7 Amazing Health Benefits of Weight Lifting That You Should Know about ...
By Lisa • 12 Comments
By Lisa • 12 Comments
We all know how important regular exercise is for us, but are you aware of the many benefits of weight lifting? Many women shy away from weight lifting since they’re under the impression that lifting weights equals bulking up or looking overly toned, but that’s so not true! In addition to becoming physically stronger, there are many benefits of weight lifting that you should take advantage of, so read about it below!
One of the most compelling benefits of weight lifting is that it helps you lose body fat. Cardio is important to weight loss and physical health but lifting weights will help you gain muscle and lose fat! Another benefit is that once you start gaining lean muscle, your resting metabolism increases, meaning you’re burning more calories throughout the day! Aim to strength train two to three times a week for the best results!
Another weight lifting benefit to enjoy is that you can show off your lean, defined muscles! According to exercise physiologist Dr. Jason Karp, women looking to develop more toned, defined muscles should turn to lifting heavier weights. He adds that you don’t have to worry about getting bigger muscles because women have low testosterone levels. Try switching lighter weights for heavier ones in your workout routine!
Lifting weights is not only good to torch body fat, but you’ll also be incinerating more calories as a result! When we think of burning calories, we typically turn to a hardcore cardio session but in reality, lifting weights is much more effective in burning calories overall. With weight lifting, you continue to burn calories even after your workout is done and even more so for those who lifted heavier weights with less reps!
A great benefit of weight lifting for women is that it helps reduce the risk of osteoporosis! Osteoporosis is a disease where bones become brittle and more likely to break. Consistently lifting weights over time helps maintain bone mass, spinal bone mineral density and can even help build new bone! Pair your weight lifting workout with a diet high in calcium to effectively fight against osteoporosis!
You might not be worried about keeping your body young now, but keep in mind that lifting weights can help your body look and feel younger. Another weight lifting benefit is that it can help fight against the effects of gravity by keeping your body tight and by building quality muscles. Keep your body looking young and strong by pumping heavy iron or rapidly lifting light weights.
One of the perks of exercise as well as a weight lifting benefit is that it helps fight depression. Lifting weights can help you feel more confident, handle stress better and improve your mood. There are various research studies that show that weight lifting at least 3 times a week can help you feel happier, have lower levels of stress hormones and reduce symptoms of depression!
Weight lifting for women and men reduces the risk of pain, injury and certain diseases. You can reduce your risk of diabetes, heart disease and cancer by consistently working out with weights at least 3 times a week. You’ll also help prevent your risk of injury, back pain and arthritis as you’ll build stronger connective tissue and increase stability in your joints.
If weight lifting isn’t currently a part of your workout routine, I think these seven weight lifting benefits are pretty convincing reasons to start! Look better and feel better while helping your body fight injury and disease; it doesn’t get any better than that! Have you tried weight lifting?