Resistance training provides several important benefits for women trying to lose weight and stay healthy. It increases muscle mass which raises the body's resting metabolic rate, helping to burn more calories throughout the day. Building muscle also makes the body appear more compact and lean while improving skin elasticity. As people age, resistance training helps maintain muscle mass and makes daily activities less strenuous. Women should not fear becoming bulky from resistance training when performed and fueled properly along with cardiovascular exercise.

1. Many women fear resistance training. They believe that
they will become huge like the bodybuilders they see on
television, or they think people will view them as
masculine. Many of them feel that they are going to lose
their feminine softness, and others just do not understand
the benefits that muscle plays in weight loss. Resistance
training should be a part of any health and fitness
program, unless contraindicated because of a medical
condition. This article covers some of those benefits of
resistance training and why it should be an part of your
training regimen, especially if you're trying to lose weight
and get the body you want.

2. When performed at the right intensity and
volume, resistance training produces a growth hormone
release which helps the body to mobilize fat. So, it is a fat-
burning hormone. It also helps to build the muscle needed
to lose weight. The more muscle you have, the more your
resting metabolic rate increases. This means that while
you're watching television, sleeping, sitting at your
desk, or standing in line at the movies, your muscles are
burning calories. One pound of muscle burns at least 50
calories per day. This isn't a lot when you think about it in
the short-term, but it definitely pays off in the long run.

3. Another benefit of resistance training is that it improves
your body's appearance. It gives you that hourglass shape
that you want so badly. It doesn't make you bigger; it
actually makes you smaller!!!! Muscle takes up less space
than fat and makes you more compact, tight, and lean. It
also helps to improve skin elasticity by making it tighter
and helps keep those wrinkles and creases away. I just
want to point out here that heavy resistance training may
make you bulky under certain circumstances. If this is the
case, then check your exercise and nutrition regimen. Are
you consuming too many calorie-dense foods? Are you
performing enough cardiovascular exercise? Are you
participating in at least one class of Pilates or yoga per
week to help keep your muscles elongated? Are you
overtraining one or more areas? Are you drinking enough

4. As you get older, you might find that it gets harder to open
a jar of pickles, pick up your 20 pound grandchild, or pick
up that box of winter clothes off the floor. Muscle mass
begins to decline after 40 years of age and after prolonged
periods of inactivity. Adding resistance training in your
regimen helps you to perform the activities of daily living
and your critical job demands with less effort.

5. You shouldn't be scared of resistance training. There are so
many benefits that you as a woman can gain from
performing it. It helps to improve aesthetics, strength
levels, and your fat-burning capacity. You can lose weight
without performing resistance training; however, it may
be short-lived and your body shape will not change. So if
you are not doing any resistance training get with a
qualified fitness professional and start today! Trust me;
you will like what you see.

6. http://www.loseweightfast2012.org/