If you have sat down with me or listened to any of the Losing Weight USA webinars, you probably know that I am a big proponent of exercise, especially resistance training. During calorie restriction (i.e. a diet/weight loss pan), your body will preferentially breakdown your lean body mass (muscle). This slows your metabolism. In order to prevent this from happening, you need to get in adequate protein and use your lean body mass (exercise). The best exercise for preserving or building muscle mass is resistance training.
We often associate resistance training with being in the gym lifting weights (which is a great way to accomplish this). But you can easily do resistance training using no actual weights – your own body weight works very well. Push-ups, pull-ups, crunches, squats and lunges work extremely well as a resistance training workout. As an added bonus, they can be done with almost no equipment and just about anywhere as well!
Studies have shown tremendous health benefits to resistance training such as:
- Improves carbohydrate sensitivity
- Increases testosterone
- Increases growth hormone
- Improves lean body mass
- Increases metabolism (a pound of muscle burns more calories than a pound of fat)
It is never too late to start a resistance training program. If you need help, just let us know – we can you develop a plan that works (and is fun!). There’s no time like nowt!
Cat Keller has a wealth of experience in marketing, e-marketing, advertising and customer service and manages our Weight Loss Nutritional Store. She is always planning something fun and exciting. special events, discounts, giveaways – it’s never a dull moment. She is happy to help you with questions you may have regarding our products or services. Cat is a graduate of William & Mary, where she studied Government/Pre-Law and minored in Marketing.