Strength training is not just for building muscle and increasing strength; it can also help burn fat. Many people believe that cardio exercise is the best way to burn fat, but strength training can be just as effective, if not more so. In this article, we will explore why strength training burns fat.
Increases Metabolic Rate:
Metabolism refers to the rate at which your body burns calories. Your metabolic rate determines how many calories you burn each day, even when you are at rest. Strength training helps increase your metabolic rate by building lean muscle mass. Muscle tissue burns more calories than fat tissue, even at rest.
According to a study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, adding just 10 pounds of muscle can increase your resting metabolic rate by 7%. This means that you will burn more calories throughout the day, even when you are not exercising.
Burns Calories During Exercise:
Strength training burns calories during the exercise itself. When you lift weights or use resistance bands, your muscles work hard to overcome the resistance. This requires energy, which comes from the calories stored in your body. The harder you work during your strength training workout, the more calories you will burn.
Additionally, strength training can increase your heart rate, which helps you burn even more calories. By combining strength training with cardiovascular exercises, such as running or cycling, you can maximize your calorie burn and fat loss.
Promotes Fat Oxidation:
Fat oxidation refers to the process of breaking down fat cells to produce energy. Strength training promotes fat oxidation by increasing the number of mitochondria in your muscle cells. Mitochondria are the organelles responsible for producing energy in your cells.
When you perform strength training exercises, you create small tears in your muscle fibers. Your body repairs these tears by synthesizing new proteins and increasing the number of mitochondria in your muscle fibers. This allows your muscles to produce more energy and burn more fat.
Reduces Insulin Resistance:
Insulin resistance is a condition in which your body’s cells become less responsive to the hormone insulin. When your cells are resistant to insulin, your body produces more insulin to compensate. This can lead to weight gain and an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Strength training can help reduce insulin resistance by improving glucose uptake in your muscles. When you perform strength training exercises, your muscles use glucose for energy. This helps lower your blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity.
Improves Hormone Balance:
Hormones play a critical role in regulating your metabolism and fat storage. Strength training can help improve hormone balance by increasing the production of hormones that promote fat loss and reducing the production of hormones that promote fat storage.
For example, strength training can increase the production of growth hormone, which helps your body burn fat and build lean muscle mass. Additionally, strength training can reduce the production of cortisol, a hormone that promotes fat storage and muscle breakdown.
Increases Afterburn Effect:
The afterburn effect, also known as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), refers to the number of calories your body burns after exercise. When you perform strength training exercises, your body continues to burn calories for several hours after your workout.
This is because strength training creates microtraumas in your muscle fibers, which your body repairs during the recovery phase. This repair process requires energy, which comes from the calories stored in your body. The more intense your workout, the more calories your body will burn during the recovery phase.
In conclusion
Strength training is an effective way to burn fat and improve overall health. It increases metabolic rate, burns calories during exercise, promotes fat oxidation, reduces insulin resistance, improves hormone balance, and increases the afterburn effect. By incorporating strength training into your exercise routine, you can maximize your fat loss and achieve your fitness goals.
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