It is difficult to gain muscle while losing fat if you don’t follow the right strategy. Improving your diet and exercising regularly are the most common and effective methods people follow to achieve their fitness goals. However, the exercise method you choose will affect how long it will take you to reach your goal. For example, if your goal is to lose fat, you should start with strength training.
Strength training helps you burn fat not only during your workout, but also after you finish. Building muscle helps you: Your body composition And it has a major impact on your metabolism. We spoke to some experts to explain how it works and what you need to know to be successful.
For more fitness tips, check out how many calories you need to burn to lose weight, how to burn body fat at home, and the tricks you need to lose weight and gain muscle at the same time.
Strength training helps you burn more fat.
Aerobic and strength training
There is a constant debate about which is more effective in achieving one’s ideal body shape. Aerobic or strength trainingAccording to a New York-based personal trainer: Oscar Colon IVAerobic exercise is ideal for burning more calories during training, Staying Strong — But strength training affects your body differently: “Strength training has the dual effect of burning calories both while you’re working out and while you’re recovering and repairing the muscle groups you’ve worked,” he says. As a result, you get more bang for your buck.
Incorporating both cardio and strength training into a balanced fitness plan is a good idea to reap the benefits of all of them, and how much of each you do will depend on your current goals. Training for my first marathonAlthough aerobic exercise is the main focus for building endurance, Strength training is a priority When you want to get stronger and build muscle.
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Building muscle helps you burn calories even when you’re resting.
How muscle affects your fat burning ability
As mentioned above, strength training helps you burn more calories during and after your workout, thanks to the lean muscle you gain as a result of strength training. If weight loss is your goal, gaining lean muscle will help you do so.
This means that the more muscle mass you have, the higher your resting metabolic rate. Resting Metabolic RateYour RMR, or resting metabolism, refers to the total number of calories your body burns while at rest. Biologically speaking, your resting metabolism aids in organ function, nerve function, breathing, and blood circulation. Rachel McPhersonAmerican Council on Exercise Certified Personal Trainer and Performance Specialist Garage Gym Reviews Expert Dr. John Myers explains that muscle is metabolically active, burning calories even when you’re resting, and the effects are small but significant and add up over time. “This also helps offset the metabolic and muscle mass losses that come with aging, which may contribute to weight gain in midlife,” he says.
Strength training also helps burn fat immediately after exercise: “Excess oxygen consumption after exercise is the body’s way of trying to return to homeostasis after intense exercise,” explains Colon. In other words, your body stays warm for a while before cooling down, so you’re still burning calories as you recover.
Studies have shown that beginners tend to build muscle faster than those with more experience in strength training.
How long does it take to build muscle
Now that we know muscle is a key component to burning fat, you’re probably wondering: How long does it take to build muscleThis varies from person to person depending on genetics, hormones, sex, diet, and other factors. Affects how much muscle you build And how quickly can you do it? “If you train consistently for 30 minutes three to four times a week, you should realistically start to see results in three to four weeks,” Colon says.
McPherson says you can build muscle mass every week, and that a 12- to 16-week hypertrophy training program is ideal to see significant muscle gains. “You can expect to gain 5-10 pounds of muscle during this time,” she explains, adding, “As you get more advanced, you’ll gain less muscle but you’ll have to train harder, but you’ll still see results.”
Here’s another interesting aspect of strength training: If you’re a beginner, you tend to have an advantage over more experienced people when it comes to building muscle. This is what some call “beginner gains,” which refers to the increase in muscle mass in your body. Reaction to weightlifting This is because we are not used to this type of stimulation. Research shows Untrained individuals (someone with little or no experience in strength training) will be able to build muscle faster than someone who already has experience with strength training.
Generally speaking, men and women have different results when it comes to building muscle mass. “Men can build muscle mass much easier and faster than women thanks to testosterone, and while women can build a fair amount of muscle, they won’t get as big and plump as men unless they use anabolic steroids,” explains MacPherson. “It’s important for women to lift enough volume and weight while also eating enough to build muscle mass,” she adds. This means ditching the old mindset of dieting to get smaller, or you’ll stunt your ability to build muscle.
In addition to a well-controlled training plan, a diet that supports muscle building is also important. “To build muscle, you need to have a calorie surplus and enough protein,” says MacPherson. She explains that if you eat in excess, you’ll gain some body fat, which is normal and necessary for muscle building. “You can then lose fat, which is easier to do because your body is now burning calories more easily because you’ve gained muscle mass,” she adds.
Strength training has excellent health benefits.
Other Benefits of Weight Lifting
Strength training not only boosts your metabolism and makes you stronger, it has other benefits too. Colon says it’s also important for bone development and density. “Weight-bearing exercise puts temporary stress on the bones, which sends a message to bone-building cells to take action and make the bones stronger,” explains Colon.
Another benefit associated with strength training is that it can reduce the risk of injury by improving the strength, range of motion, and mobility of muscles, ligaments, and tendons. “This builds strength around major joints like the knees, hips, and ankles, providing better protection against injury,” adds Colon.
Another benefit is that strength training is good for your heart. Lowers blood pressureIt can also reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Improves blood circulation Exercise lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol. Your Mental Healthand resistance training Shown to reduce anxiety In the same way.
Conclusion
Understanding the unique effects strength training has on your body can help you establish a consistent exercise habit. Building muscle not only naturally burns fat, but it also helps you maintain strength as you age and improve other aspects of your life. If you can’t get to the gym, Start exercising at home With the right equipment, you can achieve the same results.
Even if your goal isn’t to lose weight or get in shape, strength training offers many benefits that make it worth incorporating into your lifestyle, and it will only improve your health in the long run.
