To be committed to your fitness, you have to strength train. Cardio is great, but you need muscles for your metabolism to be fired up and to get a strong body. The more muscle you have, the more equipped your body is for the day. So, if you aren’t strength training, it’s never too late to start. If you are currently weight training, did you know building muscle can actually change how you view yourself?
Here are four ways strength training does more for you than you might think.
Muscle prep you mentally: When you use your bodyweight, hand weights, circuit machines, and muscle-building tools like resistance bands, kettlebells or exercise balls, you are building your physical strength. But something else is happening too. As you work on getting a stronger body, it immediately translates into feeling more mentally strong. You are respecting your body and taking care of it well. When your thoughts are: “I am strong,” you feel more mentally tough too. You are establishing resilience and grit.
Proof of your workouts: We want to do a workout and see proof in the mirror the next day, but we all know it takes more than one workout to see results.
Muscle takes up less volume than fat, so strength training regularly can really sculpt and tone your body. If you consistently work out with weights, you develop muscles you couldn’t see before and you see more definition. Seeing a sculpted body that you built is a powerful feeling.
Looking and feeling young: Studies have linked regular exercise with lengthening of the telomeres, essentially slowing down the aging process. But there are so many other things muscle-building activities do to keep you young. You build and preserve your muscle to keep you strong with full mobility. Your skin glows. You have a better chance to stave off chronic illness. You reduce stress, increase flexibility and gain energy. When you are fit with muscle, you radiate health and that keeps you looking (and feeling) young.
Muscle gives you confidence: A strong body can perform better at sports and with every day activities where you need to lift, bend and stretch. A strong, muscular body is less prone to injuries. Knowing how strong you are and liking how you look gives you a positive attitude. Bonus? Good muscle tone helps with your posture and standing tall just exudes confidence.
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