Muscle – The Secret Engine for Weight Loss and Maintenance

We’ve all heard about the importance of building muscle.  But you may not be aware of the important role that muscle plays in weight loss and maintenance.    Strength Training helps your body by using and building muscles.    Muscles help your weight management in two ways, while you’re working out and for hours after.   And, as you build muscle over time – more muscle mass means burning more calories even while resting.     This is the reason you hear so many people tackle weight management with a dual punch – food strategy and strength training.

Did you know there are 650 muscles in the body and each one of them creates movement by pulling on a bone?  With so many muscles in the body, just imagine the amount of energy that is required when carry a box up a long flight of stairs.  When you get to the top, you’re likely to breath heavily which is your heart letting you know it required a lot of energy to accomplish the task.  Anytime you move a lot of muscles your heart will beat hard.  The energy to move your muscles and have your heart beat heavily comes primarily from fat.  That’s right.  If you want to lose fat, use your muscles more.

The good news is you don’t need to climb stairs and be breathless to gain muscle strength, two to three times a week for 30 minutes will get you where you want to be.   Focus on a full body workout over the course of the week.   You can focus on your upper body on Monday, your lower body and Abdominals on Friday.    This gives you optimum coverage and some results you’ll like.

To find a regimen that works for you and your weight management goals, there are many ways to learn about strength training.  Search Google or look On Demand for a workout you can do at home, join a local health club and work with a club Trainer, or invest in an In-Home Personal Trainer to come to you.  Whichever way you choose, find something that is safe and doesn’t stress your body too much.  Muscle strength helps you lose weight and helps you maintain what you’ve lost.  Most of all remember, exercise is supposed to be fun.