Adding Muscle And Losing Weight
Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat burns in action; however, many women are afraid that if they do weight work, they will bulk up. The fact of the matter is, women do not have the testosterone level necessary to bulk up, so these fears are needless. Building muscle helps make a woman strong and confident and boosts the metabolism for quicker weight loss and easier weight maintenance. Read on to learn how you can benefit from light weight work.
One thing you should know about muscle building right from the start is that muscle weighs more than fat. For this reason, you may not exactly hit your weight goals when you build muscle, but you will hit your measurement goals. You will also be stronger, firmer and in better overall health. Of course, if you are very overweight, you will surely lose pounds. If you are just a few pounds overweight, you may not lose weight at all, but you will definitely see and feel an improvement in your looks and health.
Muscle building for weight loss and firming up does not involve struggling with huge weights. Start out with a light set of dumbbells. You will be surprised how much improvement you can see in your arms in just a week or so of light to moderate weight workout with a 3-5 pound set of dumbbells. This is especially true of your arms because they improve quickly.
Always warm up before doing a weight workout. Do a few minutes of light stretching and a little bit of cardio exercise to stretch and warm up the muscles. When you have finished your weight workout, cool down with light cardio followed by stretching. This will help you avoid injury and stiff, sore muscles.
When you start out, focus on form and do the exercises correctly. You can do more reps with a lighter weight than you would with a heavier weight. Generally speaking, do three sets of 10 reps each of each type of exercise you wish to perform. Be sure to vary your workout to avoid having your body become so efficient at your workout routine that you end up getting less and less benefit from it.
Be sure to eat plenty of lean protein to help rebuild your muscles when doing weight work. Eat a well-balanced, whole foods diet made up of lean protein sources, whole grains and fresh fruits and veggies. Avoid junk and simple carbohydrates. Drink plenty of pure, filtered water to keep your joints, muscles and brain functioning properly.
Staying well-hydrated will help wash the lactic acid out of your muscles and help you avoid being stiff and sore after exercising.
Aside from loss of weight and inches, there are lots of other benefits to working out with weights. You will feel stronger and look better when you are firm and lightly muscular. You will also have a lot more energy and a more efficient metabolism. Exercise in general will improve the quality of your sleep.
Building muscle for weight loss will help reduce the overall amount of fat in your body. You will stand taller and be generally healthier when you take up a regular routine of light to moderate weight work. Follow the tips presented here to lose weight and build strength.
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