Just because you’re not vying for 20-inch biceps or
thunderously strong thighs like the muscle heads in the gym doesn’t mean you
should shun the weight room. Lifting weights gives you an edge over belly fat,
stress, heart disease, and cancer—and it’s also the single most effective way
to look hot in a bikini. Yet somehow women are still hesitant: Only about a
fifth of females strength train two or more times a week.
Here are 12 reasons you shouldn’t live another day without
hitting the weights.
You’ll Lose 40 Percent More Fat
If you think cardio is the
key to blasting belly fat, keep reading: When Penn State researchers put
dieters into three groups—no exercise, aerobic exercise only, or aerobic
exercise and weight training—they all lost around 21 pounds, but the lifters
shed six more pounds of fat than those who didn’t pump iron. Why? The lifters’
loss was almost pure fat; the others lost fat and muscle.
Other research on dieters who don’t lift shows that, on
average, 75 percent of their weight loss is from fat, while 25 percent is from
muscle. Muscle loss may drop your scale weight, but it doesn’t improve your
reflection in the mirror and it makes you more likely to gain back the flab you
lost. However, if you weight train as you diet, you’ll protect your hard-earned
muscle and burn more fat.
Your Clothes Will Fit Better
Research shows that between the
ages of 30 and 50, you’ll likely lose 10 percent of your body’s total muscle.
Worse yet, it’s likely to be replaced by fat over time, says a study. And that
increases your waist size, because one pound of fat takes up 18 percent more
space than one pound of muscle.
You’ll Burn More Calories
Lifting increases the number of
calories you burn while your butt is parked on the couch. That’s because after
each strength workout, your muscles need energy to repair their fibers. In
fact, researchers found that when people did a total-body workout with just
three big-muscle moves, their metabolisms were raised for 39 hours afterward.
They also burned a greater percentage of calories from fat compared with those
who didn’t lift.
Lifting gives you a better burn during exercise too: Doing a
circuit of eight moves (which takes about eight minutes) can expend 159 to 231
calories. That’s about what you’d burn if you ran at a 10-mile-per-hour pace
for the same duration.
Your Diet Will Improve
Exercise helps your brain stick to a
diet plan. University of Pittsburgh researchers studied 169 overweight adults
and found that those who didn’t follow a three-hours-a-week training regimen
ate more than their allotted 1,500 calories a day. The reverse was also
true—sneaking snacks sabotaged their workouts. The study authors say both diet
and exercise likely remind you to stay on track, aiding your weight-loss goals.
You’ll Handle Stress Better
Break a sweat in the weight room
and you’ll stay cool under pressure. Scientists determined that the fittest
people exhibited lower levels of stress hormones than those who were the least
fit. Another study found that after a stressful situation, the blood pressure
levels of people with the most muscle returned to normal faster than the levels
of those with the least muscle.
You’ll Be Happier
Yoga isn’t the only Zen-inducing kind of
exercise. Researchers found that people who performed three weight workouts a
week for six months significantly improved their scores on measures of anger
and overall mood.
You’ll Build Stronger Bones
As you age, bone mass goes to
pot, which increases your likelihood of one day suffering a debilitating
fracture. The good news: A study found that 16 weeks of resistance training
increased hip bone density and elevated blood levels of osteocalcin—a marker of
bone growth–by 19 percent.
You’ll Get Into Shape Faster
The term cardio shouldn’t
describe only aerobic exercise: A study found that circuit training with
weights raises your heart rate 15 beats per minute higher than if you ran at 60
to 70 percent of your max heart rate. This approach strengthens muscles and
provides cardiovascular benefits similar to those of aerobic exercise—so you
save time without sacrificing results.
Your Heart Will Be Healthier
Researchers at the University
of Michigan found that people who did three total-body weight workouts a week
for two months decreased their diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) by
an average of eight points. That’s enough to reduce the risk of a stroke by 40
percent and the chance of a heart attack by 15 percent.
You’ll Be Way More Productive
Lifting could result in a
raise (or at least a pat on the back from your boss). Researchers found that
workers were 15 percent more productive on days they exercised compared with
days they didn’t. So on days you work out, you can (theoretically) finish in
eight hours what would normally take nine hours and 12 minutes. Or you’d still
work for nine hours but get more done, leaving you feeling less stressed and
happier with your job–another perk reported on days workers exercised.
You’ll Live Longer
University of South Carolina researchers
determined that total-body strength is linked to lower risks of death from
cardiovascular disease and cancer. Similarly, other scientists found that being
strong during middle age is associated with “exceptional survival,” defined as
living to the age of 85 without developing a major disease.
You’ll Be Even Smarter
Muscles strengthen your body and
mind: Brazilian researchers found that six months of resistance training
enhanced lifters’ cognitive function. In fact, the sweat sessions resulted in
better short- and long-term memory, improved verbal reasoning, and a longer
attention span.
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