The Importance of Resistance Training in Weight Loss and Bone Density

Loose weight by building lean muscle
For those of us who are more interested in loosing weight, resistance training, or weight training, seems counterproductive.  When we think of pumping iron, we think of bulking up. This couldn’t be further from the truth.

First let’s talk about metabolism. We have all heard that strict diets (or starvation diets) can slow down metabolism. The major reason is this: we lose muscle mass when we starve ourselves. Muscle is vital to a strong metabolism. The less muscle we have, the harder it is to loose fat.

Cardio exercises like aerobics, biking, swimming, etc, are great for your cardio-vascular system and should make up fifty percent of your exercise routine. Cardio exercise burns lots of calories, quickly, while you’re exercising. After your workout though, the calorie burn slows down dramatically.  Conversely, muscle mass continues to burn calories even after you are finished exercising for the day.

Consider this; one pound of extra muscle mass can burn up to fifty extra calories per day. Imagine if you replaced five pounds of body fat with five pounds of lean muscle. Your body can burn up to two hundred fifty extra calories per day while you sit at your desk!

During your resistance training, your body will burn away fat while you workout and will continue to burn fat after you have stopped for the day. As your muscle endurance slowly builds, you can lift heavier weights and burn even more calories. The stronger your muscles become, the faster your fat reserves will melt away.

Build your bones at the same time
For those of you who like to multi-task, you’ll love this one. Another benefit of resistance training is a sharp increase in bone density. Just as muscle becomes stronger and denser through resistance training, so do our bones!  Resistance training as well as specific weight bearing, high-impact exercises (like running and brisk walking) put force on the bone causing them to retain more minerals and become denser. Frailty and fracture are the primary reasons older adults end up in nursing homes. If you would prefer to spend your golden years active and independent, you should seriously consider resistance training now.

Post menopausal women should be especially mindful of their bone density, as lower estrogen levels can lead to debilitating osteoporosis. For best results, women should start weight training at an early age well before menopause. However, studies show that women as old as seventy have avoided further bone loss and increased their bone density through resistance training.  And ladies, calcium supplements alone cannot prevent osteoporosis. The bones only retain calcium and other vital minerals when they have demands placed upon them. Nine out of ten hip fractures in elderly people are a result of falling. Resistance training can combat this not only by building bone density, but also by improving balance and agility.

Whoever said, "No pain, no gain” is wrong!
A little training goes a long way. The days of spending two hours or more in a gym five days a week are long gone.

If your primary goal is weight loss, a healthy exercise routine should consist of one hour sessions in the gym, two to three times a week.  Fifty percent of your routine will be cardio exercise and the other fifty percent will be resistance training. Some exercise classes, like a Boot Camp class, combine both cardio and weight resistance. (These classes are popular because of the strong motivation and fun atmosphere that a group setting provides. Not to mention a great workout!) This combined with a sensible diet should result in a loss of two pounds of body fat per week.

The same is true for maintaining bone density…and it’s never too late to start! Studies have shown that elderly people in their 80s and 90s, living in nursing homes, who do resistance training with light weights two to three times a week, show improvements in strength, balance and bone density in as little as eight weeks. If you’re looking for the fountain of youth, look no further than your gym!

Remember to keep your resistance training at a weight level comfortable for you and your fitness level. Build up slowly. Feeling pain while you’re working out will not give you a better result and may even cause injury.Get started on your resistance training today and experience a leaner, stronger body for many years to come!