Summer is around the corner!! Don’t let your goals pass you by, there is no better time to jump start your fitness routine than now.
Strength training can be an effective way to aid in weight loss for swimsuit season by increasing muscle mass, boosting metabolism, and burning more calories throughout the day. Here are some ways that strength training can help you lose weight and get ready for those tank tops and the pool:
- Increasing Muscle Mass: Strength training helps to build muscle mass, which is more metabolically active than fat. This means that the more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn at rest. Building muscle through strength training can help you burn more calories throughout the day and achieve your weight loss goals. AND “building” muscle mass is actually helping you achieve the toned look you’re after, not necessarily bulk like people think. SO lift those weights!!
- Boosting Metabolism: Strength training can help boost your metabolism by increasing your basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the number of calories you burn at rest. By increasing your BMR, you burn more calories even when you are not exercising, which can help you lose weight faster.
- Burning More Calories: Strength training burns calories during the workout and also increases the number of calories you burn after the workout. This is known as the “afterburn effect” or excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). EPOC is the amount of oxygen your body consumes after exercise to restore itself to its pre-exercise state. This process requires energy, which means you continue to burn calories after your workout is over.
- Improving Insulin Sensitivity: Strength training can help improve insulin sensitivity, which is how effectively your body uses insulin to regulate blood sugar levels. Insulin resistance is a risk factor for obesity and type 2 diabetes, so improving insulin sensitivity through strength training can help you lose weight and reduce your risk of chronic diseases.
- Enhancing Overall Fitness: Strength training can improve your overall fitness level, which can make it easier to engage in other physical activities that help with weight loss, such as swimming, hiking, or biking to name a few. By building strength, you can perform these activities more easily and burn even more calories.
We still need cardio, but don’t skip out on the weights in your quest for your summer bod. Strength training is the BEST way to transform your body and lose body fat. So come workout with us at Omaha’s premier group fitness experience. Our group strength and conditioning workouts are a blend of the strength training and cardio you need to achieve your weight loss and fitness goals. Click the free trial button and we’ll get you scheduled for your free trial with a coach.