Lose weight and keep it off by lifting weights
If you’re wondering how to keep weight off once you have reached your desired scale reading, the key is to weight train. Lifting weights helps you build muscle and boosts your metabolism, both of which are essential for maintaining your weight.
In this article, read our top tips on how to lift weights to lose weight and learn why weight training is the best way to keep weight off.
Can you lose weight by lifting weights?
The answer is: definitely! While weight training generally doesn’t burn as many calories as a cardio workout, it benefits weight loss in other ways.
Firstly, weight training helps you build muscle which raises your resting metabolic rate (RMR) - the number of calories you burn at rest. This is because muscle burns through more calories at rest than other tissues like fat, meaning you will be torching the calories without even moving! According to one study, men and women who took part in 24 weeks of weight training increased their metabolisms by 9% and 4% respectively.
Weight training also boosts calorie burning long after a workout. When we exercise, our muscles require more energy to power their movement. Makes sense, right? But what scientists have found is that after a weight training session our metabolism can stay raised for up to 38 hours in order to continue to provide the energy and nutrients needed to restore muscles. This is known as the “after-burn effect”.
So, probably by about now, you’re eager to get weight lifting. But before you go do your thing, read our top tips on how to lift weights to lose weight to ensure you get the best results.
Tips on how to lift weights to lose weight
Set realistic goals
Weight loss targets are extremely effective at motivating you to stick with your training programme. But it is important that your goals are realistic, otherwise they might do the opposite.
Use a combination of strength exercises
There are two main types of strength exercises: compound and isolation exercises. Include a mixture of these in your workouts for maximum results.
A compound exercise uses multiple muscle groups at the same time to perform a movement. These include:
- Squats
- Lunges
- Dips
- Deadlifts
An isolation exercise targets one specific muscle group and uses one joint. These include:
- Bicep curls
- Lateral raises
- Leg extensions
- Hamstring curls
AMP’s 4kg dumbbell strength bars are the perfect addition to your workouts, helping strengthen, tone and sculpt your muscles. By adding resistance, they can increase muscle growth to boost your metabolic rate and promote weight loss.
Looking for something heavier? Try our peak strength triangles for an added boost. With two weights included, one 10lb triangle and one smaller 7lb, these will add an extra burn to all your arm, leg and core exercises.
Include cardio in your training regime
While weight training is great for building muscle, cardio workouts burn more calories per session and can help you achieve a calorie deficit which is required for weight loss. According to research, cardio combined with weight training is the most effective way to achieve long term weight loss.
Eat a healthy, balanced diet
There’s no use putting the hard work into weight training if you’re going to follow a session with an unhealthy meal. All weight loss 'diets' are based on a calorie deficit, but also often miss vital nutrients and are not sustainable, or healthy, in the long term. We suggest you stick to eating healthy, balanced meals throughout the day, based on your individual calorie requirement, as the key to keeping weight off. Make sure to eat plenty of protein-rich foods, such as fish, nuts, eggs and tofu, as protein provides the essential building blocks for muscles. Avoid refined sugars, saturated fats and processed foods.
Summary
Weight training is essential for helping you maintain your desired weight for two main reasons: It builds muscle which helps boost your RMR so you burn more calories at rest, and it also keeps your metabolic rate elevated in the following hours after a training session.
For best results, set yourself realistic weight loss goals and incorporate a combination of compound and isolation strength exercises as well as cardio into your training programme. And, don’t forget about the importance of nutrition! Eating a healthy, balanced diet alongside a good exercise regime is key for achieving weight loss and maintaining results.
Let us know how you get on!