When summer comes along, people instantly head to the gym in order to obtain that fantastic summer body. The moment they walk into the gym, a flurry of individuals can be seen on treadmills and cardio machines. Even though cardiovascular exercise is very beneficial to endurance and heart health, many people glance over another asset that really helps with weight loss and overall health: weightlifting. Weight loss, high metabolic activity, and immune system strength are all benefits reaped from weightlifting!
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Weightlifting helps lower your body fat levels and increases your metabolism immensely. When you digest food, some of the calories get placed into muscle stores while the rest get placed into fat deposits. Consequently, more muscle means more calories that you burn with your daily activities. Researchers at Boston University conducted a study with mice and their Type II muscle fiber to confirm that the Type II muscle fiber grown with weightlifting is directly correlated with “losing weight and helping metabolism.”
Weightlifting also relieves stress by releasing endorphins: the brain is more inclined to release a large influx of endorphins when tackling a heavy set of weights. Weightlifting has also been seen on numerous occasions to help fight breast cancer, as it lowers high estrogen levels that are associated with this disease. As a result, weightlifting has shown to boost the immune system remarkably. Reducing risks of osteoporosis, increasing flexibility, and reducing risks of diabetes are just some of the other numerous benefits weightlifting provides.
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Weightlifting boosts metabolic activity, heightens fat burning capabilities, and simply increases longevity by preventing disease. However, before attempting weightlifting, there are multiple things to consider, such as techniques and diet. Rather than lifting heavy weights in the beginning, try to start with light weights and make sure that you have perfect posture for the exercise. For those wanting to try free weights, Bodybuilding.com and other sites have many pre-made workouts for those new to weightlifting.
Make sure that you get an adequate amount of protein with your diet as well so you can feed those growing muscles. Lean meats and protein powders are excellent sources of protein to include in a bodybuilding diet, but don’t forget fruits, vegetables, and a lot of water. Combining good nutrition with weightlifting and cardiovascular exercise will definitely help achieve optimal health, not only aesthetically, but also physically and mentally. Good luck in your weightlifting endeavors, and you will see results in no time!
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