Many women tend to avoid the weights section of the gym for fear of developing large thigh or arm muscles or looking “too muscular.” However, lifting weights can help you to burn fat, prevent back pain, reduce your risk of diabetes and even help you fight depression. If that doesn’t sound convincing enough, summer is here and (you see where this is going) lifting weights is the single most effective way to get beach body ready. At UFC Gym Vietnam, we are dedicated to improving not just your physique, but your overall health and so here are a few reasons why women should consider weight training!
Burn More Fat
Want to eat that extra piece of cake or slice of pizza without feeling guilt or remorse? Lifting weights can help you to do that. Many wrongly believe that cardio is the only way to get rid of belly fat but weight training can be just as effective.
A study put dieters into 3 groups: no exercise, aerobic exercise and aerobic exercise with weight training. The study found that they all lost weight, however, the dieters that did weight training lost almost pure fat whereas the other groups lost both weight and muscle. Losing fat and muscle may drop your scale weight, but it won’t improve your reflection in the mirror and you will be more likely to put that weight back on. However, when you do regular weight training, your metabolism will stay elevated and you will continue to burn fat even after you have finished working out.
Stronger Bones
As women age, they become more susceptible to femoral neck fractures. The reason? Aging can bring on higher risks of bone loss and osteoporosis which means that your bones can become more fragile from the loss of tissue. Although, men can also get this medical condition as they get older, women are more susceptible to getting fractures and broken bones from their lighter skeletons. It is therefore important to maintain bone mass and osteocalcin blood levels, which is a marker of bone growth. Weight training will help to slow down the process of bone loss over time and increase bone density.
Less Stress
People that have a bad day often decide to go to the gym to release some energy. Whether this is deliberate or not, weight training and exercising releases endorphins, which are neurotransmitters that improve your mood, fight depression and prevent pain. When you increase your endorphin levels you will naturally reduce anxiety and lower your stress. Still not enough to convince you? Endorphins will stimulate your mind, give you more energy and improve your alertness. So, don’t hesitate to give it your all in the weight room!
Burn Calories Faster
What if you could “chill” on the couch and burn a maximum number of calories just by lifting? How is it possible? After each weight training workout, your muscles need the energy to repair themselves. Lifting will make you burn more calories than a person who does not take part in strength training, therefore the more intense your workout is and the more calories you will burn. Along with this fact, weight training will raise your metabolism, lasting for over 24 hours after your workout has ended, which means that it will increase the rate at which you are burning calories.
For more information on bodyweight training, or if you would like one of our coaches to create a personal routine for you, come in to UFC Gym Vietnam today! We also offer group fitness classes, for those who prefer a more challenging workout, and FREE trial classes!
Baptiste Solente (Calipso)
Learn more about UFC Gym Vietnam:
District 2 - Ho Chi Minh 3rd Floor, Thao Dien Pearl, No. 12 Quoc Huong, Thao Dien Ward
UFC Gym Website: http://www.ufcgym.com.vn/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cfycvn
Hotline: (08) 7108 9889
