Cardio is often touted as the holy grail of weight loss. The CDC recommends 150 minutes a week and the benefits are numerous,
but the recommended strength training—two or more days a week—should be
taken just as seriously when it comes to losing pounds.
Why?
Bodies with more muscle burn more calories, even at rest. That means
when you’re relaxing on the couch, you’re still burning calories. If
that fact alone doesn’t add more weight training to your exercise
arsenal, this next one should.
When researchers at Penn State put dieters into three groups—no
exercise, aerobic exercise, or aerobic exercise and weight training—the
result was about a 21-pound weight loss across the board. But here’s
the kicker; the weight lifters shed six more pounds of fat than the
other two groups while the non-weight lifters lost five pounds of
muscle. And if we know anything, we know muscles are important, especially if you like to burn calories while watching Netflix.
So are you ready to hit the weight rack? Maximize your weight loss efforts with these four weight training strategies.
1. Go Heavy
I
know what some of you are thinking. And the answer is no, you won’t
bulk up by following this rule. On the contrary, research suggests that
lifting heavy weights versus a lighter load is the way to go when it
comes to increasing your excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, or what you’ve probably heard called the after-burn.
The after-burn is the crucial period
post-workout where your body keeps burning calories. To reap the
benefits, make sure you are using weights heavy enough that you struggle
to complete the last few reps, but not too heavy that your form goes
out the door.
2. Work More Than One Muscle At Once
You want to lose weight, but you don’t have lots of time to spend at the gym.
The scenario is all too common, yet the
answer is quite simple. To maximize your weight training session and
your calories burned, do compound exercises. Compound exercises, unlike
isolation exercises, involve more than one joint and muscle group at a
time.
For example, bicep curls are okay, but a forward lunge with a
bicep curl is even better. Squats are good, but a squat with an
overhead press is great. What’s the benefit of “doubling up” like this? Working multiple muscle groups
at once burns more calories. So instead of designating a leg day, an
arm day, and a chest and back day, turn your weight training time into
total-body sessions. Do your best to include more than one muscle group
in each exercise.
3. Choose Free Weights Over Machines
If
you have the choice between jumping on a chest press machine or using
free weights, go with the weights. A study published in the Journal of
Strength and Conditioning Research found that a free weight bench press produced greater muscle activation than a machine.
Along with getting stronger faster and
the subsequent rise in calorie burn (thank you, muscles!), free weights
require more joint and core stabilization than machine. Also, since your
range of motion is not limited with free weights like with a machine,
you have more potential to recruit multiple muscle groups producing
results in less time.
4. Increase The Intensity
The last
key to losing weight while weight lifting is upping the intensity and
sweat factor. That means less time resting (i.e. minute long trips to
the water fountain in between sets) and more time actually moving.
High-Intensity
Interval Training (HIIT) is a way to get your heart racing fast, and
no, it’s not limited to cardio and plyometric movements only. Try this
total-body HIIT strength workout with a set of dumbbells. Do each
exercise for 30 seconds and rest 10 seconds before moving on to the next
exercise. Repeat the sequence two more times.
- Plié V-Raises
- Sit-Up Presses
- Renegade Rows
- Squat Curls with Alternating Knee Lifts
- Cross-Behind Lunge with Lateral Raises
