Strength Training – Add strength training to your cardio routines to give your weight loss goals that extra boost! Here’s why it’s so effective for weight loss:
- Although it’s not the instant heart-pounding feeling of a Spinning or Zumba class, building lean muscle mass helps your body burn more calories at rest.
- More muscle = a higher Base Metabolic rate (BMR), calories you burn while you binge on Netflix all day (Not that we’re encouraging this level of activity!)
- A pound of lean muscle tissue burns more calories than a pound of fat even when you’re not using those muscles.
- Muscle is always being broken down and repaired when strength training, The amount of calories your body needs to regenerate that tissue is significantly increased, another increase in calorie burn.
- While you’re gaining lean muscle mass, you might not initially see much change on a scale as muscle weighs the same as fat, but you will be tighter and leaner and notice that your clothes are fitting better.
- You become stronger through strength training, with stronger legs and glutes, you can increase the intensity of your cardio workout, thus burning more calories.
- Try to do 45-60 minutes of strength training 3 times a week with a day of rest in between. (Beginners – start with 2x per week.)
- After you have become proficient in your exercise routine, circuit train through your strength routine, moving from one exercise to another with minimal rest and working a different area of the body with each exercise.
- Try for 3 strength training circuits and add 5-minutes of intense cardio between each set.
Other workout tips for weight loss
Cardio interval training: After you are able to do 20-30 solid minutes of work on cardio equipment, try intervals. Work as hard as you can for 30 seconds, slow down for 60 seconds, repeat several times. Over time, increase your intensity by working hard for 30 seconds, and slowing down for only 30. Always do a 5-minute warm-up and cool-down.
As a result of a more intense workout, your excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, EPOC, will increase and result in more calories being burned after the workout. It’s a temporary boost to your metabolism, or the afterburn effect.
Try Small Group Training classes, an 8-week program with interval training routines. It’s a great way to increase stamina and burn more calories.
Change it up to Surprise Your Muscle
When you use different muscles, your body has to work harder, expand more energy and burn more calories to adapt to new exercises.
Some suggestions: Vary your strength training routines, switch up your cardio equipment or try a class, mix up your classes. If you have reached a plateau – hop on the ARC Trainer elliptical, jump on a stationary bike, or ramp up the treadmill.
Contact the Personal Training department at CHF 310-374-3426, Option 3 for more helpful tips. We’re here to help!
