Just because you’re not dying for 20-inch biceps or thunderously strong thighs like the muscle heads in the gym doesn’t mean you should shun the weight room. Lifting weights gives you an edge over belly fat, stress, heart disease, and cancer—and it’s also the single most effective way to look hot in a bikini. Yet somehow women are still hesitant: Only about a fifth of females strength train two or more times a week.
Here are 9 reasons you shouldn’t live another day without hitting the weights:
1. You will lose 40 percent more fat.
If you’re thinking that cardio workout is the best way to burn belly fat, continue reading: According to researchers at Penn State during a study of dieters which put into three groups — no exercise, aerobic exercise and weight training – they burned roughly 21 pounds, however, the lifters burned and extra 6 pounds of fat as compared to those who didn’t lift weights. Why? The lifters burned away almost pure fat while the others lost both muscle and fat.
2. You will burn more calories.
Lifting helps in increasing the amount of calories you burn while you are sitting, simply because after every strength training, your muscles are going to require energy to repair those fibers. In fact, according to a research, if people go for a total-body workout with only three big-muscle moves, their metabolism was increased to 39 hours after. These people also burned much better percentage of calories of fat as compared to people who did not lift.
3. You will handle stress better.
Breaking a sweat in the weight room can help keep you stay cool under stress. According to scientists, people who are fit showed low levels of stress hormones as compared to people who aren’t fit. Another study showed that right after a very stressful situation, the blood pressure of individuals who has most muscles reverted to normal much faster that those with least muscles.
4. You will build stronger bones.
As you grow older, your bone mass decreases, meaning that your chances of suffering from a debilitating fracture increases. The good news is that a study has found that doing resistance training for 16 weeks can increase hip bone density and also increase the blood levels of osteocalcin – which is an indicator of bone growth – by around 19%.
5. You will get into shape faster.
The phrase cardio should not only mean aerobic exercise: According to a study that circuit training coupled with weights increases the heart rate by 15 beats per minute which is higher if you ran for 60-70 percent of your maximum heart rate. This method strengthens the muscles, providing cardiovascular benefits same as aerobic exercise that means that you save time and not sacrificing results.
6. Your heart will be healthier.
According the a research at University of Michigan, that people who underwent a three total-body weight exercises per week for 2 months has lowered their diastolic blood pressure (the number at the bottom) by about 8 points. That is good enough to lower the risk of getting a stroke by 40% and the chance of heart attack by 15%.
7. You will be way more productive.
Lifting weights can also lead to a raise (or a pat on the back from your superior). According to research that workers are 15% more productive on the days they workout as compared to the days they did not workout. Theoretically, on days that you exercise, you can finish the task in 8 hours to what normally would take 9 hours and 12 minutes. Or you would still do work for 9 hours and get more done which leaves you feeling not too stressed and contented with your work.
8. You will live longer.
A research conducted at the University of South Carolina has showed that total-body strength is associated to decrease the chances of death due to cardiovascular disease and cancer. Also, scientist has also found out that being strong throughout the middle age is linked with “exceptional survival”, described as living up to the 85 years old without getting a major disease.
9. You will be even smarter.
Muscles strengthen both the body and mind. According to Brazilian researchers, six months’ worth of resistance workout can enhance the lifters’’ cognitive functioning. In fact, the sessions led to better short-term and long-term memory, longer attention span and enhanced verbal reasoning.
