“Strength training is a type of physical exercise specializing in the use of resistance to induce muscular contraction which builds the strength, anaerobic endurance, and size of skeletal muscles.”

I’ll be the first to admit that although I love the gym and working out, I have no upper body strength and lifting weights was never my thing. I am a jogger! I enjoy jogging outside where I can think of creative ideas/zone out to my music or at the gym while I catch up on all my shows. 

Sometimes though too much of a good thing can go wrong, and I think that happened to me. My body got so used to the idea of running that I hit a plateau (where everything tends to stay the same) and that’s when I decided to change things up a bit.

A good friend of mine who always motivates me to do more at the gym recommended I start focusing more on strength training so I can tone up which would also help me slim down. The only catch was that I wouldn’t lose any weight on the scale, in fact, there was a good chance I would gain weight because muscle weighs more than fat. 

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Not seeing the numbers go down on my scale was NOT going to work for me, I also wasn’t keen on the idea of lifting weights and looking buff, I just wanted to have abs and be a little firmer (who am I kidding... a lot firmer)! Nevertheless, I started lifting weights last summer and loved the results I saw and felt. Sadly, I stopped when the school year started, and within a matter of months, I could tell that my body needed to go back to it because parts that were once toned were now getting soft. So here I am today, right back at it… lifting weights and working towards increasing my strength levels day by day.

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That’s how my journey started in a nutshell but if you’re waiting to hear the happy ending... I’m so far from it. Today, I’m sharing some the benefits you will see from strength training.  Like I said before, I am a jogger and a cardio lover that loves the elliptical and treadmill, but strength training helps put everything in place for me. It’s like the icing on my cake. These are the benefits I got so far:

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1. Increased self-confidence

The first thing I noticed when I started lifting weights and doing more strength training was how firm my body was getting. There is nothing more empowering than working on yourself, seeing results and enjoying your success. I mean really; who doesn’t like looking in the mirror and seeing a tighter/firmer lean body. I began to feel stronger and more confident in myself which led to my understanding that I could accomplish anything I set out to do. 

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2. Metabolism Boost= Burn more Calories

As we get older, our metabolism slows down which leads to our body burning fewer calories and ultimately causes weight gain. Muscles use more calories than fat. Therefore when you increase your muscle mass, you boost your metabolism causing calories to burn even when you aren’t working out.

3. Enhanced Balance Control

For all my yoga lovers, believe it or not, lifting weights helped me gain better control of my balance. As my muscles got stronger, my form and balance improved immensely. I also became more flexible and noticed that my posture and the way I carried myself changed for the better.

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Although I am nowhere near my goal; since going back to lifting weights earlier last month, I’ve already noticed all the benefits listed above, and I love the results. Stay tuned to see the changes.

Until next week.

Yours,