Why Using Weight Training Equipment
Must Be Part of Your Weight Loss Program!

Weight training equipment is an essential part of any weight-loss program. Unfortunately though, many people neglect this area and tend to focus more on the nutrition aspect and perhaps also aerobic exercise. Performing weight training programs is never given serious consideration. As a result, most people who want to lose weight tend to put the lost weight back on shortly after losing it!

In this article we will explain why you must use weight training equipment if you're serious about losing weight and keeping it off long term.

The main reason why using weight training equipment is so important from a weight-loss perspective is simply because it helps your body maintain your existing muscle mass as you lose weight. If you don't perform at least some form of resistance exercise as you lose weight, a significant amount of muscle will be lost and this will have a negative impact on your metabolism, which in turn, will make further weight loss more difficult.

Resistance exercise may be performed using weight training equipment, hydraulic machines, such as those found in Curves Fitness Centers, resistance bands or simply your own body weight. Of course, using weight training equipment is by far the most effective when it comes to preserving your muscle mass as you lose weight, however, the most important aspect of resistance training and weight loss is that you simply do it!

Find the type(s) of resistance exercise that you enjoy doing and can see yourself doing long term. Then, make it a permanent part of your lifestyle. Plan to perform around 3-5, 30-60 minute weight training routines each week.

There are so many health benefits of lifting weights that it should be an activity that everyone is encouraged to perform on a regular basis, particularly if they want to lose weight.

The equipment may be purchased for home use but it is best to workout in a gym. There are advantages and disadvantages of both forms of exercise but I think you should aim to eventually train in a gym or fitness centre. Before you race out and sign up at the local gym, however, there are a number of factors you should take into consideration when looking for the right gym for you. This is discussed in more detail in my e-book, Look Good, Feel Great!

The bottom line is that gyms have a far greater variety of weight training equipment, which means you can stress the muscles from a variety of different angles during your workout and therefore, will definitely get the best possible results.

Most of the large commercial gyms these days have systems in place in order to ensure that the equipment is maintained well and is in good working order. Therefore, in most facilities you never have to worry about equipment being 'out of order' for extended periods of time.

Two of the most important pieces of weight training equipment are barbells and dumbbells. A huge variety of exercises can be performed with these two pieces of equipment alone. In fact, it is possible to work all of your major muscle groups with just barbells and dumbbells. For beginners, I normally recommend performing more machine exercises combined with a few free weight exercises. Then, as the person becomes more advanced the proportions should change to where they are performing more free weight exercises and fewer machine exercises.

The reason why I believe beginners should perform more machine exercises is simply because it is easier to master the correct technique using machines compared to free weight exercises. For example, a machine chest press only requires the person to push the handles away from their body in a seated position. Compare this to performing a barbell bench press, which requires the person to be able to balance the bar above their body while lying on a bench. This isn't to say that beginners should do some free weight exercises, on the contrary, some free weight exercises are considered essential, like squats and deadlifts, because they help to develop core strength.

Women, in particular, can derive enormous benefits from weight training and should not be concerned about the 'bulking up myths' that tend to be associated with this form of exercise. As long as they control their food intake, which they should be doing if they want to lose weight, it will be impossible for them to 'bulk up'.

Overall, using weight training equipment is an essential part of any weight-loss program if you are serious about getting the best possible results. Therefore, make a concerted effort to learn how to perform the exercises correctly and make performing weight training routines a regular part of your lifestyle.

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