Have you ever wondered what it takes to achieve a lean, toned body? It's simple: building muscle. If you're interested in weight management, it's important to understand the benefits of resistance training.

As someone who used to practice yoga regularly, I discovered the benefits of weight training. Some people, especially women, are hesitant to lift weights, for fear of getting "big and bulky." Seriously this is a common misconception. Unless you're lifting weights for over two hours a day, five days a week, it's unlikely you'll get huge. In fact, by lifting weights for just an hour three to four days a week, you'll get lean and toned.

Here are three reasons why building lean muscle is so beneficial:

1. The more muscle you have, the faster your metabolism. By adding lean muscle to your body, you'll rev up your metabolism. This means your body will continue to burn calories throughout the day, even when you're not exercising. In contrast, cardio workouts only provide a metabolism boost during your workout and for about 15 minutes afterward. With weight training, you'll be able to eat more, which is excellent news for food lovers. For example, I love eating sourdough bread, but I don't want to store excess fat. To prevent this, I do a weight resistance training session first, which primes my muscles to replenish the lost glycogen from my workout. This means I have more "room" for carbs and can satisfy my bread craving.

2. We lose muscle mass as we age. This means that even if you're eating the same amount of food at 60 as you did at 30, your body no longer needs the same amount of carbohydrate. To avoid gaining weight, you can either reduce your carb and fat intake as you age or add weight training to your routine. By building lean muscle, you'll increase your metabolism and burn more calories throughout the day.

3. Resistance training makes you feel strong. When you build lean muscle, you don't just look better, you feel better too. After a good lift session, I always feel amazing. I'm not suggesting you need to lift 150-pound weights to feel good. Instead, start small and work your way up. You'll be surprised at how empowering it can be to work your body in this way.

If you're ready to get started with resistance training at home, I created a free 5 day workout to help you get started. Remember these takeaways:

• Lifting heavy weights three to four days a week will not make you bulky, but will build lean muscle and help you with weight management.

• Resistance training fires up your metabolism and allows you to eat more.

• We lose muscle as we age, so incorporating strength training into your routine will help you replace the muscle mass you've lost.

Xoxo

Marie

Don’t forget to check out my 5 day free workout guide!