How to Use Weight Training to Lose Weight

Most people (especially women) forgo weight training when they try to lose weight. However, thinking that weight training will just bulk you up is a myth. Training with weights actually tones your muscles, so that they burn more fat all the time. Raising your metabolism with weight training can help you see a slimmer body more quickly than by doing cardiovascular exercise alone.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Check With Your Doctor About Weight Training

1. Schedule an appointment with your primary care physician. Weight training puts strain on your muscles, joints, heart and respiratory systems. You'll want to make sure you have no underlying problems in these areas before you begin.
2. Tell your doctor that you are considering beginning a weight loss regimen including weight training. After your check up, ask your doctor if she has any advice about your exercise program and you current limits.
3. Ask your doctor to calculate your basal metabolic rate. This is a measure of how many calories your body uses in everyday activities like moving, breathing and sitting.

Calculate How Many Calories You Burn Each Day

4. Use a calorie calculator to find out how many calories your body currently burns. You can find calorie calculators and use instructions at places like the Stevens Creek Web site (see Resources below).
5. Write down your calorie intake everyday. Next to this write down how many calories you burned in exercise taking into account your basal metabolic rate. If calories used outstrips calories consumed, you are losing weight.

Use Weight Training to Raise Your Metabolism

6. Alternate aerobic workouts like walking, cycling or swimming with weight training. Keep weight training routines separated by at least one day to allow your muscles to recover.
7. Choose medium to light dumbbells or barbells. You should only be able to perform about 12 reps (12 lifts up and down) before your can't do anymore. To lose fat, you will need to exhaust your muscles after each set (the full 12 reps).
8. Increase the amount of weight you use whenever you can complete your set without muscle exhaustion. Hitting plateaus mean your muscle is used to that level of training. Because muscle raises your basal metabolic rate, your weight training will result in you burning more calories every day even when you are sleeping.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember not to hold your breath while lifting weights to get the most from your workout.
• Keep in mind that you really want to lose fat. Because weight training tones muscle, your actual weight may not plummet even though your body is shrinking.

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