Toning with Weights
Every year after the age of 25, the average American gains one pound of body weight, but loses one third to one half pound of muscle. Consequently, our resting metabolism decreases about one half of a percent every year. The good new is that exercising and eating right can help you reverse this process! The combination of weight training, aerobic exercise and sound eating habits have shown to be the most effective for fat loss and toning (“toning” is simply the simultaneous decrease of fat and restoration of muscle).
While aerobic exercise burns fat during exercise, anaerobic exercises, like weight training or sprints, utilize fat hours after exercise. Weight training can also increase the metabolic rate a second way. It restores muscle tissue that had been lost over the years from a sedentary life-style, thus improving the aesthetics of the body by accentuating its curves and shape. Furthermore, one pound of muscle burns approximately 30-50 Calories per day. Contrast that with the fact that a pound of fat only burns about three Calories per day!
Weight training exercises that use large muscle groups (e.g. Gluteus Maximus, Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Chest, and Back exercises) with a progressively greater resistance have the most potential for restoring lean body weight and raising the metabolism hours after exercise.
Most people need not worry about getting too big or “bulky” when training with weights. Evidence suggests that less than 20 percent of men and very few women can develop large muscles even if they wanted to, regardless of what program they follow.
When exercise can be increased over time, more significant fat loss can occur. Combining proper eating habits with a weight training and aerobic exercise program is the best way to decrease fat and increase lean muscle mass.

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Scott and Jeanne Sellers
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