When people think about burning maximum calories, they almost always default to doing cardio. Technically they aren’t wrong. Minute per minute, running will burn more calories than lifting weights. Having said that, to think of it as just calorie burn oversimplifies the process. There are a host of other factors such as gaining muscle and its caloric burn effect and the fact that the body burns less calories the more cardio you do. Weight training has an effect that cardio just won’t have.

What is Your Metabolism?

Your metabolism is the process your body uses to convert food into energy. It’s working 24/7 to keep you alive, from pumping your heart to breathing to repairing cells. Muscle tissue burns more calories at rest than fat. The more muscle you have, the more calories your body torches all day long. Even when you’re chilling on the couch.

The Weight Training Advantage

Weight training stands out because it builds muscle, and muscle is the secret weapon for a faster metabolism. Here’s how it works:

Burn More Calories at Rest

The more muscle you have the more calories you burn at rest. The science shows 6-10 calories burned for every pound of muscle gained. While that may not seem like a lot it adds up over time. Also, its bonus expenditure! You get to burn calories without having to exercise more!

Shaping Your Body

Even if you don’t want to put a ton of muscle on. Most of us want to look good at the beach. That still requires muscle even if all you want is to look more “toned”. Lifting weights adds that little bit of shape to your chest or shoulders, giving that sculpted look you see in magazines. What’s great about lifting is you can target specific areas you want to bring up, especially if they’re lagging.

Getting Started with Weight Training

• Compound Movements: Focus on exercises like squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and rows. These target multiple muscle groups and give you the most bang for your buck.

• Progressive Overload: Gradually increase the weight, reps, or sets over time. This keeps your muscles challenged and growing.

• Frequency: Aim for 3-4 weight training sessions per week. Balance your routine with rest days to allow for recovery.

Common Myths About Weight Training

Lifting does not make you bulky. Looking bulky just means you added muscle in addition to the extra body fat you still had on. I guarantee if you were to diet some of the excess body fat away, you’d look less bulky. I always used to tell clients at the gym. Look at all the men in this room. Majority of them will spend their entire lives trying to look “too big” and most will never even achieve that. Putting on muscle takes time. If you truly did get too bulky, you’d see it coming along the way. You don’t just wake up one morning looking bulky.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that lifting weights is about transforming your body and your health. Yes, you are improving your metabolism and strength. With those also comes a level up across the board. You feel more confident, and you have more energy.