I am never surprised when I meet a new client who is scared to include weights in their training routine. Why? Too many women are under the misconception that weights make you big and bulky. But this simply is not true.
If you want to lose weight, see results and watch your body change to become toned and lean—then weight training is something you must embrace. I am always telling my clients that to continually change our body, we must continually challenge our body and with weights the options are truly endless.
So, if you are looking to shape and tone your body but constant cardio isn’t doing the trick, here’s exactly how you will benefit from including weights into your routine.
1. You get more bang for your buck
Lifting weights is one of the most efficient ways to torch calories, and the good news is you don’t need to slave away for hours on end to see results. I often talk about prioritizing quality over quantity, and weights will give you more bang for your buck when you go for big compound moves that use lots of muscles—like deadlifts and squats.
2. It revs your metabolism
Lifting weights helps you gain more muscle. When you have toned, lean muscle you naturally increase the speed of your metabolism. Believe it or not, when you have a higher metabolism you burn more calories not just during the work out, but even once the session is over. This magical after-burn effect means that weights are one of the best ways you can shed stubborn fat.
3. It’ll spice things up
Whenever I meet a new client who does constant cardio and is a slave to the treadmill, I always tell them this. Doing the same thing over and over yet expecting different results is truly insane! Sure, cardio works your heart and there’s no denying that it’s important. But we cannot neglect the muscle groups, joints and bones which are just as important. So if you’re a cardio queen, then strength training is an awesome way to bring some balance into your routine and help you achieve the results that you are after.
4. You build strength, not bulk
As I mentioned earlier, one of the biggest fears of people who avoid strength training is a fear of “bulking”. But guess what? This physiologically cannot happen and trust me, simply increasing your muscle strength does not mean you will double in size. It will simple strengthen, shape and tone your body.
5. You will feel the mood-boosting benefits
When we exercise, endorphins are released that can improve our mood, fight depression and help us deal with pain. A lift in endorphins naturally reduces stress and anxiety levels, while also improving our energy levels and alertness. A good strength session can put a smile on your dial or help you tackle a tough day ahead.
6. You reduce your risk of injury
Lifting weights helps us build strength in our joints and connective tissues. Strong ligaments, tendons and joints are key to avoiding injury and also preventing osteoarthritis, so strengthening your muscles and connective tissues will make you more resilient while helping reduce your risk of injury.
So there you have it, just a few reasons why including weights into your routine is a total game changer.
