It’s that time of year again. The holidays are over and the New Year is often a time where we can sort of hit “reset” on ourselves and commit to new goals. The days may feel colder and darker, and perhaps, your clothing may feel a little more snug.
Like many people, if you are committing to increasing your physical activity this year, congratulations! Daily physical activity can be very important in maintaining, managing, and losing weight. Often times when we exercise or increase our physical activity we focus on activities like walking, jogging, using a treadmill, or use other cardio-type machines. We focus on those activities that are only aerobic. But did you know that research tells us that people tend to lose and maintain more weight when they combine aerobic activities with strength activities?
When we engage in both activities, we burn more calories than when we focus on just one activity instead. The combined activities help us burn calories (lose fat) and build muscle. As a result we tend to feel stronger and leaner, and our clothing may feel a little more snug because of our big muscles! No, I joke with you. Unless you are doing strength activities with heavy, heavy weights, you will not “bulk up.” Instead, strength training activities will help you to tone your body.
To read more about the benefits of strength training and to watch short, easy to follow how-to videos, checkout http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/strength-training/art-20046031 .
-Emily