Fitness Friday: Resistance

I have not done a Fitness Friday post in some time! I blame the summer for that, as I've just not been blogging as much in general! Inspired by another Harley Pasternak blog post, I really wanted to share the information I learned about the importance of resistance training. 

So to start at the beginning we already know how important diet and exercise is to simulate and

maintain weight loss. When I say exercise it's important to note that it takes more than just aerobic excercise, but also resistance exercise that is needed to get a lean, fit, and healthy body. 

When I think of resistance I think of weights. That isn't wrong but there are so many more exercises like yoga and Pilates that are in that category as well! Basically anything to do with weight, including your own body weight. When I think of resistance I also think of bulking up. So many people fear bulking up with the more intense weight resistance training so it's good to point out that our bodies won't just do that. It takes A LOT (a lot a lot) of additional calories in combination with heavy duty training to do that. Phew!

Now, on to the 3 reasons you should resistance train:

1. You'll be more likely to stick to your diet. I thought that this was REALLY interesting. Resistance training burns calories and boosts our metabolism and doesn't leave us starving at the end, whereas sometimes after a heavy cardio session, people feel starved and eat whatever they can right away.  
2. You'll lose up to 40% more fat. Cardio might burn more calories than resistance training, but the secret here is that unlike cardio, with a resistance workout you continue to burn calories long after you're done. Also resistance training is all about building muscle which increases your metabolism.
3. You'll be more productive. Did you know that resistance training keeps our brains sharp? I did not. There are studies that showed doing regular resistance training can result in improved cognitive function in the form of better verbal reasoning, attention span, and memory. Another study showed an improvement in productivity and performance, as well as (maybe not as surprising) improved general mood and interpersonal skills. 

And there you have it! Some things you might have already known, but also probably something you didn't! I don't know about you but I find understanding the benefits of something can really motivate me to get at it!

Happy Friday!