Does Weight Lifting Burn Fat

YES!!! Weight lifting burns fat over a long period of time.

Cardio burns more calories during exercise, but weight lifting CONTINUES to burn calories long after the workout has finished.

This phenomenon has been attributed to a process called Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC).

EPOC is more commonly known as the “Afterburn Effect” and has been shown to increase metabolism for up to 48 hours post-exercise! Think of Afterburn as “passive fat-burning”. Put in the work and reap steady rewards after!

So HOW does weightlifting actually burn fat?

1.     Weight Lifting Burns Fat During The Workout. Muscle contractions require energy. A half hour of weight training can burn anywhere between 100 – 300 calories depending on an individuals gender, height, weight, current muscle mass and intensity. Energy expenditure is proportional to training intensity. In other words, the higher the intensity, the more calories you will burn. If you are consistent, your muscles will adapt and as you progress you will be able to lift heavier weights.

2.     Weight Lifting Increases “Afterburn” effect through muscle repair. Weight lifting causes micro-tears to form in your muscles. And the subsequent repair process requires energy. Muscle repair after weight lifting burns fat. When you perform intense weight lifting regularly, you are causing more micro-tears to form in the muscle. And this stimulates the repair process. Therefore as the body begins rebuilding damaged muscle after a weight lifting workout, it will consume more calories to fuel the repair process, increasing fat burning for up to 48 hours post-workout. And making you stronger for your next strength sesh!

3.     Muscle Hypertrophy Burns Fat Long-termDid you know that muscles increase your long-term metabolism or base metabolic rate? Yes, weight lifting can increase your metabolism LONGER than the mere 48 hour period associated with the Afterburn Effect! Muscle is metabolically active tissue which burns energy 24/7, even at rest. A pound of lean muscle burns between 6-11 calories per day. This may not seem like much, but consider the fact that the average body can have anywhere between 60-90% muscle mass (depending on age, gender, and training). That means a 150 pound person COULD burn up to ~800 calories every day doing absolutely nothing! Therefore increasing lean muscle mass will increase your fat burning potential throughout the day.

Have we convinced you yet?

Group Fitness classes like Surge Fit and Surge Strength make weight training accessible to everyone, provide safe and effective technique tips and make weight training SO MUCH FUN.

What results have you seen in your body since adding Surge Fit or Surge Strength classes into your weekly exercise schedule? Tell us below.