4 reasons to do some heavy lifting
1 It accelerates fat loss
Cardio is great for stamina and will burn up a bunch of carbs, but the moment you stop, so does the burn. However, throw in a few strength training sessions a week and your muscles begin to develop and grow, and the more muscle you have, the more your system uses fatty acids for fuel, even when it’s at rest. This ‘after-burn’ effect of strength training means your body still uses fuel hours after you’ve stopped exercising. Plus, when you build muscle your body becomes more efficient at using carbs for energy, as opposed to storing them as fat. Raising your resting metabolic rate in this way is a significant factor in successfully losing fat and keeping it off. Ironically, long cardio workouts (without weights) can actually reduce your metabolic rate by releasing cortisol, the stress hormone.
2 It’s great for your bones
Decreasing oestrogen levels put postmenopausal women at high risk of osteoporosis. The good news is that lifting heavy weights maintains bone mass and can even build new bone. It’s never too late to start! Be aware that bone loss starts from your 30s. Besides the positive effect on muscle mass and bone density, strength training also improves balance and connective tissue strength, all of which decrease the risk of falling and breaking bones.
3 It helps to balance hormones
Too many hours of cardio can cause adrenal burnout. If you feel beaten up and exhausted instead of invigorated after a long cardio session, chances are you’re heading in that direction. Too much cortisol starts a cascade of hormonal changes that can be difficult to recover from. Long distance runners are notorious for tanking their adrenals and ending up with metabolic issues like diabetes. By contrast, strength training and building more muscle (and thereby more insulin receptors) is the fastest way to reverse insulin resistance, the precursor to type-2 diabetes. Other benefits are that levels of thyroid antibodies go down (good news for those with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis), human growth hormone (HGH) and oestrogen go up and the control of blood sugar levels is enhanced. When lifting weights is combined with dietary changes it can take as little as 90 days to see remarkable metabolic changes.
Weight training also raises testosterone levels. No, you won’t grow a beard, but you can look forward to an increase in your libido and a more positive mood. Several studies have shown that weight training greatly reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression, and can alleviate insomnia too.
4 It prevents premature ageing and disease
As you build up muscle mass you increase the number of mitochondria in your body. Mitochondria are the energy factories of each cell, and having a sufficient number of healthy mitochondria is the secret to longevity. Many chronic degenerative diseases are due to mitochondrial death or mutation, which may be why weight training has been shown to be very effective in reducing cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Strength training increases HGH levels too, which plays a role in healing leaky gut syndrome, a common condition that’s the root cause of many inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. If you want a strong and resilient immune system you need a gut that is flourishing and intact.
Weight training is essential for health, just like nutrient-dense food, water, sunshine and sleep. If you’re serious about your quality of life and ageing well, consider getting a personal trainer or joining a functional fitness gym, or CrossFit box with coaches who can teach you the correct technique. Never lift heavy weights without knowing how first.
Do compound movements that require more than one muscle group to execute. These involve pushing, pulling, squatting, pressing and lifting. They produce strength that allows us to go about our daily tasks more efficiently. Deadlifts, squats, lunges, shoulder presses and pullups are all good examples. You don’t have to give up your running, Zumba, yoga or Pilates – they have their benefits too – but find a way to safely include a few sessions of strength training. You won’t look back!