Weight Loss: Here's why you should include strength training in your workout routine

We all know that a cardio-based workout regime helps to burn fat and aids weight loss but many do not know that resistance training aka strength or weight training is as important as cardio. Also, when we are just doing cardio, we are not just losing fat but also muscles and it also slowers metabolism.

While cardio along with poor diet may help you to lose weight in a jiffy but it’s not sustainable and can even damage your body. Read on to know why one should also include resistance training in your weight loss regimen as well.

Muscles are fat-burning machines

As per studies, with the help of weight training, we build muscles and muscles burn more calories. So, more the muscles more calories you will burn. Many do not know that post weight training workout session, the body keeps torching calories for next 24 to 48 hours as it works to repair muscle tissue and the effect's name is excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). 

High Metabolism, More Weight loss

More muscles lead to an increase in the base metabolic rate or BMR  "Muscle mass is a more metabolically expensive tissue. The metabolic demand of a pound of muscle is greater than it is for a pound of fat, so just sitting around, the amount of energy needed to maintain a pound of muscle per day is greater than that of a pound of fat.

The more muscle you have the more calories you burn throughout the day," explains Michaela Devries-Aboud, Ph.D., an exercise physiologist at McMaster University, as per Self.com.In simple terms, muscles require calories while fat cells don't while resting, and that's why even during sleeping we will burn more calories.

You won't bulk up

Many fear that strength training will lead to the bulkier body but that's not the truth. Instead, you will have a leaner, strong and toned body just like Bollywood celebs such as Disha Patani, Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra among others and not like bodybuilders. 

Resistance training is great for long term weight management

In simple terms, cardio is great for losing weight right away while resistance training is best if you want to keep the desired weight permanent. 

Bottomline

Apart from weight loss, this type of workout also helps to improve posture, endurance, strength and reduces the chances of injuries as well.  This is not all, it also helps to boost heart health, lower bad cholesterol and increase bone density. Along with cardio, one should also do strength training and one can do the same for three to four times a week for around 40-60 minutes.