As a fitness fanatic, you’ve probably tried most exercise programs out there – from running on treadmills, spinning or hitting the hot yoga studios. These activities all have their advantages. But to really get the most out of any form of fitness training, you need to incorporate a little weight training into your workouts.

Its unfortunate that weight-lifting has so many negative connotations when it comes to women’s fitness. There have long been false assumptions that lifting weights regularly causes women to bulk up in a masculine way, or that it can damage your joints. And anyone who spends time in a mixed gym can’t help but notice that the weight room is nearly always dominated by the men. But the truth is that weightlifting is great for men and women alike, gives you a healthier, stronger body and helps boost the benefits of any other exercises that you do. So let’s look at some of the other advantages of adding weight training to your fitness program.

Burn more calories

After a good strength training session, your muscles need energy to repair their fibers, raising your metabolism levels and so burning more calories in the process. Research shows that anyone who lifts weights often will burn a larger percentage of calories from fat than those who don’t lift. And needless to say, lifting weights is also a great calorie-burner in itself – you can expend up to 230 calories by doing a circuit of eight moves. That’s about the same number of calories you’d burn if you ran at speed for eight minutes.

Deal with stress more effectively

Scientists have found that those who break a sweat in the weight room can stay cool, calm and composed under pressure. This is because the fittest people with a high muscle strength exhibit lower levels of stress hormones than those who are unfit and have higher levels of fat. What’s more, research has shown that in a stressful situation, the blood pressure levels of people who lift weights regularly returns to normal faster than the levels of those who don’t.

Boost bone strength

Lifting weights doesn’t just make your muscles strong but also your bones. If you are lifting regularly you increase bone mass and vitally for women, this decreases the risk of osteoporosis in older women. Lifting weights helps keep your body young.

Weight loss aid

Sticking to a weight training program will have a positive impact on your diet plans. If you don’t follow a training regimen you’ll likely eat more than your allotted number of calories each day. The strict regime that weightlifting encourages means that you’re more likely to refrain from gorging on snacks and other treats that could sabotage your weight loss attempts and goals.

A faster way to get in shape

A study has found that circuit training with weights elevates your heart rate 15 beats per minute higher than running at 60 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate. Weightlifting workouts strengthen and tone your muscles while providing cardiovascular benefits similar to those of aerobic exercises. In short, you can get in shape faster, saving time without sacrificing results.

Weight training is not just for men and bodybuilders. Ladies like yourself can benefit from resistance workouts and strength training as well. Get in touch with our fitness experts today and we’ll devise the weight training program that works best for you.