Are you curious about weight lifting for weight loss? For weight loss, there are a lot of different methods out there that people swear by. Some people opt for a more traditional route and try to cut calories and exercise regularly. Others try more extreme measures, like fad diets or surgery.
But what if there was another relatively simple option, highly effective, and didn’t require any drastic changes in your lifestyle? Well, there is–weight lifting! Contrary to popular belief, weight lifting can help you lose weight quickly and effectively. In this post, we’ll discuss how weight lifting can help you achieve your goals and some tips on how to get the most out of your workouts. So read on to learn more!
How to Weight Lift for Weight Loss
When most people think of weight lifting, they think of bulking up. But weight lifting for weight loss is a different animal altogether. The key to weightlifting for weight loss is to focus on compound exercises. These exercises work out multiple muscle groups. The best compound lifts are squat, deadlift, shoulder press, back row, and lat pull down.
If you want to lose weight, you need to do compound exercises that burn more calories. Compound exercises can help you burn up to twice as many calories as isolation exercises (like bicep curls). Compound exercises require more energy to perform, which means your body has to work harder–and burn more calories–to complete them.
Follow a Weight Loss Set and Rep Range
Another important weightlifting tip for weight loss is to keep your reps and sets relatively high and the weight you lift around 70% of your one repetition max. When you’re trying to lose weight, you want to focus on building muscle, not lifting heavyweights. So don’t worry about maxing out every set–focus on using a weight that challenges you without being too hard.
As far as sets and reps go, do 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps per exercise. Also, this will help you build muscle without overdoing it.
Get Enough Rest Between Sets
Finally, give yourself enough rest between sets. When you are weight lifting for weight loss, you want to keep your heart rate elevated to help you burn more calories. But if you don’t give yourself enough time to recover between sets, your heart rate will stay too low, and you won’t get the most out of your workout. An excellent general rule is to rest for about 60-90 seconds between sets.
Use Healthy High Protein and Fiber Diet
Besides weightlifting, another critical factor in weight loss is diet. To lose weight, you need to be in a calorie deficit, which means you need to eat fewer calories than you burn. But it’s not just about quantity–quality is essential, too.
When you’re trying to lose weight, you want to make sure you’re eating plenty of protein and fiber. Protein is crucial because it helps build and maintain muscle mass. Fiber helps keep you feeling full and satisfied after meals, making you less likely to overeat.
A high-protein, high-fiber diet will help you lose weight and keep it off for the long haul. So include plenty of healthy protein and fiber-rich foods in your diet, such as lean meats, beans, legumes, and leafy green vegetables.
Get Enough Sleep
Last but not least, don’t forget to get enough sleep! Sleep is vital for weight loss because it helps support your metabolism. When you’re trying to lose weight, your body needs all the help to keep your metabolism strong.
So make sure you’re getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep every night. And if you can, try to get some exercise during the day to help tire you out so you can sleep even better at night.
List of the Best Weight lifting Exercises for Weight Loss
Now that you know how weightlifting can help you lose weight, let’s look at some of the best weightlifting exercises.
- Squats: Squats are a great compound exercise that works out multiple muscle groups simultaneously, including your quads, glutes, and hamstrings. To do a squat, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and lower your body down as if you’re going to sit in a chair. Then, keep your weight on your heels and drive through your feet to stand back up.
- Deadlifts: Deadlifts are another great compound exercise that works multiple muscle groups, including your back, legs, and core. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and bent at the hips to do a deadlift. Keep your back straight, hinge at the hips, and lower your body until your hands are about knee level. Then drive through your heels to stand back up.
- Bench Press: The bench press is an excellent exercise for working your chest, shoulders, and triceps. Lie on a flat bench with your feet flat on the floor to do a bench press. Start with the barbell at about shoulder height and lower it down to your chest. Then, press the weight back up to the starting position.
- Overhead Press: The overhead press is an excellent exercise for working your shoulders and triceps. To do an overhead press, start with the barbell at shoulder height and press it overhead until you fully extend your arms. Lower the weight back down to the starting position.
- Bent-over rows: Bent-over rows are an excellent exercise for working your back and biceps. To do a bent-over row, start with the barbell at hip height and Bend forward at the hips until your back is parallel to the floor. Next, row the weight to your chest, and lower it back down to the starting position.
- Lunges: Lunges are an excellent exercise for working your legs and glutes. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart to complete a lunge and take a big step forward with one leg. Lower your body until your front knee is 90 degrees and your back knee is hovering above the floor. Then drive through your front heel to return to the starting position.
- Pull-ups: Pull-ups are an excellent exercise for working your back, biceps, and core. To do a pull-up, hang from a bar with your hands shoulder-width apart and pull yourself until your chin is over the bar. Then lower yourself back down to the starting position.
- Push-ups: Push-ups are an excellent exercise for working your chest, shoulders, and triceps. Start in the plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart and your body straight from head to heels to do a push-up. Next, lower your body until your chest is above the floor, then press back up to the starting position.
- Sit-ups: Sit-ups are a great exercise for working your abs. To do a sit-up, lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Next, place your hands behind your head and curl your body until your shoulders are off the floor. Then lower yourself back down to the starting position.
- Planks: Planks are an excellent exercise for working your abs, back, and core. To do a plank, start in the push-up position with your hands shoulder-width apart and your body in a straight line from head to heels. Next, bend your elbows and lower your body until your forearms are on the floor. Hold this position for as long as you can.
The Best Workout Programs for Weight Loss
The Last Word on Weight Lifting for Weight Loss
Weight lifting for weight loss is a great way to burn calories and tone your body. Besides burning calories, weightlifting also helps build muscle. Also, this can help boost your metabolism and burn more calories, even when you’re not working out.
Incorporating a diet that includes weightlifting into your routine is a great way to achieve results if you want to start or continue a weight loss journey. By following the tips we’ve provided in this article, you will see significant results in terms of weight loss–not to mention increased strength, energy levels, and self-confidence.
