Are you looking to lose fat and get fit? Resistance training may be the solution you’ve been searching for! This type of exercise involves using weights or resistance bands to build muscle and burn fat. In this article, we’ll explain the science behind resistance training for fat loss, compare resistance training vs cardio for fat loss and provide practical tips and advice for beginners who want to start a resistance training program.
The Science Behind Fat Loss
When it comes to fat loss, many people turn to cardio exercise as their go-to strategy. While cardio can certainly be effective for burning calories and shedding pounds, it’s not the only option. Resistance training is a powerful tool for fat loss, as it can increase muscle mass, which in turn boosts metabolism and leads to long-term fat burning.
But before we dive into this topic, let’s first address some common myths about fat loss. I’m sure you’ve heard of these and let me tell you – these are holding you back from achieving your fat loss goals!
Myths About Fat Loss
Myth #1: You can spot reduce fat from specific areas of the body.
Truth: Unfortunately, you can’t target fat loss from specific areas of the body. When you lose weight, you lose it from all over your body, not just one specific area. However, resistance training can help build muscle and improve the overall appearance of specific areas of the body.
Myth #2: Cardio is the only way to lose fat.
Truth: Cardio exercise can certainly be effective for fat loss, but it’s not the only option. Resistance training is a highly effective tool for fat loss, as it increases muscle mass and boosts metabolism.
Myth #3: You have to eat a low-fat diet to lose fat.
Truth: While a low-fat diet can be helpful for some people, it’s not the only way to lose fat. The most important factor for fat loss is being in a caloric deficit, which means you’re burning more calories than you’re consuming. This can be achieved through a combination of diet and exercise.
Myth #4: You should never eat carbs if you want to lose fat.
Truth: Carbohydrates are an important part of a healthy diet, and they can be included as part of a balanced approach to fat loss. It’s important to choose healthy sources of carbohydrates, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and to balance them with protein and healthy fats.
Myth #5: You have to do hours of cardio to see results.
Truth: You don’t have to spend hours on the treadmill to see results. Shorter, high-intensity workouts can be just as effective for fat loss, and they can be more time-efficient. Resistance training is also a highly effective tool for fat loss, and it doesn’t have to involve hours of exercise each day.
Myth #6: Supplements can help you lose fat without diet and exercise.
Truth: While some supplements can be helpful for supporting fat loss goals, they’re not a magic solution. The most important factors for fat loss are diet and exercise. Supplements should be used in conjunction with a healthy diet and exercise routine, not as a replacement for them.
Myth #7: You can’t build muscle and lose fat at the same time.
Truth: It is possible to build muscle and lose fat at the same time, especially for beginners. This is known as body recomposition, and it’s achieved by combining resistance training with a healthy diet that’s in a slight caloric deficit.
Now that we’ve addressed these myths, let’s get into the main topic: how can resistance training help you lose weight or fat and get fit?
What Is Resistance Training?
Resistance training is a type of exercise that uses resistance or weights to work the muscles. It is also known as strength training or weight training. In resistance training, you use resistance or weights to challenge your muscles, causing them to work harder than they normally would. This challenge creates tension in the muscles, which stimulates muscle growth and leads to increased strength and power.
Types of Resistance Training for Weight Loss and Fat Loss
Resistance training can be done in several ways, such as using free weights, resistance bands, or weight machines. Free weights are versatile and can be used to perform a wide range of exercises, while resistance bands offer a portable and affordable option for those who want to exercise at home. Weight machines are typically found in gyms and offer a safe and controlled environment for performing resistance exercises.
Some common resistance training exercises include squats, lunges, push-ups, pull-ups, bicep curls, and shoulder presses, among others. These exercises target specific muscle groups and can be modified to suit different fitness levels and goals. For example, a beginner may start with bodyweight exercises or lighter weights, while an advanced exerciser may use heavier weights or more challenging variations of the exercises.
Benefits of Resistance Training
Resistance training offers numerous benefits that go beyond just building muscle and strength. Here are some of the key benefits of resistance training:
- Improved Bone Density: Resistance training can help improve bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. When you perform resistance exercises, you put stress on your bones, which signals your body to increase bone density and strength.
- Increased Metabolic Rate: Resistance training can also help increase your metabolic rate, which is the rate at which your body burns calories. When you build muscle through resistance training, you increase your resting metabolic rate (RMR), which means your body burns more calories even when you’re at rest.
- Enhanced Body Composition: Resistance training can help improve your overall body composition by reducing body fat and increasing muscle mass. This can lead to a leaner, more toned physique.
- Reduced Risk of Chronic Diseases: Resistance training has been shown to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain types of cancer. This is because resistance training can help improve insulin sensitivity, lower blood pressure, and reduce inflammation in the body.
- Increased Strength and Power: Resistance training can help increase your overall strength and power, which can improve your performance in other areas of your life, such as sports, hobbies, and everyday activities.
- Improved Joint Health: Resistance training can help improve joint health and reduce the risk of injury. When you perform resistance exercises, you strengthen the muscles around your joints, which helps to stabilize and protect them.
- Enhanced Mental Health: Resistance training has also been shown to have positive effects on mental health, including reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety, improved self-esteem, and increased confidence.
Resistance training offers a wide range of benefits, and is an essential component of a well-rounded exercise routine and is recommended for individuals of all fitness levels and ages.
If your goal is fat loss, then resistance training needs to be an important tool in your routine.
Resistance Training For Fat Loss: Why It Works
Resistance training is an effective tool for fat loss because it increases muscle mass, which in turn increases the resting metabolic rate (RMR). When you perform resistance training exercises, you create micro-tears in your muscle fibers. These tears are repaired through a process called muscle protein synthesis, which rebuilds and strengthens the muscles.
Resistance Training Builds Stronger Muscles
As you continue to perform resistance training exercises, your muscles become stronger and more defined. This increase in muscle mass leads to an increased RMR, which is the rate at which your body burns calories at rest. This means that your body will burn more calories throughout the day, even when you’re not exercising.
In contrast, if you don’t have much muscle mass, your RMR will be lower, which means your body will burn fewer calories at rest. This can make it harder to lose fat and maintain weight loss over time.
Resistance Training Preserves Muscle Mass
Resistance training is also effective for fat loss because it helps preserve lean body mass. When you lose weight, you inevitably lose both fat and muscle mass. However, by performing resistance training exercises, you can help preserve your muscle mass while losing fat. This can help ensure that you achieve a leaner, more toned physique.
Other Health Benefits of Resistance Training
In addition to its fat loss benefits, resistance training also offers numerous other health benefits, such as improved bone density, increased strength and power, and reduced risk of chronic diseases.
Now, let’s look at how you can maximise your fat loss with the help of resistance training.
Resistance Training For Fat Loss: The Strategy
To maximise the fat loss benefits of resistance training, it’s important to follow certain strategies that can help you achieve the best results.
Compound Exercises Are Important For Fat Loss
Firstly, it’s recommended to focus on compound exercises that work multiple muscle groups at once. Examples of compound exercises include squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and pull-ups. These exercises are more efficient than isolation exercises, which only work one muscle group at a time. Compound exercises allow you to work multiple muscles simultaneously, which burns more calories and stimulates more muscle growth.
We have step-by-step guides for each of these exercises. We’d highly recommend that you watch these videos and learn how they are correctly performed before trying them at the gym.
Progressive Overload In Resistance Training for Fat Loss
In addition, it’s important to challenge yourself with progressively heavier weights over time. As your body adapts to the stress of resistance training, you’ll need to increase the weight you’re lifting to continue seeing results. This is because your body needs to be consistently challenged to continue building muscle and burning fat.
Nutrition & Diet For Fat Loss
Another important factor is to pay attention to your diet. Resistance training alone is not enough to achieve your fat loss goals. You need to be in a caloric deficit, which means consuming fewer calories than your body burns, to lose fat. It’s important to eat a balanced, nutrient-dense diet that includes plenty of protein to support muscle growth and recovery.
FITTR can help you get started. When you create your account on the FITTR app, we’ll give you a free diet chart which is a good place to start your fat loss journey. You don’t have to follow any specific diets – as long as you track your calories, you can eat your favourite foods and lose fat.
Cardio For Fat Loss
Lastly, incorporating other forms of exercise, such as cardio, into your routine can help maximise fat loss. Cardiovascular exercise burns calories and can help create a caloric deficit, which is essential for fat loss. However, it’s important to find a balance between resistance training and cardio, as too much cardio can lead to muscle loss.
Resistance Training vs Cardio For Fat Loss
Both resistance training and cardio exercise can be effective for fat loss, but they work in different ways. Cardio exercise burns calories in the moment, which can help create a calorie deficit and promote fat loss. However, resistance training for fat loss has a longer-term impact, as it increases muscle mass and boosts metabolism. The best approach is to incorporate both types of exercise into your routine for maximum fat loss benefits.
Final Words: To maximise your fat loss through resistance training, you need to focus on compound exercises, progressively increase weight over time, pay attention to your diet, and incorporate other forms of exercise into your routine. By following these strategies, you can achieve your fat loss goals and improve your overall health and well-being.
Key Takeaways
- Resistance training is a type of exercise that involves using weights or resistance bands to build muscle and strength.
- Resistance training can help improve bone density, increase metabolic rate, enhance overall body composition, and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
- To maximize fat loss through resistance training, focus on compound exercises that work multiple muscle groups at once.
- It’s important to challenge yourself with progressively heavier weights over time to continue seeing results.
- Paying attention to your diet and incorporating other forms of exercise, such as cardio, can also help maximize fat loss.
- Resistance training is an essential component of a well-rounded exercise routine and is recommended for individuals of all fitness levels and ages.
- Common myths about fat loss include spot reduction, the need for a low-fat diet, and the belief that cardio is the only way to lose fat.
- Resistance training can help debunk these myths and offer a more effective approach to fat loss.
- It’s important to approach resistance training with a balanced and sustainable mindset to achieve long-term success and health benefits.
Overall, resistance training is a powerful tool for achieving fat loss goals, improving overall health and well-being, and debunking common myths about fat loss. By following the strategies outlined in this article and adopting a balanced and sustainable approach, individuals of all fitness levels and ages can achieve their desired results.
FAQs
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Can resistance training help me lose fat?
Yes, resistance training is a highly effective tool for fat loss, as it increases muscle mass and boosts metabolism. -
Should I do cardio or resistance training for fat loss?
Both types of exercise can be effective for fat loss, but they work in different ways. Resistance training has a longer-term impact on fat loss, as it increases muscle mass and boosts metabolism, while cardio exercise burns calories in the moment. It’s best to incorporate both types of exercise into your routine for maximum fat loss benefits. -
What should I eat to lose fat?
To lose fat and build muscle, you need to be in a caloric deficit, which means you’re burning more calories than you’re consuming. Eat plenty of whole, nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. Limit your intake of processed foods, sugary drinks, and high-fat foods. -
How often should I do resistance training for fat loss?
Aim for 2-3 resistance training sessions per week, with each session lasting 30-60 minutes. It’s important to include a variety of exercises that target all major muscle groups, and to focus on proper form and technique to avoid injury. -
Do I need to use weights to do resistance training?
Not necessarily. Bodyweight exercises can be effective for resistance training, especially for beginners. As you build strength and confidence, you can gradually add weight or resistance to your workouts. - Is Interval Training good for fat loss? Interval training, which involves alternating periods of high-intensity exercise with periods of rest or low-intensity exercise, can be a great option for fat loss. This type of exercise can increase calorie burn both during and after the workout, and it can also help build muscle and boost metabolism. However, it’s important to start slowly and gradually increase the intensity and duration of your interval training sessions over time.
References
- Greer, B. K. et al. (2015) ‘EPOC Comparison Between Isocaloric Bouts of Steady-State Aerobic, Intermittent Aerobic, and Resistance Training’, Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 86(2), pp. 190–195. doi: 10.1080/02701367.2014.999190.
- LEMMER, J. T. et al. (2001) ‘Effect of strength training on resting metabolic rate and physical activity: age and gender comparisons’, Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, pp. 532–541. doi: 10.1097/00005768-200104000-00005.
