Are you looking to lose weight and gain muscles at the same time?
If so, it’s the best time to switch up your workout routine with strength training to achieve both goals. Strength isn't just about building muscle. It can also help you lose weight.
While many people believe cardio is the best way to shed pounds. Weightlifting can help you burn fat more effectively while building lean muscle. This not only enhances your physique but also boosts your metabolism. Thus, you burn calories even when you’re at rest.
Now, if you're ready to take that first step toward a healthier, fitter you. Here’s how you can get started today.
Understanding the Concept of ‘Body Recomposition’
When you have a fitness goal, it's common to focus on either losing weight or gaining muscle.
But here's the good news. You don’t have to pick one. It’s possible to do both at the same time through a process called body recomposition.
To understand the body recomposition, first clarify what is composition.
“Body composition is the ratio of fat mass to lean mass in your body.”
Sometimes people confuse this with body fat percentage. But that’s just one part of the picture. Lean mass includes everything in your body that isn’t fat. Like your muscles, bones, organs, ligaments, and even water. Depending on how you measure your body composition, water can even be counted separately.
Now, what about body recomposition?
This simply means changing that ratio. “Losing fat while gaining muscle.”
The goal isn’t to drastically change your weight. But it improves how much lean mass you have compared to fat. So, for this, you aim to do both. Lose fat and gain muscle; at the same time. Thus, you get a healthier and more toned physique.
Now that you have understood the basics of body recomposition, let’s see how strength training helps in it.
How Strength Training Help You Lose Weight and Gain Muscles
When you're trying to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time. It's important to remember that this isn’t a quick fix.
Unlike fad diets, which often promise fast results. Body recomposition is the process of losing fat while building muscle. So, it takes time. But the effort is worth it because the changes you make will be long-lasting. Once you get into the habit of combining the right exercise and diet. You'll enjoy the results and a healthier body.
Achieving both goals can be tricky without the right strategy.
People often think cardio is the best method to lose weight. But strength training plays a huge role in fat loss as well. It doesn’t just burn calories during your workout. It also keeps your metabolism elevated for hours after.
This is because when you lift weights, your muscles need energy to repair and rebuild. This, thus, helps you burn more calories even at rest.
Strength training helps your body burn fat not just during your workout. But for hours afterward which leads to more effective fat loss. As you build muscle, your body composition improves. This means you have more lean muscle and less fat. Hence, this process of rebuilding muscle helps you losing fat while gaining muscle.
Types of Strength Training that Help with Weight Loss
It’s important to know the different types of strength training to reach your goals more effectively. There are two main approaches to strength training that are highly effective for weight loss:
1. Pure Strength Training
As the name suggests, pure strength training involves building and maintaining muscle mass.
This type of training is important, especially as we get older. Because our bodies naturally lose muscle over time. Research shows it's never too late to build muscle, no matter your age.
For pure strength training, how much weight you lift depends on your experience level. Beginners should start with lighter weights (or even no weights) to get used to the movements. As you progress, you can gradually increase the weight to challenge your muscles. Advanced lifters can focus on heavier loads to continue building strength and muscle.
At Trojan Fitness, offer a wide range of equipment for pure strength training.
From dumbbells and barbells to squat racks and weight plates. You can easily make your workout according to your level and goals.
2. Metabolic Resistance Training (MRT)
Metabolic resistance training (MRT) combines short bursts of high-intensity exercises with short rest periods. This type of training burns more calories than steady-state exercises like moderate cardio. It helps keeping your heart strong and losing fat both during and after your workout.
MRT can be done using various types of equipment, and it’s a versatile way to exercise. You can incorporate:
- Bodyweight exercises like burpees, push-ups, or mountain climbers.
- Dumbbells for exercises such as thrusters or renegade rows.
- Kettlebells for swings or goblet squats.
- Resistance bands for extra tension in squats or presses.
MRT keeps your intensity high and give your muscles a short break between workouts. This continuous cycle helps increase calorie burn. It keeps your body in fat-burning mode long after you’ve finished your session.
Learn more about: Choosing The Right Strength Training Equipment For Your Home Gym
Cardio vs Strength Training | Which One is More Effective?
The ongoing debate between cardio or strength training often leaves you wondering which is better for effective results.
Cardio is ideal for burning more calories during a workout session.
But strength training affects your body differently.
Strength training has a dual benefit. you burn calories both during your workout and while your muscles recover and rebuild afterward.
As a result, you get more results for your effort. For the best results, it’s a good idea to combine both cardio and strength training into a well-balanced fitness plan. So, you can get all the benefits altogether.
A Sample Workout Routine to Do Strength Training for Fat Loss
Wondering how to structure a weekly workout? Here’s a simple plan to get you started.
Day |
Workout Plan |
Monday |
Moderate-intensity cardio warm-up + Pure strength training |
Tuesday |
Metabolic Resistance Training (MRT) |
Wednesday |
Moderate-intensity cardio warm-up + Pure strength training |
Thursday |
|
Friday |
Moderate-intensity cardio warm-up + Pure strength training |
Saturday |
MRT |
Sunday |
Rest Day |
Why You Should Have Rest Days
Don’t overlook the importance of taking rest days.
Your body needs time to recover and repair itself after intense workouts, especially when you’re doing strength training. During your strength training sessions, your muscles go through small tears that need time to rebuild. This is where growth happens.
Skipping rest days not only delays your progress. It also increases the risk of injury.
Learn more about: Top 10 Exercises to Burn Most Calories in 30 Minutes
Key Benefits of Strength Training for Weight Loss & Muscle Gain
- Boosts Metabolism – In response to lifting weights, you build muscle. This means your body burns more calories, even when you’re not working out.
- Enhances Fat Loss – Strength training makes your body better at burning fat. This is perfect for losing weight.
- Makes Daily Tasks Easier – Stronger muscles make everyday activities like lifting groceries or climbing stairs feel much easier.
- Keeps Your Bones Healthy – Regular strength training helps strengthen your bones which reduces the risk of osteoporosis as you age.
- Builds Lean Muscle – More muscle means your body burns fat more effectively. It gives you a toned and defined look while helping with weight loss.
- Improves Food Processing – Strength training can help your body process food better. This helps lower your risk of chronic diseases like diabetes.
- Boosts Strength and Performance – Regular weightlifting improves your overall strength. This makes activities like running, swimming, or cycling easier and more effective.
- Reduces Injury Risk – Strong muscles and joints protect your body from injuries.
- Helps Long-Term Weight Management – Building muscle helps your body burn more calories. This makes it easier to maintain a healthy weight over time.
Fitness Tips to Maximise Results with Strength Training
- Focus on Compound Movements
Movements like squats, deadlifts, and bench presses work multiple muscles at once, making them incredibly effective for losing fat while gaining muscle. These exercises not only engage your core, But also elevate your heart rate.
- Consume Less Calorie to Lose Fat
This doesn’t mean you should starve yourself. But be mindful of portion sizes and the quality of the foods you eat.
- Take More Protein and Nutrient to Gain Muscles
Make sure you’re consuming enough protein to aid in muscle recovery and growth. Additionally, a balanced diet helps you stay on track with your weight loss goals.
- Be Consistent
Results come from consistency. Set a schedule for your workouts and stick to it. Aim to strength train at least 3-4 times a week, mixing in cardio sessions for the best results.
Wrap Up
In short, understanding how strength training impacts your body is key. It helps building a consistent workout routine. As you gain more muscle, you'll naturally burn more fat. This will help you maintain your strength as you get older.
The great news is, you don’t need a gym to get started. You can effectively burn body fat at home with the right equipment from Trojan Fitness.
Do you need quality and affordable fitness equipment for you?
Contact Trojan Fitness | Get High-Quality Equipment to Boost Your Workout
Trojan Fitness is your go-to destination for premium fitness equipment in Perth, Australia.
We offer everything you need to get started with strength training—from barbells and dumbbells to cardio and complete home gym setups. Our extensive range of products ensures that you can tailor your workouts to meet your fitness goals, whether you're looking to burn body fat at home or achieve a well-rounded fitness level.
Let’s lose weight, gain muscles with strength training quality equipment at Trojan Fitness
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