Why strength training is important for weight loss

When it comes to weight loss, everyone wants to know the most efficient and effective way to lose weight and keep it off.  So here’s a question for you- which form of exercise would you choose if weight loss was the goal… running 5 miles 3 times per week -or- performing well-structured strength training sessions 3 times per week?

Although weight loss will ultimately depend heavily on a combination of consistent clean eating and exercise, we are here to tell you that despite the sweaty and endorphin pumping benefits of cardiovascular training, strength training has been shown to be extremely effective in promoting long term weight loss and weight maintenance and is an imperative component of any successful exercise program.

The reason for this is multi-pronged.  Let’s break it down!

Resting metabolic rate

Perhaps the most important reason why strength training promotes lasting fat loss is its effect on resting metabolic rate.  Resting metabolic rate (RMR) is the rate at which our bodies burn energy at rest.  This means even if we are lying in bed all day, the body is still using calories to maintain metabolism and power basic functions of the body.  If you’re looking to increase your resting metabolic rate, the easiest and most effective way is by increasing muscle mass.  The concept is simple- the more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn.  Muscles are active tissues that need energy to carry out their cellular reactions.   If someone has 60% lean muscle mass and another person has 90% lean muscle mass, the individual with 90% lean muscle mass will burn more calories throughout his or her day.  Strength training is the mode by which lean muscle mass is built and therefore, will continue to be the most effective means of exercise to increase RMR.

After-burn

The term “after-burn” is commonly used when discussing the benefits of exercise  “After-burn” is an expression used to describe a concept known as EPOC or excess post-exercise oxygen consumption.  EPOC is a measurable increase in oxygen consumption following strenuous activity.  Research has shown that in general, strength training sessions increase EPOC more than cardio sessions because they inherently cause more physiological stress to the body.  The subsequent breakdown and rebuild of new muscle tissue uses additional energy to complete these processes and that energy burn can persist up to 72 hours according to the European Journal of Applied Physiology.  Simply put, with a proper strength training routine, you can increase excess post-exercise oxygen consumption or “after-burn” causing your body to continue to burn calories long after the workout has taken place.

Adaptation

When it comes to long term fat loss and weight maintenance there are additional reasons that strength training continues to take the cake for overall efficacy.  While cardio training may cause a quick short-term reduction in weight, the body is efficient and often will demonstrate adaptation over time.  This means that while you may burn a ton of calories when you start the training program, as your efficiency increases, you will burn less calories for the same activity.  With cardiovascular steady state training, you also are at risk for possible catabolism to muscle tissue meaning your body will break down fat but may also break down muscle.  An overall reduction in muscle will cause a reduction in resting metabolic rate and impact metabolism.  Particularly while in a calorie deficit, if you want to preserve muscle mass, strength training is a must.  

Bottom line, well programmed strength training is an effective means to long term weight loss and maintenance.  Shifting the focus away from the short-term calorie burn to the long-term effects of increasing lean muscle mass is imperative to long term success.  Combined with clean eating, by changing the composition of your body, you may actually have to work out less to see the same if not greater results.  

So ask yourself, what kind of adaptations is my exercise program causing my body and what is the carryover?  If you want to preserve lean muscle mass, lose weight, increase resting metabolic rate, and maximize after-burn, pick up those weights and get to work!