Weight Lifting: Good For Toning Up or Building the Bulk

Weight lifting should be part of virtually any workout or diet program. While some inexperienced people think of weight lifting as something only men and female bodybuilders need to do in order to bulk up. This is an outdated way of looking at weight lifting, as any experienced person can tell you that weight lifting and building muscle mass is critical to get into shape and even to lose fat.

First of all, women who are worried that weight lifting will bulk them up shouldn't be. Unless you're on a crazy weight gain diet that includes way more calories per day than you actually need (and we're talking about 500-1,000 or more per day above your normal daily intake) and loading those with carbs and protein, and taking supplements, and doing only bulk building specific weight lifting exercises, you're not going to bulk up. Guys can bulk up naturally because of testosterone and much higher natural levels of protein. Women need help to bulk up, so weight lifting for women means you'll tone up and look really good while building muscle that will actually burn remaining fat.

Muscles actually burn fat, which is why building muscle mass is a critical part of any weight loss program. For many people, cardio can only get you so far, and the reason is that there isn't enough muscle in the body to keep metabolism high, and as a result the body tries to horde fat and carbs during those last few pounds, where as weight lifting and eating a little bit more (to turn those calories into muscle instead of fat) would do the trick and keep your metabolism higher (making weight loss easier to maintain).

Aside from these facts, there's the basic fact that weight lifting makes you look and feel good. Building a toned body (or muscular and bulked up body, if you're a man) is going to make you feel better and look better. That added confidence is priceless, and studies have shown over and over that the actual hormones in your body can change based on whether you are in shape or out of shape. Literally you are more likely to be depressed when you're out of shape and carrying around fat, while your body releases more "happy" hormones when you're muscular and in shape.

Weight lifting is a necessary part of any good healthy workout program for this reason. You get toned up, have attractive muscle as opposed to unattractive fat, and enjoy the benefits of a better body, better looks, and the definite emotional highs that result from getting into shape and looking good. Without weight lifting, getting the ideal results are much more painful and difficult, if not outright impossible.

Weight lifting can help guys muscle up and tone up, and helps women tone up. The extra muscle will burn calories from all those hard to reach areas of fat that you can't target and that just won't otherwise go away. Weight lifting is a great way to help get into shape, look better, and feel better. If something seems to be missing from your daily regiment, add in some weight lifting and in only a few weeks you'll be amazed at the results.