Why Lift Weights?

by Jenni J., http://www.fitnessandfreebies.com

Weight training helps keep you and your bones strong. Another bonus: The extra muscle you build helps burn more calories--even when you are doing absolutely nothing--or sleeping.

Muscle Facts:
*Muscle is like a car engine. It burns gas--or calories--and provides the power to get you from one place to another. The bigger the "muscle engine," the more fuel you burn. In other words, the larger the muscle-mass, the more calories your body burns at work and at rest.

• It is possible to increase your metabolic rate by at least 7% after six months of intense weight training. This means if you are eating 2,000 calories a day to maintain your weight, you would burn an additional 140 calories each day. At this rate, you would lose over seven pounds of fat in six months.

• Every added pound of lean muscle burns an additional 30 to 50 calories each day.

• Exercisers can add three to six pounds of muscle in six months of weight training.

To your health!

Editor's Notes

1. Weight-bearing exercise is the only thing that signals your bones to store calcium. Weight-bearing exercise also signals your body to rebuild bone the proper way, which--in addition to storing calcium--prevents osteoporosis.

2. Weight-training has, time and time again, proven superior to other methods for muscular development. It is a core part of any serious athlete's training.

3. Weight-training, when done properly, has also proven to greatly reduce the likelihood of soft-tissue damage. Think of reduced joint pain and increased mobility--those are primary benefits of regular weight-training.

4. Visit a physical therapy clinic, and what will you find? Weights! Weight-training is the best method for rehabilitating damaged muscles and joints.

Here's another article about lifting weights: http://www.building-muscle101.com/weight-lifting-exercise.html