Why Do We Need Strength Training? Let me count the ways! 1. Strong muscles help us stay lean. Muscle is "active" tissue (unlike fat, which just sits there). With more muscle in our bodies, we use up more calories even just sitting around. About 50-75 calories for each new pound of muscle per day. 3lbs. of muscle=150-225 calories per day. 2. Dieting w/out exercise is a bad idea. While strictly dieting, the fat cells hold onto everything they can, they want us to live, not starve and die. We can actually come off a diet "fatter" than before. Holding more fat but having lost precious muscle. If your body thinks it's starving, it will start using up precious muscle for fuel. 3.Training slows down the aging process. Unused (unchallenged) muscle shrinks with each decade. Weakened muscles also make it less fun to move. Naturally, activity decreases and metabolism drops, while body fat, aches, and injuries sky rocket. 4. Muscle is the cheapest beauty aid around! We can get face lifts, collagen injections and implants, but not one plastic surgeon in the world can inject us with all-over, naturally built, vital-looking muscle. When muscles get stronger, they grow into a more pleasing shape, tighter and firmer. Thanks to our female hormones, they don't get much bigger. 5. Stronger muscles improve problem areas in posture. Protruding abdominals / weak lower back Sunken chest / weak upper back When these areas are strong, we stand taller, and also reduce our risk of having "doweger's hump" on our little old lady backs. 6. Muscle strength adds density to our bones and reduces our risk of osteoporosis. Bones need weight bearing exercise to encourage the production of more bone cells and calcium. Walking and running are "weight bearing" but we need all-over strength. 7. Building muscle decreases our risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. These are all health problems associated with high levels of body fat. Building muscle decreases fat, period. 8. Strength training and other exercise also help: Relieve stress Lower blood pressure Promote lower levels Ease symptoms of PMS, of total cholesterol reduce cramps, & length Provide better mental of cycle alertness 9. Don't be fooled, muscle weighs more than fat. When someone loses fat, adds muscle and then gets on the scale, she might be dissapointed at first. The way clothes fit and overall tightness of muscles(less flabbiness) are better indications of results. 10. Improve mental outlook and attitude toward yourself and life in general. That's something to smile about! Can anyone say "depression"? Anyone? I'm sure we can all say it because we all experience it occasionally (or frequently). Exercise, especially weight training(pushing myself, challenging myself) makes me feel like a new person. More of Him Fitness and Nutrition |