Ridge Personal Trainer Jon Davis gives us the scoop on the importance of lifting weights.
Do you spend most of your time doing cardio while at the gym? If your goal is to lose weight or get “toned”, you probably need to spend less time on the treadmill or elliptical, and more time weight training. With most types of cardio, you burn calories while you exercise, but once you stop, your body quickly returns back to normal metabolic rate. Lifting weights builds muscle, and the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, even when sitting!
A lot of women are scared that they will get “too bulky” or will “look like a guy” if they lift weights. This is probably the most common misconception about weight training. Women have approximately one-tenth the testosterone of males, making it very hard to put on “bulk”, even if you are working out as hard as a man. Still, women CAN build muscle, but it is typically the long and lean muscles that most women want. The fastest, and healthiest way to lose weight, get lean, and get toned is to have a balanced regimen of cardio and weight training, paired with a healthy diet.