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Losing fat while building muscle can be a challenge if you don’t follow the right strategy. Dietary modification and consistent exercise are the most popular and effective methods that people follow to achieve their fitness goals. However, the training method you choose will affect how quickly you reach your goal. For example, if you want to lose fat, you should also start strength training.
Strength training helps your body burn fat, not just during your workout, but long after you’re done. Building muscle affects your body composition and your metabolism in significant ways. I spoke to some experts to explain how strength training helps you lose weight and what you need to know to succeed with it.
For more fitness tips, read how many calories you need to burn to lose weight, how to burn body fat at home, and what trick you need to lose weight and build muscle at the same time.
Strength training can help you burn more fat.
Cardio vs. strength training
There is an ongoing debate about which method is the most efficient to achieve your ideal physique: cardio or strength trainingAccording to a New York City personal trainer Oscar Colon IVCardio is ideal for burning more calories during a workout session – and it’s the key to keep your heart strong — but strength training has a different effect on your body. “Strength training has a dual effect, because you’re burning calories during the workout and during the recovery and restoration of the muscle groups you’ve worked,” he says. As a result, you get more bang for your buck.
It’s still a good idea to include both cardio and strength training in a well-balanced fitness plan so that you can reap all the benefits. How much of one or the other you do may also depend on your current goals. If you training for your first marathoncardio will be your main focus as you build endurance, while strength training will be a priority if you want to get stronger or build muscle.
Read more: Changing your body
Building muscle burns calories, even at rest.
How Muscle Affects Your Ability to Burn Fat
As mentioned, strength training can help you burn more calories during and after your workout. This is due to the lean muscle mass you build as a result of strength training. If your goal is to lose weight, increasing your lean muscle mass can help the process.
This also means that the more muscle mass you have, the higher your resting metabolic rate will be. basal metabolic rateor RMR, refers to the total number of calories your body burns when it is at rest. Biologically speaking, resting metabolic rate helps your organ function, neurological function, breathing, and circulation. Rachel MacPhersonan American Council of Exercise certified personal trainer, performance specialist and Garage Gym Reviews expert, explains that muscles are metabolically active, meaning they burn calories even at rest, and while the effect is small, it is significant and adds up over time. “This also helps counteract the decline in metabolism and muscle mass as you age, which can contribute to weight gain in middle age,” she says.
Strength training also has fat-burning benefits when you’re fresh out of a workout. “Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption is the process by which your body regulates itself to homeostasis after a tough workout,” Colon explains. In other words, you’re still burning calories while you recover because your body stays warm for a while while it cools down.
Research has shown that beginners build muscle mass faster than people who are experienced in strength training.
How long does it take to build muscle?
Now that you know that muscle mass is the most important component in fat burning, you’re probably wondering how long does it take to build muscleThis will vary from person to person, as genetics, hormones, gender, diet, and other factors play a role. play a role in how much muscle you build and how quickly. “If you train consistently three to four times a week, for 30 minutes each session, you should realistically see results in three to four weeks,” Colon says.
MacPherson says you can build muscle mass every week, and a 12- to 16-week hypertrophy training program is ideal for seeing significant muscle gains. “You can expect to gain upwards of five to 10 pounds of muscle mass during this time,” she explains, adding, “As you get more advanced, you’ll have to work harder for less muscle mass, but you’ll still see results.”
That’s another interesting aspect of strength training: if you’re a beginner, you often have an advantage over someone who is more experienced in building muscle. This is what some people call “newbie gains,” which refers to the muscle building of your body reaction to lifting weights because it is not used to this kind of stimuli. Research has shown that untrained persons (people with little to no experience with strength training) can build muscle faster than someone who already has experience with strength training.
In general, men and women also have different results when it comes to building muscle mass. “Men can build muscle much easier and faster than women due to testosterone, while women can still build significant amounts of muscle but will never look as big or as bulky as men unless they use anabolic steroids,” MacPherson explains. She adds, “It’s vital that women lift enough volume and weight while also eating enough to support muscle growth.” This means letting go of the outdated mentality of dieting and making yourself smaller, or it will hinder your ability to build muscle.
In addition to a well-regulated workout routine, a diet that supports muscle building is also important. MacPherson says, “To build muscle, you need to eat a calorie surplus with lots of protein.” She explains that by eating a surplus, you will gain some body fat, which is normal and necessary for building muscle. “You can lose it later and it will be easier because your body has become better at burning calories due to the increased muscle mass,” she adds.
Strength training has excellent health benefits.
Other Benefits of Weightlifting
In addition to helping you metabolize and build strength, strength training has other benefits. Colon says it’s also important for bone development and density. “Weight-bearing exercises put temporary pressure on your bones, which sends a signal to bone-building cells to take action and make bones stronger,” he explains.
Another benefit of strength training is that it reduces your risk of injury by improving the strength, range of motion and mobility of your muscles, ligaments and tendons. “This can increase the strength around key joints like your knees, hips and ankles to provide additional protection against injury,” Colon adds.
Another benefit is for your heart, as strength training has been shown to help lower blood pressure. You can also reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes, Improve blood circulation and lower LDL (bad) cholesterol. Exercise has even been shown to have a positive effect on your mental healthand resistance training is found to relieve anxiety also.
In short
It’s helpful to know the unique effects that strength training has on your body when you’re establishing a consistent workout routine. Not only will you naturally burn more fat by having more muscle, but you’ll also maintain strength as you age and improve other functions in your life. If you don’t have access to a gym, you can Start your exercise regimen at home and still get the same results as long as you have the right equipment.
Even if your goal isn’t to lose weight or get your body back into balance, strength training offers many benefits that make it worth adding to your lifestyle, and will only improve your well-being in the long run.
