Why do I need to do weights if I just want to lose weight?

A common question many dieters ask.

For most of us trying to lose weight, the number on the scale may be the only way you’re determining whether that diet is working for you. Shedding the pounds is of utmost concern when it comes to battling the bulge, but it shouldn’t be the only concern.

Losing weight isn’t only about seeing a smaller number on the bathroom scale – it’s about losing fat and increasing your lean body tissue. Lean body tissue is also known as muscle and is more metabolically active. It burns more calories than fat alone, even when you’re body’s resting.

In fact, relying solely on dieting and aerobic exercise will do the opposite of what you want: reducing your lean body tissue. Without strength training, scientists have found that you may lose about 1 pound of muscle mass for every 3 pounds of fat, making it harder to lose weight and keep it off in the long run since your body will have less lean tissue to burn calories. And if you happen to gain weight on your diet, scientists have found that it tends to be pure fat.

For this reason, it is absolutely vital that any exercise regimen include strength training. If you’re on a diet, you may lose a bit of lean body tissue, but you can control the amount or even prevent it from happening by avoiding crash diets (which make you lose more lean body tissue than fat) and performing intense weightlifting or resistance exercises every other day. Make sure to target the major skeletal muscles, such as the quads, pecs and abs. To support muscle repair and building, remember to take a day off before your next strength training workout and include lean protein sources in your diet, such as chicken, beans and fish.