Pick Up A Weight For Weight Loss

So you probably already know that the best way to build muscle is through resistance weight training. But what you may not know is that this is also a great way to increase your bodies fat burning mechanisms.

You see, when you lift weights you're actually causing structural damage to your muscle fibers. During your recovery, you body goes into repair and restructure mode. This is what increases the size, mass, and strength of the muscles in your body, and is why over training presents such a problem for building muscle mass.

Well when these muscle fibers break down during a workout, tiny microscopic tears build up all throughout the targeted muscle. In our recovery, protein synthesis occurs to make the subsequent rebuilding and growth of the muscles possible as stated connectedcongress.org the fitness blog. Carbohydrates and the surrounding fat tissues are used to supply vital nutrients to our muscles looking to repair their damaged structural state.

Going further, we essentially have two basic types of muscle fibers: Type 1 "slow twitch" muscle fibers, and Type 2 “fast twitch” muscle fibers. Slow twitch muscle fibers are recruited during low threshold muscular exercises and aerobic exercises such as running and cardio fitness. While fast twitch muscle fibers are used during high threshold muscular exercises such as resistance weight training.

Thus, to get the maximum value of our recovery and muscle rebuilding, it becomes necessary to employ both types of muscular exercises during our workouts. Too often those looking to lose weight stick to the treadmills, elliptical, and exercise machines, while those looking to bulk up congregate around the weight benches and dumbbell racks.

A well rounded exercise program would employ a healthy amount of resistance weight training to tear down the type 2 fast twitch muscle fibers, as well as long periods of cardiovascular exercise to train the type 1 slow twitch muscle fibers. Look at it this way, by breaking down both sets of muscle fibers in a full body workout, your muscles essentially become vacuums for burning fats and excess carbohydrates. Having your muscles in a recovery state all throughout the week will boost your metabolism to the highest levels possible.

Essentially, you are burning more calories simply sitting down on your computer or watching TV, while your muscle fibers do all the work burning calories as they attempt to recover and grow.