Strength Training for Fat Loss: The Perfect Combination

By Coach Hunter Bennett

When you hear the words “fat loss” the first thing that comes to mind is endless hours of cardio and  a whole lot of salad.

And honestly, I get it.

Every time you jump on Instagram there is some ‘guru’ talking about how their amazing interval program will help you lose 10 kg — as long as you buy their ‘scientifically-proven’ weight loss supplement, of course.

But what if I told you that there was a different way?

A better way…

Strength Training for Fat Loss

While the notion of strength training for fat loss may seem like an unconventional one, bare with me – because I assure you it’s true.

And here’s why.

1. Getting Stronger = More Work Per Session

Your strength dictates your capacity for performance.

In short, the stronger you are, the more weight you can throw around in the gym. 

This means more total work completed every single gym session, which — in turn — increases the amount of energy you burn to get through that gym session.

Obviously more energy = greater fat loss (its #science)

2. More Strength = Better Metabolism

OK, so what if you don’t want to get stronger — instead, you want to get “toned”.

When people say the word “toned”, they are really talking about having better muscle definition. This means building small amounts of muscle (making them more visible), and then losing fat around those muscles – making them more defined.

Makes sense, right?

But that’s not the only benefit that comes with putting on a little muscle.

Muscle is known as “active tissue” because it burns energy to function. By increasing the amount of muscle on your body, you actually cause a small increase in your metabolism.

This means burning more energy every single day, making it easier to lose fat.

3. Strength Training is Hard

Finally, let’s not forget that strength training is a type of exercise which, you know, burns energy.

This is obviously important if your goal is to shed a few kilos.

Oh, and strength training is hard.

It places stress on your body, which you need to recover from.

In fact, it is commonly accepted that it can take up to 72 hours to completely recover from a workout. During this period, your body is using extra energy to build and repair itself in preparation for your next session.

This means that strength training burns energy both during and after your session.

So, yeah — that’s pretty good too.

Strength Training for Fat Loss: Take Home Message

Strength training is arguably one of the most effective ways to lose fat. Not only does weight training burn energy and build muscle (which can increase your metabolism), but it also makes you stronger (duh…).

This means that every single session you work harder, which in turn, leads to more energy expenditure. And the result?

Getting lean and functional as hell — which can only be a good thing.