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The benefits of strength training are not limited to muscle growth: it also has a lasting effect on fat burning, even when you're lying on the couch Netflixing.
In the quest for effective ways to burn fat, strength training has proven to be highly effective. Scientists have discovered that the benefits of strength training are not limited to more muscular arms and legs, but also have a lasting effect on fat burning.
Strength training not only increases your muscle mass but also plays a crucial role in accelerating your resting metabolism. Muscle tissue requires more energy than fat tissue, meaning the more muscle you have, the more calories your body burns at rest. It's as if your muscles are little fat-burning factories, even when you're not working out.
One of the neat tricks of strength training is the 'afterburn effect,' or Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC). After a vigorous strength training session, your body has to work extra hard to catch its breath and kickstart all the recovery processes. This consumes calories and leads to increased fat burning, even after you've left the gym.
Strength training triggers a pleasant hormonal cocktail, particularly the release of growth hormones and testosterone. These hormones not only stimulate muscle growth but also help burn fat. So while you're pushing through squats and deadlifts, your hormones are also contributing to the fat-burning party.
Various studies underscore the power of strength training in the fight against excess fat.
A study published in the 'Journal of Applied Physiology' showed that strength training increased resting metabolism for up to 72 hours after exercise. Another study, published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, investigated the effect of strength training on metabolism in overweight women. The results showed that regular strength training led to a significant increase in resting metabolism, resulting in increased fat burning, even at rest.
Another study conducted at Appalachian State University looked at the effect of strength training on fat burning during exercise. The results showed that participants who performed strength training had increased fat oxidation during the exercise compared to those who did not perform strength training, even at a similar total energy expenditure.
What scientists say about this topic:
"Strength training is like a metabolic engine that keeps running, even when you're sitting on the couch. Building and maintaining muscle mass are essential for efficient fat burning."
"The afterburn effect after strength training is like a bonus round for fat burning. Your body continues to burn calories long after you've finished your workout."
Strength training goes beyond shaping your physique; it's a fat-burning strategy that keeps working, even as you catch your breath. So, pull those dumbbells out of the closet, make strength training your superpower, and let your metabolism do that extra rep, even when you're leaning back!
