Not only does including strength training in your exercise routine rev up metabolism and torch calories, but it does wonderful things for your figure. While getting healthier is the goal, looking younger and sexier are beautiful benefits.
However, there are misconceptions about muscles, strength training and the best ways to get fit. Some people refuse to strength train because they think if they build muscle, they’ll look fat! In fact, muscle is lean tissue and takes up less room than fat, so you’ll look more compact, not bulky. Also watch out for these fitness fallacies:
Myth: No pain, no gain.
Fact: If an exercise causes pain, you’re either doing it incorrectly or have injured yourself. If what you’re doing hurts, stop. In The Omni Diet, you’ll find a smart, safe workout that concentrates highly efficient moves into a program that exercises your entire body–and allows you to adjust the intensity according to your current fitness level. If you’ve been inactive, it’s normal to have slight muscle soreness for a few days when you start working out. It’s also wise to consult your healthcare provider before beginning a new exercise program if you have health problems or have been sedentary.
Myth: I’m too old to start strength training.
Fact: You can begin strength training at any age–and get remarkable benefits. When researchers from Tufts University taught elderly nursing home patients how to do simple strength training exercises, not only did the patients gain muscle, but they also improved their mobility, boosted bone density, and improved their quality of life within weeks. That’s how fast muscles respond to strength training when someone is very old, so just imagine what it could do for you.
Myth: Exercise doesn’t have much impact on weight loss.
Fact: While the number of calories burned when you use a treadmill or exercise bike for 30 minutes may seem discouragingly small, consider this: Exercise amps up your metabolism for up to 17 hours, meaning that you continue to burn a higher number of calories after you end your workout, compared to how many you would have burned if you didn’t exercise. Also, exercise makes an often overlooked psychological contribution to weight loss, by making you feel so good about yourself that it’s easier to make smart choices about what you eat. In an almost magical way, it makes everything in The Omni Diet program work better!