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When most people are asked about their fitness goals, they pretty well say similar things. Losing some weight, toning up muscles, becoming stronger and more energetic are all objectives they would like to achieve. Often people try and achieve these goals by focusing their time and attention exclusively on 'cardio' type activity as they believe this is what will get them to their goals the fastest. But this is not correct and it is strength training exercise that is the key and the quickest route to all their goals. When people become overweight it is generally because their metabolism (the bodies engine) has slowed because they are simply not doing enough muscle building and maintaining activity to keep it boosted. Muscle tissue is what drives the metabolism and keeps the metabolic rate elevated every minute of the day and night. This muscle tissue cannot be increased or even maintained with cardio training alone. If you do not want to add strength training into your exercise regime you will have a hard time not only losing weight but it will be virtually impossible to keep it off for the long haul. While you do burn some calories while doing cardio type activity it stops once you stop the activity while strength training makes a way bigger impact on weight loss or weight maintenance as you will have a revved up metabolism. The way to measure your progress is not on the bathroom scale but with a body composition test (muscle/fat ratio) which can be done at your local gym or fitness center. This will show the positive changes being made such as decreased body fat and increased toned muscles which are what is needed for a firmer, leaner more toned body. Your strength training program will bring additional health benefits such as stronger bones and joints, improved posture, increased energy, decreased risk of disease, reduced stress and anxiety levels and better mental and emotional well-being. Without strength training exercise adults lose around one half pound of muscle tissue per year so you would have to be on a permanent diet to stop your weight increasing. Yet by adding proper exercise into your fitness regime you will be burning more fuel (calories) naturally 24 hours a day. So, think of your muscles as your friends and all you have to do is keep them strong and toned with proper exercise. They will be like your very own factory of workers gobbling up your excess body fat and maintaining your sleek slim body so you will never have to even think about the awful word 'diet' ever again. You can still do you 'cardio' type activity but it should not take priority over your strength training program. Do that first and if you have time and energy left over you can add whatever activity you like to your active lifestyle. Without question strength training has more positive impact on your health, body weight and well-being than any other form of exercise and it is easy and accessible to everyone.
Discover how to create a leaner, firmer, younger looking body when you speed up your metabolism in 30 days or less. Carolyn Hansen is a certified fitness expert and fitness center owner whose goal is to show you how to burn fat - without starving yourself - by combining strength training exercise with the right foods that will increase your metabolic rate, decrease food cravings and get and keep you trim. Visit http://HotMetabolism.com
Carolyn has just released her latest healthy eating system designed to assist people with achieving their fat loss goals, one meal at a time. Come visit http://21DaysToHealthyEating.com to find out how it is done
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