Lose weight by lifting weight
Lose weight by lifting weight
Paul Kochoa, PT, DPT, OCS, CGFI
Have trouble losing weight? Do you lose weight and then have trouble keeping it off? Then I’ve got a perfect solution for you. Lose weight, and keep it off by LIFTING weight.
Sounds ridiculous? The New York Times posted an article last week about this very subject. With shows like “The Biggest Loser”, there’s a lot of media coverage about making incredible transformations and losing a lot of weight. The fact is that most of those contestants and even the winners, gain most of the weight back after the cameras turn off and the show ends.
Massive losses of weight and dieting is not the solution. You only lose weight when you can maintain your resting metabolic rate while you diet.
The New York Times article references a study that shows that diet and cardiovascular exercise can help you lose weight. But the loss of weight also changes your N.E.A.T. That stands for non-exercise activity thermogenesis. It’s basically the amount of energy you expend while doing normal everyday stuff, even just sitting and fidgeting or walking to the car.
The study found that a person’s N.E.A.T. significantly decreases when they diet. This lower N.E.A.T. means that you expend less energy everyday, and your body goes into conservation mode, conserves calories, and then you lose less weight or even gain more weight. You burn fewer and fewer calories, so you gain more and more weight.
To maintain one’s N.E.A.T., you have to add resistance weight training. That way, your body doesn’t enter this emergency conservation mode and tries to save energy and calories. You lose weight and keep it off. You body changes for the better. You can move easier, with less effort. It’s pretty clear that weight training is integral for weight loss and every day function.
If you’re only doing cardio machines, quit it. Add some weight training to your program.
If you would like more information, please call Professional Physical Therapy and Training at 973-270-7417. Our offices are located within the YMCA locations in Madison and Summit, NJ. You do not need to be a member of the YMCA to visit with us.