Weight lifting for weight loss…
Many people don’t even know that’s a thing.
And that’s unfortunate.
Because if you think about it for a minute, what do we talk about when we talk about weight loss?
Well, most people talk about cardio.
But the truth is that lifting weights is the BEST exercise for weight loss.
And here are 5 reasons why:
Weight Lifting for Weight Loss Awesome Fact #1: It Helps Preserve Muscle
This is the biggie.
When you go on a diet to lose weight, you don’t just lose fat. You actually lose a combination of fat and muscle.
But you don’t want to lose muscle, do you?
No. You want to lose fat.
Think about it this way.
Diet Scenario A
Let’s say you went on a diet and lost 30 pounds:
- 15 lbs of fat lost
- 15 lbs of muscle lost
Most people would be overjoyed. After all, you just lost 30 pounds! Awesome, right?
Wrong.
The truth is, in this scenario you haven’t really improved your body composition at all.
In fact, your body fat percentage is liable to be HIGHER!
Yes, you lost weight…
But you actually gained fat (relatively speaking).
Keep doing this and you’ll wind up “skinny fat.”
Diet Scenario B
If you were lifting weights, on the other hand, then things would work out very differently.
If you were lifting weights while on that diet, your results might look something like this:
- 15 lbs of fat lost
- 2 lbs of muscle gained
In this scenario, you only lost 13 lbs on the scale…but it was almost all fat. You actually improved your body composition.
If Diet Scenario A is a surefire recipe for being skinny fat, Diet Scenario B is a surefire recipe for getting lean and ripped.
And the only difference is lifting weights.
Weight Lifting for Weight Loss Awesome Fact #2: It Burns Calories
Most people think of cardio as a way to burn calories.
But lifting weights burns calories too.
Think about it: anytime you’re physically moving your body, you’re using energy.
Weight lifting may not be as aerobically challenging as cardio, but it challenges your body in other ways.
And while the calorie-burning effect of cardio wears off as soon as you stop exercising, lifting weights can increase your metabolism for around 24-36 hours after lifting weights.
This is because your body has to perform all sorts of internal tasks to recover from your workout, such as…
- Removing lactic acid
- Replenishing stores of creatine, ATP, and oxygen
- Repairing microtears in your muscles
- And so on
Now, this “afterburn effect” as it’s called isn’t huge. On average, it produces a metabolic boost of around 9-11%. In other words, it could add up to maybe 250 calories.
Now 250 calories isn’t a lot, but it’s something. And it adds up over time.
Weight Lifting for Weight Loss Awesome Fact #3: It Increases Growth Hormone
Lifting weights is one of the best ways to raise your growth hormone levels naturally.
Growth hormone (GH) is essential when it comes to fat loss.
Have you ever hit a “weight loss plateau” where it seemed like nothing ever worked?
No matter how little you ate, the scale just wouldn’t budge?
If so, then you might have had sub-optimal GH levels.
To remedy the situation, all you have to do is…
(Drumroll…)
Lift weights!
Preferably with short rest periods to maximize GH.
Weight Lifting for Weight Loss Awesome Fact #4: It Makes You Look Better
Let’s just face it: one of our main reasons for wanting to lose weight is to look better.
And I’m OK with that. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to look and feel like your best self.
But if you want to become more attractive, guess what?
Weight loss by itself isn’t going to cut it.
Sure, you’ll probably look better if you lose weight.
But you’ll look much, much better if you lose weight while lifting weights.
Here’s why:
1) You’ll have better body proportions.
Lifting weights will help fill out the areas you want filled out (like chest and shoulders, for men, or glutes for women).
This helps to better frame your body.
It also makes your stomach look even leaner by comparison.
2) Your clothes will fit better.
When you improve your body proportions, a side-benefit is that your clothes will fit better.
(That is…during those rare moments when a member of the opposite sex isn’t tearing them off. ;))
Weight Lifting for Weight Loss Awesome Fact #5: It Makes You Feel Better
Dieting isn’t fun.
I’m sorry to say it, but it’s true.
If you’re eating at a 500-calorie deficit every day, there are going to be times when you feel hungry and cranky.
(The right diet strategy can minimize this, but it still happens from time to time.)
Thank God for weight lifting.
Studies show that lifting weights helps you:
- Have a better overall mood
- Feel less angry
- Handle stress better
Don’t underestimate the importance of your mental well-being.
Whenever you start to feel down, depressed, or angry, you’re often more likely to overeat or binge.
But the better you feel (the happier, more positive, more upbeat), the easier it is to stick to your diet.
Bonus!
Want to Learn More?
If you want to learn more on this topic, check out the cardio vs weights for fat loss article here.