Weight loss: How and why weight lifting is important

Nearly half of the fitness enthusiasts do not associate weight lifting with weight loss but it’s extremely important and beneficial for the long-term effect.

By: Sukriti Shahi | | Published: November 12, 2019 6:36 pm

Learn how weightlifting can help you achieve your weight loss goal.

If your ultimate goal is weight loss, which is for almost everyone, it’s imperative for you to understand why weight lifting should be a part of your regime. The reason is cardio and restricting calorie count can get you instant results but forget for how long it will stay. Also, cutting back on calories might not result in healthy functioning of the body. There are number of myths around the concept of weightlifting. Before you start to think of it, here are few myths we need to bust. Also Read - Weight loss: Dance your way to fitness with ZUMBA

Busting the myths

Many people are of the opinion that weightlifting can make them ‘BIG’. That’s a general line of thought that it builds muscles and body structure like that of a body builder with muscles bulging out. That’s not true; it only happens when with weightlifting your calorie intake is high. That’s when weightlifting converts fat into muscles making you look big. If you are looking at it for weight loss and have balanced intake, getting big is nowhere in picture. Also Read - Reasons you are not losing weight and how to fix them

Second myth is about the weight one can lift. Yes, it’s true, you can actually lift more than your own body weight. You might have to take help of a supporter, but you can do it. Your body might be sore for first couple of days and nothing else. Drink lots of water, stretch more and take proper nutrition to recover from sore body. Also Read - Suffering from diabetes? Reducing body fat linked to ‘lower heart risk among diabetic patients’

Weightlifting and weight loss

Here’s how you can use this exercise and work towards your weight loss goal. Also, remember that you may weight more but have better body because of toned muscles. You need to keep this in mind while weightlifting to lose weight.

Lift heavy weights: You can’t achieve your goal if you lift light weights. You may start with lighter ones but don’t stop at it, keep increasing the weight. It will increase your strength and muscle mass. And we all know that increased muscle mass is directly proportional to increased metabolism. This will burn more calories than you consume making you lose weight. So, lifting heavier weight is the key.

Circuit training with weights: This makes you work on your problem areas or overall body, as required. You might feel you have to lose fat around the belly or thighs and so you can choose to work on upper and lower body, respectively. Lunges, push-ups, squats, combine these with weights, again pick heavier weights. Circuit training also makes you do different exercises making the session interesting. Combine five to six exercises in one set, move quickly from one to another but do take a minute’s rest after each exercise.

Keep it short but fast: You don’t have to invest more than 45 minutes in weight training. In fact, if weight loss is your goal, you can reduce it to 20 minutes. But, make the best of those 20 minutes. The idea is to do your maximum in that duration with lesser rest breaks keeping the heart rate elevated.

Don’t push beyond a point: The idea is to give your body some time to recover. You can’t push to give your quick results. Weight lifting, for beginners, can be tasking with sore body and muscles. Give you body some time to use its energy to recover. If you are unable to complete the last because you lifted heavier, it’s FINE!

Published : November 12, 2019 6:36 pm

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