Everything You Need To Know About Weight Training To Lose Weight, According To Experts
Tired of running miles on a treadmill and not hitting your goals in the gym? You are not alone. Recently, many women have been moving from cardio to weight training - and for good reason.
Cardio used to be a way to lose weight while gaining strength at the same time. However, once social media (and government agencies) have begun to change their attitude toward what it means to work, people are turning to weight lifting.
"The form of social media has helped women break free from traditional cardio teaching," Joy Cox, PhD, a physical health lawyer and weight-stigma researcher at Rutgers University, previously told WH. "Everyone tells their own story, and you see a lot of people with different backgrounds and bodies doing all kinds of activities."
With fitness promoters and coaches dominating Instagram and TikTok, it's easier than ever to find the #fitspo you need to change your current style. In addition, there is supporting evidence that lifting weights does more than build muscle. It also has a powerful effect on your bones and body composition (more on that in a minute).
Best of all, you don’t even need to go to the gym to get started. With a little extra space and a set of dumbbells, you can start setting up and get the best new personal experience right away.
Ready to get into the basics? Here's everything you need to know about weight loss training, from exercise to how to get started.
Why Weight Loss Training Is The Key To Weight Loss
While cardio has many benefits, lifting weights can help build muscle, strengthen your bones, and more, says fitness expert Stacy Sims, PhD. He adds that old ideas after losing weight emphasized doing more cardio and dietary delays. With this type of system, your body's cortisol level— (the stress hormone that controls your body — rises.
"With resistance training, you build muscle, and it is tax-free," Sims said. "So you don't get that cortisol lump." The result? Powerful exercise that truly changes the structure of your body.
Over time, lifting weights makes your muscles work harder. This is one of the reasons why you feel that weightlifters are eating too much, according to Sims: "Because their muscles are like, 'Great, I can use this, I will do it.' "Your tissues work overtime, so they need all the fuel they can get.
But why focus on building muscle mass, anyway? At first, Sims says, you may not notice significant weight loss. "You'll start to notice changes in your clothes, you'll start to feel better, you'll start to look toner - but the weight on the scale may not change," she explains.
That changes the shape of your body. You lose fat, while you build muscle. Muscles are extremely tight, according to Sims, because they are packed with many different nutrients that help move your body (compared to body fat, just ... fat).
So if the number on the scale does not change immediately, do not stop — just keep going. It is worth it, in the long run!
Dumbbell Set Included With Neoprene
5 Tips for Building a Weight Loss Training Program
Check your progress. Before taking any weights, it is a good idea to understand what your body movement and stability look like, according to Alex Silver-Fagan, CPT, RYT, nike master trainer and creator of Flow Into Strong. Try hanging out at a bar, holding a plank, or sitting squat. "If you can't hold your body in those areas, I will not add to those burdens," he said. Keep working on exercises that are difficult for you with your weight until you feel you have the power to control it.
Well the basics. Silver-Fagan adds that there are four exercise steps you should be able to overcome before starting your weight training routine: squat, push-up, deadlift, and horizontal or vertical line. Having this under your belt will help prevent future injuries. Not sure how to compile your form? Consider working with a trainer and even a few sessions (virtual or IRL) for feedback and guidance.
Collect your tools. To get started, Silver-Fagan proposes getting three dumbbell sets: a light, medium, and heavy pair. Generally, these sets only need to be separated by 5 to 10 pounds (unless the coach says otherwise). You should be able to easily lift the lightest ones without much effort, while the heavy ones should be heavy.
Sometimes, even if your weight is not enough, you add up — start where you feel comfortable.
Eat more protein. Sims says that proteins contain amino acids, which help build your muscles. And they "continue to show your body to lose weight and lose body fat," he explains. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends eating at least 0.35 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day when not moving. But if you are busy and want to build muscle and lower your body fat percentage, aim to gain 0.73 grams of protein per pound of body weight, according to the National Academy of Sports Medicine.
Listen to your body. Pay attention to how you feel while lifting weights. “There is a difference between pain and discomfort,” observes Silver-Fagan. "If something is wrong, you should step back. If something is wrong with you, you should ask yourself, 'Is this because I did not do it? It's hard.' "Also, remember that you can always take a break between reps.
Sample Weight Training Program
There is no need to stress over how much or how high it should be. These three exercises are easy to get into your current fitness program.
Equipment: Hand weights or dumbbells
Best: Whole body strength
Instructions: Do this exercise three times a week for four weeks
- Sample cycle:
- Monday: Exercise 1
- Tuesday: Cardio
- Wednesday: Exercise 2
- Thursday: Cardio or yoga (choose one)
- Friday: Cardio or yoga (choose one)
- Saturday: Exercise 3
- Sunday: Relax
- Workout 1 Goblet Squat
How to do it: Stand with feet apart at hip height and hold the weight in front of your chest, elbows down. Push the hips back and bend the knees to lower the squat. Push yourself back to get started. That is one answer. Complete three to five repetitions with heavy weights.
Curved Line
How to do it: Your feet are below your hips, leaning on your hips with your knees bent and your arms in front of your legs. Push your elbow back to your hips with the weights on, feel your shoulders tight, and lower yourself slightly. That is one answer. Complete three to five repetitions with medium weight.
Complete five sets of total for these two tests.
Lateral Lunge
How to do it: To hold the weight on your chest, stand up straight with your feet separated by a hip width. Take a big step to the left, sit on your back, and lower yourself until your left knee is about the size of the floor. Your right leg should be straight. Go back to start. That is one answer. Complete ten reps on each side with a medium weight.
Inverted line
How to do it: Place two dumbbells down the shoulder width apart. Take a plank with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart. Hold the dumbbells so that your hands are raised from the ground, keeping the wrist position neutral. Move your right arm with the dumbbell down, tighten your entire body, and draw the left dumbbell up and down the side of the cage of your ribs — your elbow should face upwards and backwards. Keep your body stable as you slowly lower the dumbbell back down. Then repeat on the other side. That is one answer. Complete 12 interchangeable reps with moderate weights.
Russian Twist
How to do it: Sit down and straighten your legs. Sit back slightly so that your body and legs are V-shaped, tightening the wall of your abdomen to hold the center between you. To balance here, shift your torso from one to the other without moving your legs. That is one answer. Complete 16 repetitions with medium weight.
Complete a total of four sets of these three tests.
Workout 2 Deadlift
How to do it: Stand with your feet shoulder-to-shoulder apart, with a weight placed in front of you. Focus on your hips and lower yourself, slightly bent at the knees, until you reach just the right angle to hold the weight (you can choose to hold on to the extremities, the lower grip, or the horizontal grip). Keep your spine neutral by looking forward, not up. While holding the weight, keep your shoulders back, then press your glutes and your spine as you stand up straight, grasp your pelvis, and lift the barbell. Pause for a moment, then slowly lower yourself to the floor. That is one answer. Complete three to five repetitions with heavy weights.
Chest Press
How to do it: Lie on your back, or on the bench, with your feet down. With a dumbbell in each hand, stretch your arms straight over your shoulders, palms facing your feet. Tie your shoulders together and slowly bend your elbows, lowering the weights to the side, and straighten your shoulders, until your elbows form 90-degree angles. Replace the dumbbells slowly to begin with, pressing your shoulders all the time. That is one answer. Complete three to five repetitions with medium weight.
Complete five sets of total for these two tests.
Swing
How to do it: Hold the dumbbell with both hands using the overhand grip and stand with the legs apart at hip width. Push your buttocks back, knees slightly bent, and lower your chest to bring the dumbbell between your legs. To keep your spine strong, push your hips forward and swipe the dumbbell to shoulder height. Slow down, move the weight back between your legs. That is one answer. Complete ten times the average weight.
Separate Shoulder Press Press
How to do it: Take dumbbells to the pound. Rub your posture into a wide step, one foot forward and the other back with square hips, and hold the weights just above your shoulders, elbows close to your sides. Leaning forward slightly, bend both knees to lower yourself to a standing position. Press up on your front leg while at the same time lifting weights straight up in the air, keeping your elbows forward and your arms aligned with your ears. As you go down the aisle to get the next rep, drop the weight and put it back on your shoulders. That is one answer. Complete ten reps with a medium weight (instead of a resistance band), alternating your feet with each set.
Half Turkish Vuka
How to do it: Lie face up with a kettlebell on the right hand side and rest in front of the shoulder. Bend your right leg, and put your foot down. Stretch your left arm and side leg at an angle of 45 degrees. Handle the handle tightly and press the weight up to the ceiling, closing the elbow completely and staring at the kettlebell. The eyes are still on the upper arm, move up to the left arm, and press down on the left palm to sit up. Insert the abs, then push on the right heel and press the glutes to raise the hips until the right thigh is parallel to the floor. Undo the steps until you lie down again. That is one answer. Complete five times the average weight on each side.
Complete a total of four sets of these three tests.
Workout 3 Single Leg Deadlift
How to do it: Stand with both feet below the hips. Shift your weight to the right leg, which should be nice and straight with a soft bend at the knees. Start kicking your left foot back as if you were stepping down on the wall behind you, keeping your leg straight. At the same time, slowly begin to grasp the loins, lifting your torso forward until it is almost parallel to the floor. Keep your arms straight, at shoulder height, and perpendicular to the floor at all times. Below the position, your body should be in a straight line from the top of your head to the bottom of your left foot. Then, start pulling your left leg forward whi