Can strength training for weight loss help you lose weight? Absolutely. It has been shown that resistance training led to not only weight loss, but a preservation of lean body mass at the same time (Bellicha et al., 2021).
Today we will cover how increasing muscle mass boosts how many calories you burn, some effective exercises for fat loss, and tips to maximize your weight loss journey.
Key Takeaways
- Strength training enhances weight loss by increasing muscle mass, which boosts metabolic rate and promotes calorie burn even at rest.
- Incorporating both compound and isolation exercises in a strength training routine maximizes muscle growth and efficiency for weight loss.
- A balanced approach combining strength training and cardio, along with proper nutrition, leads to optimal weight loss and improved overall health.
How Strength Training Boosts Weight Loss
Strength training, also known as resistance training, can be a key element for those looking to shed pounds. By building muscle mass, you elevate your resting metabolic rate (RMR), which means you will burn more calories naturally throughout the day, even if that means you’re on the couch.
After 24 weeks of strength training, individuals’ RMR increased by 7%, which means they were burning about 7% more calories at rest (Lemmer et al., 2001). Building more muscle mass leads to burning more fat daily, helping you lose weight.
Thereâs another upside called excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). This is essentially the extra energy that your body expends after physical activity in order to return itself back to normalcyâmending tissues and replenishing systems. Because of EPOC induced by strength workouts, calorie burning extends well beyond leaving the gym. This afterburn effect means caloric expenditure continues hours post exercise.
To really start losing weight effectively, and sustaining its loss over time, incorporating regular strength-training sessions into oneâs schedule is a must.
Benefits of Strength Training for Weight Loss
Better Physique
Strength training provides more benefits than solely helping you lose weight. It also helps you develop muscle mass and reduce body fat. This leads to a trim and defined physique. Unlike traditional cardio exercises that can lead to being âskinny fat,â strength training builds a body that looks fitter and athletic.
Improved Quality of Life
Consistent strength training exercise significantly boosts your life quality. Individuals frequently report feeling increased ease for everyday tasks such as carrying shopping bags or spending time playing with their children. The surge in energy levels and enhanced functional abilities shows why strength training is highly effective.
Long-Term Wellness
Long-term wellness gains are also one of the many benefits of regular strength training. Preserving muscle mass plays an essential role not only for overall well-being but also for effective weight management throughout oneâs life span, particularly critical as we grow older.
It diminishes the danger of chronic illnesses like diabetes and cardiovascular disease. It Improves balance, thereby reducing fall risks â this aspect takes on greater significance during our later years.
Research indicates individuals who concentrate on resistance workouts tend to lose more weight compared to those who do not engage in any exercise routine at all, demonstrating how important strength conditioning is both for shedding excess adipose tissue effectively and achieving a stable healthy weight level over time.
Youâll gain superior aesthetics and enjoy plentiful health-related perks through strength training.
Preserving Muscle Mass During Weight Loss
Losing weight is not just about shedding body fat, but also preserving or increasing muscle mass. This distinction is important because when losing weight, one can lose more than just fatâpotentially sacrificing muscle, blood, and bone density too.
To minimize the reduction of lean mass during a period of weight loss, incorporating resistance exercise into your routine is beneficial. Strength exercises are critical as they help make sure that the majority of lost weight comes from fat rather than muscle tissue, which contributes to a toned physique and maintains an effective metabolism.
Resistance training was associated with a preservation of lean body mass during weight loss, and showed to reduce body fat quicker in groups who do strength training than those who do not (Bellicha et al., 2021).
Effective Strength Training Exercises for Weight Loss
Strength training is a powerful tool for maximizing weight loss. This type of exercise typically includes compound movements, which work multiple muscle groups simultaneously, isolation exercises that target specific muscles, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) that boosts metabolism.
By incorporating a wide range of strength training exercises into your routine, you activate various muscle groups. This not only promotes muscular development, but also increases the rate at which calories are burned. A balanced workout routine combining compound movements with isolation tasks and HIIT can effectively support both weight loss and the growth of muscle mass.
Compound Movements
Compound movements use various muscle groups at once by involving multiple joints. They contribute to effective weight loss due to their ability to work numerous muscles, resulting in a significant calorie burn and streamlined workouts. Deadlifts, squats, and bench presses stand as prime examples of these kinds of exercises.
Groups who did compound movements saw a 11.3% decrease in body fat, compared to 6.5% from groups who did isolation exercises, showing their effectiveness (Paoli et al., 2017).
Compound movements are an amazing way to burn calories because they simply require more energy and more muscles to do. They help build overall body strength and muscle balance, which also helps shape your physique properly.
Adding core exercises also a great way to sculpt around your stomach as well. Try doing core a few times each week.
Isolation Exercises
Exercises that isolate focus on individual muscles intensively play a key role in the growth of these muscles and their enhanced definition. Bicep curls, tricep extensions, and lateral raises are typical examples of such isolation exercises for the upper body. Leg extensions and hamstring curls are some of the best for the lower body.
Isolation exercises are simply the best for really building size and definition in specific areas. These will enhance muscle hypertrophy greatly. You can sculpt muscles with isolation exercises while burning fat and building functional strength with compound movements. This combination is a well-rounded approach that optimizes your strength training workout.
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
Engaging in high intensity interval training, which involves alternating between intense exercise spurts and moments of rest or lighter activity, is a powerful approach for losing weight. This method boosts the calories burned while also improving heart health.
Integrating strength training with HIIT can increase metabolic rate and speed up the process of losing weight. HIIT has been shown to reduce visceral fat significantly (Bellicha et al., 2021).
Combining HIIT workouts with resistance training will help you burn calories wild building muscle. The king of this technique is Dorian Yates, the former Mr. Olympia bodybuilder who famously only worked out for about 40 minutes at a time. Short for the man with the best physique in the world you may think, but he worked out with extreme intensity.
Sample Strength Training Plan for Beginners
Starting your strength training routine can seem intimidating, yet with an organized approach, you can achieve impressive results. A tri-weekly regimen of Monday, Wednesday, and Friday sessions is recommended for beginners to promote ample recovery.
Starting your strength training program with weights that are between 60% and 70% of your one-rep maximum will allow you to complete three to five sets per movement.
Warming up properly is crucial in preventing injuries and preparing the muscles for strenuous activity. Dedicate no less than five minutes for warm-up through movements such as walking or dynamic stretches. Warming up has shown to increase strength training performance (Ribeiro et al., 2020).
Remember to do both compound movements and isolation exercises within each session for comprehensive muscle engagement.
Example weight training plan:
- Monday: Squats, bench presses, bent-over rows
- Wednesday: Deadlifts, shoulder press, bicep curls
- Friday: Lunges, triceps extensions, lateral raises
Complete each exercise for about 12-15 reps with rest intervals from a minute to a minute and a half between sets. You must be consistent, and as you progress, make sure to incrementally add volume as well as more weight to your lifts. This is called the Progressive Overload Principle.
Combining Cardio and Strength Training for Optimal Results
Incorporating both aerobic exercise and resistance training can lead to superior results in fat loss and overall health enhancement. Aerobic activities are effective for calorie-burning and heart health, while strength training boosts metabolism by increasing the energy required to sustain muscle mass. The combination of these methods promotes greater fitness improvements.
In a study by Willis et al. (2012), the effects of aerobic and resistance training on body mass and fat mass in overweight or obese adults were analyzed, showing amazing results with losses of fat, muscle gains, and overall improved physiques.
Lifting weights 3-5 times a week with 2 days dedicated solely to cardio is a good way to ensure that youâre able to build muscle while also reaping the benefits of cardioâs ability to burn calories. Strength training is also phenomenal for endurance athletes who are looking to lose weight by working out.
Nutrition Tips to Support Strength Training and Weight Loss
Maintaining a diet is essential for enhancing strength training and losing weight. To maintain muscle mass while shedding pounds, itâs important to increase protein consumption.
Look to consume 0.7-1.0g of protein per lb of body weight each day, as this is the optimal amount for gaining muscle. Also try to consume 20-30g of protein post-exercise, as this will significantly enhances fat-free mass, strength (as measured by one-repetition maximum), and muscle hypertrophy (Carbone and Pasiakos (2019)).
Protein also will help play a role in satiety, meaning it will help you feel full and not have you wanting to eat more. I know this plays a huge role for me when I am trying to lose weight.
Make sure that your meals are well rounded, which means meals that include all three macronutrients. A proper combination of carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats will help you maintain stable blood glucose levels and extend that feeling of fullness after eating.
Try meals like this:
- Oatmeal with almond butter, chia seeds, and banana
- Whole wheat toast with avocado, scrambled eggs, and turkey slices
- Greek yogurt with mixed berries, granola, and a drizzle of honey
Proper hydration is just as importantâfor many reasons. Drinking water throughout the day is essential when you are exercising, and trying to eat right. When you are trying to lose weight with strength training, you are going to sweat more and burn a lot of energy. You need water to replenish yourself and still have energy to do the things you enjoy during the day.
Water will also help kill your hunger, so you aren’t overindulging. Drink water in the morning, during and after workouts for a successfully hydrated day.
Common Myths About Strength Training and Weight Loss
- Strength Training Does Not Lead to Excessive Bulk
A common misconception is that strength training will make you overly muscular. Bulking up that much muscle only combines from an extended period of highly disciplined exercise and diet. Most people wonât experience significant bulk from strength training alone. You won’t just become all muscles so easily. - You Donât Need to Start with Heavy Weights
Starting with too much weight can lead to injury. Instead, itâs important to begin with lighter weights and slowly increase the intensity as you get stronger over time. - Muscle Mass and Caloric Surplus
To significantly increase muscle mass, a caloric surplus is necessary, meaning you need to consume more calories than you burn. For those aiming to lose weight, strength training helps build lean muscle mass. This allows you to maintain the lean muscle without gaining unwanted bulk while trying to lose weight.
The Journey of Strength Training & Weight Loss
When I was younger, I struggled with staying fit, and was never the most inclined person to go to the gym, eat healthy, and focus on my weight. Because of this, I found myself struggling not just in activities with my friends, but just how my body and mind feels each day.
When I changed my life and committed to a lifting routine in the gym, everything changed for me. Within a few months, my weight had dropped a lot, especially considering how much muscle I had packed on. I lost fat, gained muscle, lowered my body fat percentage and gained a whole lot of confidence.
This is a journey that if you stay consistent with, you will reap the benefits in all facets of life. Stay committed, hit the gym, eat healthier than you have been so far, and just show up every day. Soon you will feel more confident and like you are walking on clouds, ready to live.
This is why now I try to help others get started in the gym, especially those who are looking to lose weight. Weight training will not only make you look and feel better, but it will open your eyes to what you are capable of with any goal you have.
Summary
Strength training is a powerful tool for weight loss, offering numerous benefits beyond just losing weight and decreasing the number on a scale. By increasing muscle mass, boosting metabolism, and improving overall health, weight training can transform your body and mind.
Incorporating a mix of compound movements, isolation exercises, and HIIT ensures a balanced and effective workout routine.
Dial in the nutrition side of it as well, and you are on your way. Macronutrient-rich foods and caloric deficits will help you achieve your weight loss goals, build muscle, and enjoy a healthier, more active lifestyle. So, why wait? Start your strength training journey today and experience the incredible benefits for yourself.
Sources
- Willis LH, Slentz CA, Bateman LA, Shields AT, Piner LW, Bales CW, Houmard JA, Kraus WE. Effects of aerobic and/or resistance training on body mass and fat mass in overweight or obese adults. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2012 Dec 15;113(12):1831-7. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.01370.2011. Epub 2012 Sep 27. PMID: 23019316; PMCID: PMC3544497.
- Carbone JW, Pasiakos SM. Dietary Protein and Muscle Mass: Translating Science to Application and Health Benefit. Nutrients. 2019 May 22;11(5):1136. doi: 10.3390/nu11051136. PMID: 31121843; PMCID: PMC6566799.
- Bonilla DA, PĂ©rez-IdĂĄrraga A, Odriozola-MartĂnez A, Kreider RB. The 4R’s Framework of Nutritional Strategies for Post-Exercise Recovery: A Review with Emphasis on New Generation of Carbohydrates. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Dec 25;18(1):103. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18010103. PMID: 33375691; PMCID: PMC7796021.
- Bellicha A, van Baak MA, Battista F, Beaulieu K, Blundell JE, Busetto L, Carraça EV, Dicker D, Encantado J, Ermolao A, Farpour-Lambert N, Pramono A, Woodward E, Oppert JM. Effect of exercise training on weight loss, body composition changes, and weight maintenance in adults with overweight or obesity: An overview of 12 systematic reviews and 149 studies. Obes Rev. 2021 Jul;22 Suppl 4(Suppl 4):e13256. doi: 10.1111/obr.13256. Epub 2021 May 6. PMID: 33955140; PMCID: PMC8365736.
- Ribeiro B, Pereira A, Neves PP, Sousa AC, Ferraz R, Marques MC, Marinho DA, Neiva HP. The Role of Specific Warm-up during Bench Press and Squat Exercises: A Novel Approach. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Sep 22;17(18):6882. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17186882. PMID: 32971729; PMCID: PMC7558980.
- Paoli A, Gentil P, Moro T, Marcolin G, Bianco A. Resistance Training with Single vs. Multi-joint Exercises at Equal Total Load Volume: Effects on Body Composition, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, and Muscle Strength. Front Physiol. 2017 Dec 22;8:1105. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2017.01105. PMID: 29312007; PMCID: PMC5744434.
