If like many people, you are heading into 2013 with your mind set on goals of losing weight, you are probably looking for as many ways as possible to encourage your body to lose its excess fat efficiently. You getting motivated can be difficult, but when you have a plan in front of you can feel much more confident about your ability to take on the challenge of living a healthier lifestyle for a slimmer and better functioning body. If 2013 is your time to shine, now is your chance to take control of your body’s fat loss capabilities for maximum benefit.
Benefits of Weight Training
While cardio exercise is going to be one of your greatest fat loss allies, you should never underestimate the power of weight training in your efforts. Weight training is not just about building muscle and bulking up. In fact, when done correctly, weight training is a phenomenal way to encourage your body to lose excess fat and create the slim, toned silhouette that you desire. The power of weight loss lies in the role of lean muscle tissue in your body. You’ve probably heard that muscle weighs more than fat. What exactly does this mean, however? That a pound of muscle somehow weighs more than a pound of fat? Of course, not. The discrepancy in weight is a comparison in the amount of space that comparable weights of each material take up in your body. This means that that one pound of muscle is going to take up less room in your body than the one pound of fat.
What’s more important than the space that the muscle takes up is the calories that that muscle burns. A pound of lean muscle tissue requires more calories to thrive than a pound of fat, meaning that the more muscle tissue that is in your body, the more calories that your body will need in order to function. Add weight training to your exercise routine will develop lean muscle tissue in your body, pushing your body to higher levels of caloric need and encouraging it to use your excess fat stores for energy. Even while you are sleeping your body will burn calories at a higher rate.
Timing Your Fat Loss
There are a lot of theories as to the best time of the day to exercise in order to burn fat effectively. The reality is that there is very little, if any, scientific evidence that demonstrates that your body will burn more fat at any given time of the day than any other. What really matters is your lifestyle and how exercise works for you. If you are more motivated in the morning, use this time to exercise. If you are more likely to overindulge in the evening, replace your snacking with working out. If you can make working out a regular part of your day to day life, you will reach your fat loss goals.
