Often I think that being heavy is like packing weights. I'm carrying around my own set of weights with each of my movements. No wonder it's hard to want to get up and down for most anything. Would a skinny person heft two 50# weights before standing up? And they call me lazy....
You could have an argument for stupid, but not lazy. It isn't the smartest thing to lift such weights with each movement. Which leads me to weight training for heavies. Just look at these pluses of using weights:
1- It builds lean muscles to boost metabolism - 10 pounds of lean muscles will burn an extra 500 calories a day. I'll take all the help I can get - including from my own muscles.
2- It creates a greater afterburn than cardio - which means that you keep burning calories for 24 or more hours after the workout. So, my body will keep on getting leaner as I rest after the workout. Love this idea.
3- Time efficient - It can be as simple as a few major exercises done at home in a few minutes scattered throughout the week. More results in less time - what's not to love?
4- Tones and defines better. It is possible to lose weight with cardio and still end up with flabbiness. Not possible with weight training. You get the results of being thinner and looking better.
5- Preserves muscle tissue - and perhaps the key to avoiding dieting plateaus. After losing quickly with diets, often there is a point where you just get stuck and don't keep losing the pounds. That could be because you have lost mostly muscle tissue and without those lean muscles, metabolism slows way down. So, this is a long term solution to losing the pounds and the flab.
6- You can eat more. I love the idea that I can have a bit of "fudge" room (literally?) or a guilt-free treat at times. That seems more like a normal life than a fanatic's life.
7- Adjustable for weak and obese people. There are simple exercises that work each area of the body that can be done around my rolls of fats and inability to bend. I don't need to use expensive equipment or go out where others see me struggle. And I can work around my body's limitations, for instance a half hour walk or intensive run is not possible with my weak and aching legs, but I can do movements that target my needs. And again, before you thin people preach the aerobic walks/runs, you do it first with two 50# weights on your back.
8- Balanced body sculpting. I am in control of how my body looks. Fat belly? then I work those muscles. And it helps me to remember that each movement builds momentum and brings health.
9- Easier on joints. No jolting runs or wearing walks. The joints get exercised in ways that match abilities and I can increase the challenge as they are stronger.
10- Overall feel good - specifically, women get help with osteoporosis and men with their testosterone levels, according to Sarkartraining, the site I'm taking these main points from. (See 20 Sep 2011 "10 reasons why you must life weights to lose fat" at http://www.sarkartraining.net/2011/09/10-reasons-why-you-must-lift-weights-to.html) Plus, there is an uplift that comes with movement - probably through hormones that I don't know the names of - just glad they are there and I feel fine.
How to lift weights for health and on the journey to thinness? That will come later this week as I continue to explore and investigate. For now, I need to wrap my mind around these concepts and prep myself mentally for the next step.
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