Fitness with Jay
More Muscle = Less Fat: The Secret Weight Loss Formula
Like many Americans, you may need to lose some weight. To take off the extra inches, you might think you need to start power walking, running, swimming or adding more time to your cardio workouts at the gym. These are great calorie burning options, but there is something else you can do. I like to think of it as a secret weapon in the fight against flab. It's strength training!
Most people think strength training is only for building muscle. And many women are afraid it will make them bulky. But neither is true! In fact, research shows that strength training can make your body a better fat-burning machine. And even just a few simple exercises a day can make a difference in more ways that you might have ever thought possible.
Research has shown that adding just 3 lbs of muscle can increase resting metabolic rate by 7%. What does that mean to you? It means that with a little more muscle, you body burns more calories every day without even adding more cardio! This little bit of extra calorie burning each day can really add up over time, and might be just the thing you need to make a difference in your weight management.
In addition, the average adult experiences a 2 - 5% reduction in metabolic rate every decade of their life. This means that even if you don't have a weight problem now, it can get harder and harder to manage your weight as you get older because your body burns less calories (but you might still be eating the same amount of food). Strength training can make up for what your age is taking away!
So when you decide you need to burn more calories to manage your weight, don't just add more cardio. Consider strength training too. The world's greatest bodies have already discovered the secret of strength training, and its powerful calorie burning and body shaping benefits. Don't get left behind!
Jay Blahnik, chosen repeatedly as one of the top instructors in the world and a fitness consultant for Nike, Nautilus, MSNBC.com and others, loves Bowflex.
Fitness with Jay Articles:
