For decades, women have kept their workouts in the cardio area. Sure, some have gone to the weight room floor, but they usually go straight to the extra light dumbbell rack for a few high rep sets of curls or tricep extensions before heading back to the treadmill so they don’t “bulk up.”

The secret is out, though: if you really want a slim, fit body, you need both cardio AND weights.  

Have you embraced that resistance training lifestyle yet?

If not, I’ve got 9 reasons why you should! And if you’re already pumping some serious iron, this post will validate your decision to lift heavy stuff.

Resistance Training Builds Muscle

Fat and muscle were not created equal. Just to maintain that muscle takes a lot of calories. Of course, muscle is also what gives your body its shape. 

If you put a pound of muscle and a pound of fat side by side, they of course move the scale the same amount, but they take up VERY different spaces. Muscle is way more dense than fat, meaning that that pound of fat takes up more space than the pound of muscle.

This is why a lot of women who do strength training don’t see the scale move, but they do see the results in their toned physique. 

Just look at these real results! This Queen barely lost any weight at all, but you can see the cuts and definition in her muscles. Wow!! 👇🏽

https://www.instagram.com/p/CNvK0xKJtjT/?igshid=xshkw1qs10p4 

Muscle becomes increasingly important as we get older. Once we pass 50, we have a natural decline from 5 to 10% of muscle mass every decade. As a result, we lose strength. Working out with weights will counter that natural loss and allow us to combat many of the ailments that are traditionally associated with aging.

Resistance Training Boosts Your Endurance

When you work out with weights, your muscles develop both their fast twitch and their slow twitch fibers. The composite effect of this is that they get stronger and develop endurance, allowing them to do more for longer. In addition, when you use such equipment as kettle-bells, you develop functional fitness, which makes it easier for you to carry out your everyday physical activities.

Resistance Training Burns Calories

Cardio isn’t the only way to burn calories -- weights do a pretty good job too! Don’t believe it? Try squatting for 3 sets of 15 reps and you’ll be a believer for life. 

Compound movements that work multiple body parts will tax your cardiovascular system while shaping and sculpting your body.

Resistance Training Boosts Metabolism

When you lift weights, you trigger what’s known as the excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) effect. Basically, this means that you’re not only going to churn through a ton of calories while lifting, but your metabolism is going to be boosted for the next 24-48 hours, allowing you to burn more calories after your training -- yes, even in your sleep! 

When you workout with weights, you are actually creating micro-tears in your muscle cells. Repairing those tears takes energy. And there’s more – muscle takes five times as much energy to maintain as fat does. So, every ounce of muscle that you add through weight training is going to have you burning more energy to maintain what you’ve got.

Resistance Training Sculpts Your Body

Weight training allows you to be the sculptor of your own living work of art. My whole FitQueen program is about taking charge of your health and wellness -- resistance training puts you in control and allows you to do something good for your body.  

Resistance Training Makes you Strong 

The type of weight training you’ll be doing will make you functionally strong. Strength training is also the best way to offset the natural strength loss that occurs with aging.

In one study, a 30 percent loss of strength that had accumulated over 12 years was restored with one year of strength training. Most people, when they follow an optimized strength training program, will actually be able to improve their strength levels by as much as 300 percent in a 12 month period!

Resistance Training Will Improve Your Cardiovascular Fitness

The intense muscular contraction involved in strength training enhances venous blood flow to the right side of the heart. This increases the blood volume that is pumped in and out of the heart.

The stronger the muscles, the greater the amount of blood that will be pumped around the body. This makes your heart work a whole lot more efficiently. 

As a result of weight training, you will be less susceptible to heart disease, diabetes, and a whole shopping list of other cardiovascular illnesses. 

Resistance Training Increases Bone Density

When you exercise with weights, your chances of developing osteoporosis declines dramatically. Weight training also strengthens your joints. A recent study out of Tufts University showed that resistance training slows down bone loss while stimulating new bone growth. The study also showed that regular weight training lubricates the joints as well as making the muscles around your joints stronger. As millions of people can attest, the effect is a reduction in arthritic symptoms.

Resistance Training Develops Inner Qualities

Regular, progressive strength training will help you develop many of the qualities we generally associate with success in life. Working out isn’t easy - it requires determination, focus, goal setting, resilience, guts, and old fashioned hard work. Once you take on the resistance training habit, those qualities will be strengthened without even realizing it! 

You’ll also be a far more positive person - studies show that regular strength training can produce similar effects to over the counter medicines in terms of combatting depression, with none of the side effects.

Are you ready to add resistance training to your routine? Your body will thank you! Get started with my Cuts and Curves Workout Guide today - the perfect program to implement resistance training to your daily routine.  It includes both home and gym workouts too - get started today.