Lift Weights to Decrease Your Scale Number
By Rachel Carver
Temperatures are cooler. Coming off of the holidays, the idea of spending time on an elliptical or treadmill does not make you want to exercise. Cooler weather and busy schedules can make trips to the gym harder. There is another option for getting stronger and burning calories -- weightlifting.
Lifting weights can support your weight loss efforts in many ways. Regular resistance training is also important for building muscle, stronger bones, and overall health.
Here are some reasons to start weightlifting now.
Increases Metabolism
Holiday gatherings combined with spending more time indoors might send you toward cardio to burn quick calories and lose fat. However, weightlifting helps you burn more calories after your workout ends. Resistance training focuses on muscle development, which can help you burn more calories. More muscle gives you a higher basal metabolic rate, or how many calories your body burns while resting. This is responsible for 60-75 percent of your daily calorie burn.
Improves Mood
Some people experience seasonal depression during the winter months. Work and family demands can also increase stress. This can cause us to find comfort in food, which may increase the scale number over time. Resistance training may decrease the effects of depression.
Combats Weight Gain
We are not as active during the winter months, which makes weight gain more likely. Holiday weight gain is responsible for adding one pound of weight per year, which most of us do not lose. Weightlifting can be used as another tool to ditch the weight from our recent holiday gatherings.
Helps Start Your New Years Resolution
Are you wanting to exercise this year but don't know where to start? The ellipticals, bikes, and treadmills at the gym are always popular choices in January.
Researching strength training workouts might lead you to a quieter area of the gym. You might also be able to complete some or all of your workouts at home, depending on your space and any equipment you want to use. Setting goals, perfecting your technique, and finding workouts you enjoy can save you time and keep you motivated.
The Bottom Line
Exercise is about more than just weight loss. Strength training does decrease your scale number. But it also builds muscle, helping you shape your body and achieve your goals. Weightlifting can put you in a calorie deficit and set you up for sustainable healthy habits.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Flowery Branch, Ga.