The Role of Strength Training in Fat Loss: Myths vs. Facts

Despite the wealth of information available on the Internet about strength training and its positive effects on humans, there is so much untruths swirling around. Countless myths and misconceptions that easily confound people. Well, good news - our job today is to bust those myths and help you to some facts. 

So, what are these myths? And can we counter them with solid facts, evidence-based facts, so your pursuit of fat loss will not land you in trouble? 

Let's find out! 

Myth: Lifting weights makes you bulky 

Fairly obviously, most women who are considering some kind of training regimen have this fear about weight training. That if they start lifting weights, they will become like She-Hulk. If only that were so easy!   

This fear keeps them from doing any form of resistance training, when the reality is, strength training does marvellous things to a woman's body. Which becomes more and more important with age. 

Fact: Alas, bulking or putting on vast quantities of muscle isn't so easy. Otherwise, every person who ever walked into the weight room would soon resemble Arnold Schwarzenegger in his Mr Universe days. The hormones in women's bodies mean that we do not pack in the muscles quite as easily as men. Rather unfair, that! Even professional weight lifters need to work crazy hard to pump iron to increase their muscle mass significantly. The truth is, that strength training does help with body composition by increasing muscle mass and improving metabolism. What strength training does is aid in fat loss by adding to your lean muscle mass and whipping your physique into a well-toned one.

Myth: If you are aiming for weight loss, cardio is your best bet  

"Why are you struggling with weights, just come run with me!" 

"Swim! That's the best thing you can do to melt your body fat!"

We have all heard these statements - or some versions of these. Cardio exercises, such as running, swimming, cycling, and playing vigorous sports etc are touted to be the ideal way to achieve fat loss. This is not completely wrong - cardiovascular exercise does help you lose weight. But these cannot be the main event. 

Fact: Cardio isn't the most effective method of achieving fat loss; strength training is. The magic of strength training is how it makes your body burn calories. While doing steady-state cardio helps you burn calories as you engage in the particular exercise, with strength training, your body will continue to burn calories long after you finish your training session. The stress weight training puts on your muscle fibers is such that your body needs to expend a lot of energy repairing and rebuilding muscle tissue. Called EPOC (stands for Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption), this is one of the best ways weight training trumps regular cardio.  

Myth: The biggest advantage of resistance training is spot reduction of fat 

Why else do we have "Leg" days and "Arm" days and "chest days"? It can't be only for gym bros to mock-whinge on social media and humble brag about their gains?! Unfortunately, even if you do 100 crunches before breakfast, it will not melt away the chub around the middle and give you a peak of your six-pack abs. Spot reduction is the biggest myth there is. If someone has you convinced of that, I have a bridge I would like to sell to you. 

Fact: Contrary to popular belief, fat is spread across our body in sheets. When you start working on fat loss, it will be lost the same way - in sheets. Not in that pesky spot you so hate. And fat loss cannot happen as a solo effort. For it to bear fruit, your workout must work in tandem with proper nutrition. Eating healthily, and focusing on a balanced diet to satisfy all your nutritional requirements is the only way to see lasting progress.  

Myth: Lifting weights is so dangerous as you get older

I have heard even some doctors, even gynecologists, say this - that when you lift heavy weights, it will cause injury to your organs. It may cause them to move (!) or cause muscle cramps. Others have been warned that your ageing bones cannot possibly sustain the rigours of weight training and so, it is best to stick to safer methods. This fear does so much disservice to people who need the benefits of weight training more than ever. 

Fact: Weight training is an excellent way to strengthen your bones, stabilize your joints, and reduce the risk of injury. This is vital for women, as they are susceptible to loss of bone density, osteopenia, osteoporosis etc. Of course, what can injure you is performing any kind of exercise without proper form, so your strength training programs must be overseen by a qualified coach.

Myth: When you stop training, all your muscles will turn to fat

Well, it stands to reason, right? Whatever happens to all your lovely muscles when you take a break from your routine? Weight gain must be the natural consequence of your new non-strength training life.

Fact: Fat cells are structurally different from your muscle cells. They cannot convert into another. What does happen when you stop your strength training program is that your lovely gains go away - your muscles start atrophying and melt away resulting in muscle loss; your body loses strength. But, if you continue to eat in the same fashion as you did instead of accounting for your lack of rigorous training, the excess calories WILL get stored as fat. It is your poor diet that will make you pile on the pounds. 

Myth: Weight training is not for beginners 

Yet another common myth that simply refuses to die down, is this one. That somehow, unless your fitness levels are already at pro level, you cannot possibly do weight training. That you must be already fit to work with weights, be it free weights or the weight machines.  

Fact:  Resistance training is a great way for everyone, including beginners, to get started on their weight training journey. Lifting weights doesn't necessarily mean only the scary looking machines. Your body weight provides ample resistance for your body to make for a challenging workout! Think about it - a standard bar in a barbell kit weighs around 20 kilos. A trapeze bar around 30. That's less than the weight of an average 10 year old child! We can definitely move that! Imagine what kind of muscle strength you will build trying to work with your bodyweight! 

Now that we have debunked the myths, let's see what you can do instead. 

Ways to adopt strength training as a part of your routine 

1. Take small steps - start slow with bodyweight exercises and slowly progress with light weights. You get better results when you take your time with it, building proper technique. 

2. Ignore the flash - Do not get swayed by the latest trendy TikTok routine. There is a reason good coaches stick to the squat, the deadlift, the lunge and the press.

3. Mix things up - It is good to have a routine. It is also fun to mix things up by varying your intensity, reps and variations of your exercises.

4. Make steady progress - never be in a hurry to rush it. Strength training requires focus and respect. Don't push it or you will find yourself on the injured bench.

5. Nutrition - remember, fat loss is 80% food intake, 20% exercise. So make sure you are in a calorie deficit and your workout session is supported adequately by your food. 

Every sound fat loss program needs to incorporate strength training. We hope we have helped get rid of some of the common misconceptions around this. As always, do not ignore any niggling health issues, get yourself thoroughly checked out by your doctor before starting any fitness program and check the credentials of yoir fitness instructor before signing up. 

Train with us, give our team a call to strength train safely and reach your fitness goals.