It is a common misconception with the general public that fat loss is just about eating less (or better) and doing more cardio, with little acknowledgement of the fat loss benefits of weight training (also known as strength or resistance training)?

At Elite PTSC, resistance training plays a key role in our programming for weight loss and a better body shape; and the reason Challenge clients need to do a minimum one PT session/ week.

The following excerpt from an article on “The Secret Fat-Fighting Weapon: Weights”, explains the benefits and says that “if you enjoy your food” (and who doesn’t?), then resistance training is “probably something you should consider”.

The article’s author Cathy Johnson says: “That’s because whether you’re male or female, sporty or not, pumping iron can help you avoid being part of what’s now a national trend: getting fatter as you age.

“It’s not just a question of eating more and exercising less. There’s actually something more insidious at play. As we age, hormonal changes mean the amount of muscle on our bodies declines. All up, muscle mass may drop by as much as 50 per cent between the ages of 20 and 90, according to the American College of Sports Medicine.

“That’s significant because muscle, unlike fat, is active tissue that burns fuel even when we’re just slobbing around. Assuming we don’t do anything to compensate, this means that as we get older, we need less fuel to keep our normal bodily functions ticking over. If we don’t want to gain weight, we have to eat less than when we were younger.

“Over-eating food equivalent to a medium-sized banana – overeating by just that little amount every day equates to a weight gain of half a kilo a month, or around six kilos a year.

“The average Australian gains around three kilos every ten years and the drop in muscle mass as we age is a significant component of this.

‘”One-size-fits-all’ clothes needn’t be an inevitable part of aging, though. Exercise of any kind will burn kilojoules and help maintain muscle mass. And at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity such as brisk walking is recommended on a daily basis. But if you add to that just two 20-minute weight-training sessions a week, you can start to work wonders.

“Experts say that after just three months of an appropriate program, you can gain an extra 1.3 kilograms of muscle and boost your metabolism by seven per cent or more. Women in particular need not worry about bulking up. Apart from their lower testosterone levels which limit muscle size, avoiding very heavy weights means you’ll end up sleek and sculptured rather than big and beefy. If you swap fat for muscle – which is more dense – you can actually lose centimetres even if your weight doesn’t change.

“As well as fat-busting, other health benefits of weight training include increased strength and endurance for everyday activities, stronger bones, more flexible joints, improved mental health, better balance and protection against heart disease and diabetes. That’s as close to an anti-ageing miracle cure as you’re likely to find.”

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