5 benefits of resistance training for women including losing body fat
The secret to reaching your fitness goals and keeping off those pounds is to add variety to your workout. This means mixing up your cardio routine and adding in some weights to help you tone and become stronger.
If you are tired and bored of pounding the treadmill every time you hit the gym but are worried about picking up some free weights, then it may be time to consider trying some of the resistance kit.
You will see in your gym a number of machines from a Seated Leg Extension and Leg Press to a Bicep Curl and Chest Press. If you are not familiar with how to work them then you need to ask your fitness instructor to show you, ignoring resistance equipment like this could be hindering your fitness goals.
Mitchell Lawrence, Fitness Instructor at Crewe Swimming Pool commented:
“The majority of women I come across in the gym spend most of their time on cardiovascular machines and neglect the resistance equipment. One of the main reasons for this is the thought of gaining too much muscle rather than achieving their goal of looking lean. This is a common mistake made as you are guaranteed to see yourself losing weight and improving your fitness by adding resistance exercises into your fitness routine.”
Here we are giving you five reasons why you must add resistance training into your daily workout and we have even given you a delicious high protein recipe to give you the strength you need to exercise!
You Will Be Stronger Physically Without Gaining Unwanted Bulk
Women produce almost 30 times less of the hormones that men produce which causes them to gain muscle mass. This means that women who take part in resistance training will develop muscle tone, definition and strength.
You Will Lose Body Fat
In recent studies it has been proven that for the average women that participates in some form of resistance training 2-3 times per week for 2 months will gain almost 2lbs of muscle and lose 3 ½lbs of fat.
Improved Metabolism
As your lean muscle mass increases due to the effects of resistance training your metabolism will also increase which means your metabolism will be more effective and will burn more calories throughout the day.
Stronger Bones
Later in life many women tend to be prone to bone density health issues such as Osteoporosis and Osteopenia. Incorporating some form of resistance training into your workouts not only strengthens the muscles but will also strengthen the bones and connective tissue which will reduce your chances of suffering from these issues later on in life.
Improve Your Mental Strength
Research has proven that resistance training often has positive psychological effects on women and men. It is the process of goal setting and achieving these goals which leads to increased confidence, concentration and self-esteem.
So, next time you are in gym make sure you speak with your fitness instructor and ask how you can incorporate resistance training into your current workout routine. You are sure to see some changes to your body and overall level of fitness.
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Looking for the perfect pre-workout snack? Try this delicious high protein yogurt recipe which is perfect to give you the energy you need for your new resistance training workout!
High Protein Yogurt Recipe
Serves 2
100g rolled oats
30g Vyomax Premium Whey Protein (or similar)
400g Low Fat Greek Yogurt
50g Mixed Fruit & Nuts (optional)
Tips:
Make sure you use low fat Greek yogurt as it contains almost twice as much protein as normal yogurt.
Avoid using flavored yogurts as they are high in sugar, is you want to add extra flavour to the yogurt simply add fruit and nuts on top.
Instructions:
- Mix the oats, protein and yogurt together in a bowl, add the fruit and nuts on top for extra flavour.
- Place in the fridge for 10 minutes
- Time to enjoy your High Protein Yogurt
Per Serving:
Calories Protein Carbs Fats
440 35 42 13
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