How does weight lifting affect body fat, during and after exercise

If you try to make Changes in your physique Or lose weight, you know it plus Modify your dietAnd the exercise regime Also important. An important factor to consider is The type of exercise you do. When you understand the effects of each type of exercise on the body, you can reach any goal more easily and quickly.

Strength training (such as lifting weights) is effective in helping your body burn fat – even after exercise. We spoke to some experts to help explain how to do this. These are the many ways they affect your muscles body composition.

Woman wiping sweat off her face with a towel

Strength training can help you burn more fat.

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Cardio vs strength training

There is an ongoing debate about which is more efficient: Cardio or strength training. According to the New York City-based personal trainer Oscar Cologne IVCardio is perfect for burning more calories during your workout session – key to that Keep your heart strong But strength training affects your body in a different way. “Strength training has a twofold effect because you burn calories during exercise and during recovery and recovery of the muscle groups you worked on,” he explains. As a result, you get more bang for your buck.

It’s still a good idea to incorporate both cardio and strength training into a well-balanced fitness plan, so you can reap all the benefits. How much you do in one of them may depend on your current goals. if I were Train for your first marathonCardio will be your primary focus while building endurance, while Strength training will be a priority When you are trying to get stronger or build muscle.

Illustration of muscle anatomy that resembles a constellation map.

Putting on muscle helps you burn calories even while you’re resting.

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How does muscle affect your ability to burn fat?

As mentioned earlier, strength training has the potential to help you burn more calories during and after exercise. This is thanks to the lean muscle you gain as a result of strength training. If your goal is to lose weight, gaining more lean muscle can help with the process.

This also means that the more lean muscle you have, the higher your resting metabolic rate. for you Resting metabolic rate, or RMR, refers to the total number of calories your body burns when it is at rest. Biologically, resting metabolism aids in organ function, nervous function, respiration, and circulation. Rachel MacphersonMuscle is metabolically active, meaning it burns calories even while at rest, explains, an American Council on Exercise certified personal trainer, performance specialist and active weight lifter, and although the effect is minimal, it is significant and increases over time. “This also helps counteract the decline in metabolism and muscle mass as you age, which may contribute to weight gain in middle age,” she says.

Strength training also has fat burning benefits when you’re new after a workout. “Excess oxygen consumption after exercise is a process by which your body regulates itself back to normal balance after a strenuous exercise,” Colon explains. In other words, you still burn calories while you recover, because your body stays warm for a while while it cools off.

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Studies have shown that beginners tend to put on muscle faster than those with experience with strength training.

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How long does it take to put on muscle?

Now that you know that lean muscle is the key ingredient in burning fat, you might be wondering How long does it take to build muscle. This will vary from person to person, because genetics, hormones, gender, diet, and other factors It plays a role in how much muscle you wear And at what speed. Colon says, “If you’ve been training consistently three to four times a week for 30 minutes per session, you should realistically start seeing results within three to four weeks.”

MacPherson says you can increase muscle mass every week, and doing a 12 to 16 week training program is ideal to see a significant amount of muscle gain. “You can expect to gain 5 to 10 pounds of muscle during this time,” MacPherson explains, adding, “As you get more advanced, you’ll need to work harder for fewer gains, but you’ll still see results.”

Here’s another interesting aspect about strength training: If you’re a beginner, you tend to stand out over someone more experienced when building muscle. This is what some people refer to as “beginner’s gain”, which stands for Bodybuilding response to weightlifting, because it is not used for this type of stimulation. Research has shown that untrained individuals (Those with little or no experience with strength training) can put on muscle faster than anyone who already has experience with strength training.

In general, men and women also have different results when building muscle mass. “Men can build muscle mass much easier and faster than women because of the testosterone hormone, while women can still build massive amounts of muscle, but they will never look as big or as full as men unless they use anabolic steroids,” MacPherson explains. “It is essential that women gain sufficient size and weight while also eating enough to support muscle gain,” she adds. This means abandoning the old school mentality of dieting and cutting yourself back, or else it will hamper your ability to build muscle.

Along with a well-organized exercise plan, a diet that supports muscle building is also key. MacPherson says, “In order to build muscle, you need to eat a calorie surplus with lots of protein.” She explains that eating an excess will lead you to gain some body fat, which is normal and necessary for muscle gain. “You can lose it after that and it will be easier because your body is getting better at burning calories because of the increased muscle mass,” she adds.

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Strength training has excellent health benefits.

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Other benefits of weightlifting

Besides helping you with your metabolism and getting stronger, strength training has other benefits. The colon says it’s also important for bone growth and density. “Weight-bearing exercises put temporary stress on your bones, sending a message to your bone-building cells to take action and rebuild stronger bones,” he explains.

Another benefit associated with strength training is a reduced risk of injury by improving the strength, range and motion of muscles, ligaments, and tendons. “This can enhance strength around major joints such as the knees, hips, and ankles to provide additional protection against injury,” he adds.

Another advantage for your heart – strength training appears to help lowering blood pressure. You can also reduce the chances of Type 2 diabetes improves blood circulation and bad LDL cholesterol. It has been shown that the exercise contains a file Positive effect on your mental healthAnd the Resistance training found to relieve anxiety like that.

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It helps to know the unique effects of strength training on your body as you create a consistent exercise routine. Not only will you burn more fat naturally through more muscle, but you’ll maintain strength as you age and improve your other life functions as well. If you don’t have access to a gym, you can Start your workout regime at home And you still get the same results, as long as you have the right equipment.

Even if your goal isn’t weight loss or body recomposition, strength training provides many benefits that make it worth adding to your lifestyle, and will only improve your health in the long run.

The information in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to provide health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have about a medical condition or health goals.

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