Why Women Must Lift Weights

First off, I’m a guy whom have discovered how valuable weight training has been for me in my continued weight lost, and especially with keeping the pounds off in the long haul.  What weight training has done for me is to allow my to continue with my calorie counting diet and not being so stringent with my diet.  Weight training is one of the better things one can do to increase their metabolism.   HOWEVER, weight loss/gain and weight management has a direct correlation with the balance of total calories consumed versus calories burned.   Metabolism is the engine that burns calories, and it varies from person to person.

See my post about Understanding Calories & Weight Loss for additional info regarding calculating your bodies metabolic rate.

The Mayo Clinic writes about metabolism:

Stated simply, metabolism is the process by which your body converts food into energy. During this complex biochemical process, calories — from carbohydrates, fats and proteins — are combined with oxygen to release the energy your body needs to function.

The number of calories your body burns each day is called your total energy expenditure. The following three factors make up your total energy expenditure:

• Basic needs. Even when your body is at rest, it requires energy for the basics, such as fuel for organs, breathing, circulating blood, adjusting hormone levels, plus growing and repairing cells. Calories expended to cover these basic functions are your basal metabolic rate (BMR). Typically, a person’s BMR is the largest portion of energy use, representing two-thirds to three-quarters of the calories used each day. Energy needs for these basic functions stay fairly consistent and aren’t easily changed.
• Food processing. Digesting, absorbing, transporting and storing the food you consume also takes calories. This accounts for about 10 percent of the calories used each day. For the most part, your body’s energy requirement to process food stays relatively steady and isn’t easily changed.
• Physical activity. Physical activity — such as playing tennis, walking to the store, chasing after the dog and any other movement — accounts for the remainder of calories used. You control the number of calories burned depending on the frequency, duration and intensity of your activities.

The general consensus from women is that, ‘I don’t want to get bulky.’  Or, ‘I want to have that feminine look and not too much muscle.’ On the contrary, fitness expert Jim Karas states that, weight and strength training makes you smaller.”  In addition, walking, running, and spin classes do not burn up nearly as many calories as we’ve been led to believe, which is why strength conditioning should warrant more attention from women.

Elizabeth Quinn, an exercise physiologist says that you will gain muscle tone and definition.  Researchers state that ‘women typically don’t gain size from strength training, because compared to men, women have 10 to 30 times less of the hormones that cause muscle hypertrophy.’  Quinn says ‘this is a bonus.’

I can’t express to both women and men how much weight training has played with me keeping off the pounds.  I’ve used a combination of cardio and strength training.  I wish I could say that I’ve been consistent with my workout routine.  But over time, the close to 90 pounds I have lost, has been fueled by some weight lifting. The bottom is muscle develop, which also increases your metabolism.  This in turn, helps your body burn more calories per day! Generally speaking, for each pound of muscle you gain, you burn 35 to 50 more calories each day.

So what are the ladies thinking at this point?  Again, the key to weight management, in my opinion, is a combination cardio and weight training.  People who do both are better equipped to control their weight!  Most women only do cardio.  This is evident when I go to the fitness center.  If there are, say 12 women in the gym, I’d see about 2 of them doing any weight training.  Women love the treadmills and stairmasters and eliptical machines.  That’s great.   But, don’t forget to lift some weights.

Ladies, do not be afraid to visit the weights section of the fitness center! That area belongs to you just as much as it does the fellas!  I’d encourage you to do some research on finding good weight training exercises to do and how you carry them out.  If you’re doing only 3 weight training exercises each time in the gym, you’ll be fine.  Start out with the lowest weight possible, and gradually increase in small increments over a period of time.  And never hesitate to ask any of the patrons or staff at your fitness center for help and guidance while lifting weights.  Everyone is willing to help; never forget this!

And remember, the easiest way to improve your metabolism(metabolic rate) is to alter what you eat and increasing routine activities.  I list 25 non-exercising ways to help increase your metabolism in another one of my blogs here.

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