Most people tend to think of cardio activity as the best form of exercise for losing weight. While aerobic workouts are an important part of a weight-loss regimen, strength-training, such as lifting weights, can aid you in your efforts as well. Ask your physician about integrating weightlifting into your weekly routine to build muscle, burn fat and drop those unwanted pounds.
Frequency
Adults should aim to lift weights two to three times a week to promote weight loss. If you are new to exercise or have not done strength training for a while, you can work your way up to this frequency. Also allow a few days in between weightlifting sessions to give your body time to rest and recover, which will help you avoid becoming overly fatigued or injured. You might consider hiring a personal trainer to help you design a workout routine that best suits your body and schedule.
Amount of Weight and Repetitions
To ensure that you do not hurt yourself, you should not lift weights that are too heavy for you. Rather, pick weights that allow you to perform 12 to 15 repetitions per exercise, which will allow you to safely build lean muscle and burn fat, but not "bulk up." As you gain more muscle mass and drop pounds, you will need to increase the amount of weight you lift to keep losing weight. A licensed trainer can help you ensure you are using the proper weight for your body and goals.
Exercise Regimen
You cannot "spot train" your body to lose weight from one area and not the others. To drop pounds all over, perform exercises that work all of your major muscles, such as weighted squats to work your lower body or bicep curls to strengthen your arms. You should also do exercises that strengthen both sides of your muscles, such as the front and back of your shoulders, to achieve a balance. Do not forget to breathe throughout your workout, and do not skip your warmup. Walk for five to 10 minutes before lifting weights to get ready for the workout.
Considerations
Since muscle weighs more than fat, you may begin to gain weight as you replace fatty tissue with muscle. Though the number on the scale may go up, your body will look more trim and toned, and this is a better indicator of your health than your weight. You may also need to perform some cardio activity, as well as keep your diet in check, to promote weight loss and a healthier lifestyle.
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