Many women go to the gym with one goal, and one goal only: lose weight. This is typically done by spending countless hours on cardio equipment like the treadmill or elliptical trainer, but some women do not realize that regular weightlifting can also be an effective weight loss tool. According to "Women's Health" magazine writer Lauren Aaronson, a regular weight training program can reduce your overall body fat percentage by three points in 10 weeks.
Boosted Metabolism
According to authors Lou Schuler, Cassandra Forsythe and Alwyn Cosgrove in the book "The New Rules of Lifting for Women," endurance exercises like the treadmill burn more calories when you are exercising than weight lifting. When you build muscle fibers in your body, they require energy to function; the energy they require is taken from fat cells. This helps you to raise your metabolism and burn more calories even when you are outside of the gym.
Fear of Bulking
Many women fear weight lifting for weight loss because they falsely believe that lifting weights will turn you into the she-hulk. According to nutritionist John Berardi, PhD, it is "physiologically impossible" for a woman to put on massive amounts of muscle due to their hormonal balance. He adds that female bodybuilders only get as large as they do because they take steroids, and that selecting the right training program can help to limit your muscle size growth even further.
Amount of Weight
Some weight training programs designed specifically for women focus on lifting light weights for a maximum number of repetitions. Berardi criticizes this approach, saying that that lifting heavy weights for 10 or fewer repetitions per set will help give your body a thinner and more toned look. Each set should take you to the point where you cannot perform another repetition without using improper form. This type of training will increase your muscle density and boost your metabolism to the maximum.
Full Body Program
To lose the most weight, a woman should lift weights three times a week, using all of her major muscle groups by the time the workout cycle is completed. For example, on Monday you may lift for your arms and abdominals, Wednesday for your chest and back, and Friday for your legs. A woman should use compound exercises like squats and deadlifts that target more than one muscle group in a single movement to lose the most weight.
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