Weight training is the most underutilized tool for fat loss.
The average person thinks that diet and cardio are the most important components of losing body fat. They see weight training as something you do to build muscle and get strong.
This is unfortunate because those who attempt to lose weight without weight training are doing themselves a huge disservice.
There are two main reasons why lifting is crucial to fat loss:
1. Muscle Helps Burn More Fat
The body has to work hard to "feed" muscle tissue. The more muscle an individual has, the more calories they're burning at rest. This explains why lean people can afford to eat more food without gaining weight.
2. When You Lose Weight, You Lose Muscle
This is inevitable. We all wish you could magically target only fat cells when dropping weight, but that's not the case. The only defense you have against losing too much precious lean tissue when losing weight is weight training.
When you lose weight by restricting calories, your metabolism slows down. This explains why people on a diet have to keep reducing their calories to continue losing weight. If you're losing muscle mass in the process, that exacerbates the problem.
Another consideration is aesthetics. We've all seen how flabby people can look when they lose a lot of weight but haven't weight trained. This is why I use the term "fat loss" instead of "weight loss." You don't want to lose weight; you want to lose FAT.
The smart way to lose fat is to lift heavy weights in order to preserve muscle mass while cutting primarily body fat. This way, you keep your metabolism high and increase your chances of looking toned/lean instead of flabby.
We hope you've enjoyed today's blog post! Whether you are new to fitness or are looking for a way to kick your current routine up a notch, our team of highly trained and certified trainers at B-Fit Training Studios will help you reach your goals while having fun.
Ready to take your fitness to the next level? Click below to schedule your 15-min consultation and connect with a B-Fit Trainer today!