Why Strength Training is Essential to Weight Loss and Body Composition

When most people think of exercise they picture hours on a treadmill followed by chicken and rice for weight loss and of dumbbells and barbells for building muscle. While those are part of the equation it doesn’t put everything together. Walking is great for heart health, but by only focusing on caloric restriction and calories burned from cardiovascular training we’re essentially lowering our capacity instead of increasing our capacity over time. You can only lower the floor so much, but we can elevate the ceiling forever. This is the way to live a fulfilled life. For many people, strength training is the missing link in their weight loss and body composition goals. Let’s look at 6 reasons strength training should be the foundation of body composition goals. 

1- Burns calories during and after workouts. Strength training continues to burn calories after the workout has ended unlike cardiovascular training. This is known as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). After your session your body is burning more calories while it repairs and rebuilds muscle tissue. 

2- Builds Lean Muscle Mass. Lean muscle is metabolically active tissue meaning it requires energy to maintain. The more muscle you have the higher your Resting Metabolic rate (RMR) which is the number of calories your body burns at rest. Even if the scale doesn’t change much, strength training helps to achieve a leaner and healthier body composition. 

3- Reduces Fat while Preserving Muscle. A challenge that often happens with weight loss is being sure that the weight lost is primarily fat and not muscle mass. Strength training helps to keep muscle while in a caloric deficit. Focusing on resistance training encourages your body to use stored fat for energy instead of breaking down muscle tissue. 

4- Improves Hormonal Balance. Strength training positively influences hormones that play a role in weight loss and fat storage. 

Increase Growth Hormone and Testosterone. These hormones promote muscle growth and fat burning. 

Reduces Cortisol. Strength training helps to manage stress and stabilize cortisol levels. 

5- Enhances Overall Fitness and Faulty Functionality. Strength training doesn’t just change your physique, it also improves your ability to confidently perform daily tasks. Playing with your kids or grand kids can still be enjoyable as we age if have our fitness. 

6- Boosts Confidence and Mental Health- By stacking up small wins in the weight room (hitting a new pr or increasing the number of reps with a certain weight) builds our confidence over time and will positively affect other areas of our life. Building strength in the gym also helps us choose healthier habits outside the gym like having a better sleep schedule or healthier food choices. 

All things in life work best with moderation. If you light weights to build your muscles, don’t forget to do some exercise that will work your heart also. The goal of training is to build a healthier and stronger future. There is no finish line and we can always train for a new goal. In planning your training, think about how to increase capacity instead of lowering capacity. 

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