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In your quest to lose weight, you may have tried everything from healthy eating to gymming religiously. But do you know what you actually need to lose weight? Rujuta Diwekar says that to lose weight, you have to gain weight - i.e lean body weight - the weight of your bones and muscles. "Most of us lose between 2- 4 kgs of muscles every 10 years. Women, especially after 30, lose muscle from their thighs and gain intramuscular fat at a fast pace. This continuous and progressive loss of muscles and bone density can be reversed with exercise. This includes strength (weight) training," Rujuta says.
Here are some benefits from just one session of strength training in a week according to Rujuta Diwekar -
Prevents diabetes and if you already have it, has the potential to lower the intensity and severity. You may experience less or weaker doses of medicines.
Regulates period cycle and leads to pain-free periods. Makes conception easy if you want a baby.
Reduces arthritic pain and uric acid.
Reduces blood pressure and resting heart rate.
Improves functioning of the brain.
Increases gait speed so you can walk faster.
Reduces depressive thoughts and improves sleep.
All of us talk about how we gain weight post 30, but we are losing muscle, so then what weight are we gaining? Fat.
Notes on strength/ weight training
1. If you have never weight trained before - Start now. Schedule a meeting with an expert trainer at a local gym and begin with once a week routine. You must especially start if you have insulin resistance, are very obese, have a heart condition, bone loss or diabetes. This is more relevant for you if you are an older man or woman.
2. If you are already training but are not regular - Get regular and dedicate at least 2 times a week to strength training. This is especially crucial for all those who have PCOD, breakouts, menopausal or have thyroid issues. Focus on bringing in progressive overload into your workouts.
3. If you are training 3 or more days a week - Drop your reps to 5-8 and focus on the intensity or the actual weight you subject your muscles to. The biggest gains of strength training come from the load bearing that you train your muscles to do.
Check out Dia Mirza doing weight training:
Image source: Shutterstock
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