When someone wants to lose weight and start an exercise program, the go-to exercise of choice is typically "cardio." People are constantly thinking, "I need to burn more calories!" or "I need to run off these extra pounds." Cardio, or aerobic exercise, gets coined the "fat burning" master, and individuals find themselves spending hours at a time slugging away on a treadmill or bike at the gym. Over the years, this type of exercise has become the focus of public attention when it comes to weight loss. I'm here to tell you, it's not all it's cracked up to be.
Now, now, now, before the mobs of people start throwing tomatoes at me, let me make this clear. Aerobic exercise (I'll call it "cardio" for the remainder of this post to keep it simple) is essential to living a healthy life. We need cardio. We need it to keep our cardiovascular systems healthy. We need it for blood sugar regulation (diabetes prevention). We need it for our mental health (a 30-minute brisk walk can really boost the mood!). We need it to sleep better. There are a million good reasons why cardio is valuable to us and why it definitely needs to be a part of our fitness routines. However, it isn't necessarily the one and only answer to losing fat.
That's where strength training comes in. Women out there, I hear you: "but I don't want to get bulky!" And I'm here to also tell you, to scream it at the top of my lungs: You will not get bulky from lifting weights. It is really, really, really hard to get bulky from lifting weights if you are following your usual nutrition routine. Strength training is the only way to really change the composition of your body. When you begin a strength training regimen, you start to build muscle mass in your body. Again, this does not mean you will get "big" or "bulky," but rather, you will have leaner, more "toned" muscles. Why is that important for fat loss? Here's the ticket: the more muscle mass you have, the more efficient your body will be at burning fat at rest. Read that statement again. In scientific terms, this is referring to your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) or Resting Energy Expenditure (REE). This is the rate at which your body burns calories at rest. Taking it a step further: the more efficient your body is at burning fat at rest, the less calories you have to worry about burning through exercise. In truth, exercise really doesn't burn that many calories. On average, a good estimation is that most people eat anywhere from 1500-2700 calories per day. This depends on how active you are, how efficient your metabolism is, how much movement you get throughout the day, etc. Losing fat shouldn't be just about burning more calories than you consume/take in (the "calories in vs. calories out" philosophy). Yes, that is important, but so many other factors contribute to weight loss (stress, sleep, hydration levels). Solely focusing on burning calories for fat loss is a dead end street. To be successful, you really must shift your attention to creating a body that burns fat easier and more efficiently while you rest, too.
Fat loss aside, there are also a million good reasons to incorporate strength training into your fitness routine. As we age we lose muscle, and regular strength training has been found to counter this loss and decrease the risk of sarcopenia. Strength training also decreases the risk for developing osteoporosis by keeping bones strong. Just like cardio, it can be a major mood booster, help prevent chronic diseases, and can prevent us from getting injured.
All of this information is great to know, but now you might be thinking, "okay, where and how do I start?" Before starting any sort of exercise routine, make sure to reach out to your doctor for clearance if you have any existing cardiac, pulmonary, metabolic, or renal disease. If you are generally healthy, my advice for starting is (of course): reach out to a certified and experienced personal trainer. Having someone qualified who can help guide you on how to properly strength train is very important in the beginning. Once you feel comfortable, you can break off into your own routine. Ideally, 2-3 non-consecutive days of strength training per week is sufficient for most people. It is important to work all the major muscle groups in your body on these days, so again for most people, full body workouts are the way to go. Incorporate exercises like squats, deadlifts (they're not scary, I promise!), rows, chest press, and shoulder press first, then sprinkle in exercises for smaller muscle groups, like triceps extensions, biceps curls, and core work.
Here is a link discussing more on what the American College of Sports Medicine recommends for strength training:
This is a lot to take in, so again, I recommend reaching out to someone at your local gym (or reach out to us!) if you have questions on where to start, what it should look, how often, etc. There's a lot out there regarding fitness on YouTube, Instagram, and other social media platforms that can be misleading. Don't be afraid to ask a trusted fitness friend or instructor on how to get started! We at Well Built Wellness are here for you of course as well.
Now, if you still aren't sold on making strength training the center of your fitness routine, I hope you consider at least adding in a couple days of it per week to your plan. The benefits of strength training are endless, but for optimal body weight and health, it can be a real game changer in your life.
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to send us a message!
(Also: check out my resources below to learn more about RMR and RER as well).
Resources:
By: Maresa Bowen, MS, Personal Trainer & Clinical Exercise Specialist