Health benefits of weight training

Health Benefits of Weight Training Weight training is one of today's hottest health trends, and for good reason. Weight training isn't about building huge muscles that could shame a former governor of California. It's about getting healthy and staying healthy. Weight training is about losing excess fat, toning muscle, getting fit, and staying fit. But even that is only the half of it.

Did you know that building muscle tone with weight training not only will help you lose weight, but it can help you keep it off for good? And, did you also know that weight training can help protect your bones, help to keep you from falling, and it can help to improve your endurance and keep you flexible and better balanced? If you've been considering adding weight training to your workout but you haven't done it yet, here's more information about why you should add weight training to your next workout and keep it as a part of your healthy lifestyle.

Forever weight loss Weight training isn't as much about building bulky muscle as it is about building muscle tone, and having better muscle tone means your body is leaner, stronger, healthier, and more efficient at burning fat. So what does that mean to those who are trying to lose weight and keep it off? It means your body is not only better at burning fat; it's better at keeping you lean forever. In fact, studies even show that weight training combined with cardio in a total workout program burns more calories, burns more fat, and keeps it off for far longer periods of time. In a recent trial, participants were split into two groups: those whose exercise program involved only a cardio workout and those whose exercise program combined cardio with weight training.

Those in the weight-training group kept weight off three times longer than those who skipped the strength training altogether.

Build muscle mass Toned muscle means a stronger, healthier body. But you can't build muscle mass unless you're working your muscles on a regular basis. If your occupation involves a regular

workout for your muscles, then you probably don't have to include weight training in your workout to keep your muscle toned. The rest of us, however, should be working out not only on the treadmill or other form of cardio exercise; we should include weight training at least three times a week in order to build muscle mass and keep our bodies tone, strong, and healthy.

Strengthen bones Once you hit your teen years, your body begins to lose... brace yourself... about 1 percent of your bone and muscle strength every year. So that means by the time you hit middle age, your bone strength is only about two thirds of what it was during puberty!

That's another area where weight training is beneficial. Training with weights doesn't only build muscle mass; it helps to keep bones strong and healthy. And that means that by the time you hit your senior years, your chances of having brittle bones that are prone to fractures and breakage are cut down considerably.

Increase energy It's very simple. Weight training equals more muscle mass and less fat. More muscle mass and less fat equal a healthier, vibrant body. And, naturally, a healthier, vibrant body means more energy and a more active lifestyle. Win-win!

Boost mood After reading about more muscle mass, a better-boned body, increased bone strength, increased energy, and a better lifestyle, you didn't really have to ask about how weight training boosts mood, did you? Didn't think so. Seriously, a more active life that includes all of the things you've always imagined yourself doing, not just from one year or month to the next, but on a day-to-day basis, means you're, well, living the dream!

So, now you know that burning fat and building muscle are only a couple reasons to add weight training to your workout routine. Now you know that weight training will not only help you to lose fat, but it will also help you keep it off forever. Now you know that weight training can even help keep your bones strong and healthy, and that's important for all of us as we age and move from one stage of life to another. Now you know that weight training can improve your flexibility, endurance, and even your posture and balance. And now you know why weight training is one of the most important and beneficial health trends going. So, now that you're in-the-know, isn't it time to add weight training to your workout routine?