (if you have been lifting). You have to gain weight. Increase the lifting weight and you will increase your strength and muscle mass. Then, increase your muscle mass and you will increase your metabolic rate, which you will burn more calories. Burn more calories than you consume and you will lose weight. If you want to burn fat and not look “skinny and fat,” you need to lift heavy weights.
Intensity:
You don’t have to spend more than 30 to 45 minutes on your lift weights workouts. In fact, you could reduce this to 20 minutes. I love training with my friends who lift weights, but I don’t have the focus or time to lift weights for more than two hours. The key is to work hard throughout your workout, minimizing rest and keeping your heart rate elevated.
Work outside your comfort zone:
If you want your body to change, you have to push beyond your comfort zone. You can’t expect results doing the same thing you’ve always done, that’s called insanity, right? I want you to not be able to finish the last rep, because you have picked up the heaviest weights. By pushing your body out of its comfort zone, you are forcing it to respond and change. Your body has to use energy to repair and recover. Make your body work for you, and don’t be afraid of failing.
Do Supersets and Hybrids:
A superset involves doing two or more exercises that target the same muscle group, back to back, with minimal rest in between. For example, doing a series of 12 heavy squats, followed by a series of 12 heavy lunges is a superset. A hybrid involves combining two or more movements in a single movement. The combination of a squat with a shoulder press or a lunge with a squat followed by a lunge are examples of hybrid exercises. Incorporating these into your lift weights training can increase the intensity of your workout, which is great for weight loss.
Circuit training:
Circuit training is a great way to do multiple exercises. You can focus on your upper body, lower body, or full body, all while keeping the intensity high. Of course, you still want to focus on using heavy lift weights to burn fat. Below is an example of a full body circuit training. Quickly switch from exercise to exercise and rest for a minute at the end of each round. Don’t be afraid to rest during a set, recover quickly, and then come back afterward.
Ultimately, weight loss occurs due to a combination of factors: sleep, nutrition, mindset, and physical activity, all of which play a key role in initiating and maintaining weight loss. Be sure to consult with a doctor before starting a weight training regimen and don’t be afraid of failing. Failure is the point where growth and change occur.
Try to do three full-body workouts per week. If you decide to split your workouts, try doing two upper body focused workouts, two lower body focused workouts, and one full body workout per week. Remember, these workouts can be as short as 20 to 30 minutes – the key is to keep the intensity high!
