by Adam Fletcher

Created on: July 06, 2009   Last Updated: July 08, 2009

Overall fitness and well being have reached a new era in our society. People care a lot more about their health then ever before. Losing weight is one of the many ways to become even healthier and it can be done through weight training. So, without further a due, here are the key points to remember and implement when weight training to lose weight.

Light Weight lots of Reps:

In order to burn fat using weights you need to perform each exercise with little weight and many reps. Just how many exactly? Because this is to burn fat you are doing something called endurance training and therefore should perform 12-15 reps. Add enough weight so that by the end of the last rep the muscle worked feels fatigued.

Short Rest Breaks and Speed:

As mentioned before this type of weight training is called endurance weight training. Because of this, the rest periods before repeating sets should be around 30 seconds. However, a good rule of thumb is to continue onto the next set when you feel able. Don't over exert yourself but do not let yourself rest for too long either. Because we are focusing on burning fat, speed is important. Do the rep, with the full range of motion, quickly. This method is similar to cardiovascular activities because they burn fat by increasing your heart rate. The same principle applies here.

Good Nutrition:

Maybe you're like me and know of people who eat junk food and workout. They claim they will "burn it off". They couldn't be more wrong. Nutrition accounts for more then 70% of the results you see in your body. You can pump iron, swim, run marathons and rock climb but you will always have a gut, not look lean, and be unhealthy if your diet consists of burgers and fries. Keep a balanced diet, don't over indulge, and have control. Great food for when working out are eggs, poultry such as chicken, and dairy products.

Quality Not Quantity:

Never sacrifice good form for weight or reps. Believe me when I tell you that 12 well done reps is a lot more beneficial for your body then 15 poorly done reps with the same weight. When we sacrifice good form we are prone to injury. There are no short cuts when it comes to weight training, or any types of fitness for that matter.

Weight training is a great way to lose weight and be healthy. Just remember to implement these crucial steps to your workout and you will make progress. If you can you should engage in cardiovascular activities. Cardio will burn the fat, increase stamina, and doesn't add too much muscle weight. Another article that may help you in your weight training endeavors is: How to design a weight training program.

I hope this article was helpful, and good luck.

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