How Building Muscle Mass Helps You Lose Weight

To increase your fat burning potential, look to weight training. Any increase in muscle increases the amount of calories that your body burns even at rest. Of course, you are also burning tons of calories as you work out. To build muscles, you must strength train. There is only one way to do this, by lifting weights. Since you are looking into losing weight, you may need to start out a little easy at first depending on your health level and cardiovascular capabilities.

Start out your muscle-building by focusing on just a few major areas. Once you begin to achieve some of your health goals, you will need to expand to all muscle groups. I recommend focusing first on the larger muscles in your body. Start with your leg, chest, and arms. These muscles are some of the biggest in your body and will require less stress on your heart until you are strong enough to expand your workout. Also, these muscles have tremendous potential for rapid growth.

I like using free weights when I work out my arm and chest muscles. Standard bicep curls and tricep presses do a great job. I use an inflatable exercise ball that I lay on when working out my chest. The combination of the stability ball and the free weights works tons of little muscles despite the fact that you are still primarily focusing on your chest.

I have written a number of articles about different tricks to help you lose weight. Small changes in your diet and increases in exercise are the two best ways to start. I have found that in you try and change your lifestyle overnight, you will burn out quick and give up before you really see any benefits. I recommend starting with easy to obtain goals. Reduce your soda intake to one or two cans a day. Replace your fast food lunch with a balanced sensible meal every work day. Little changes will start to add up. Also, increase the amount of exercise that you get by taking a walk every night. Even just a brisk mile walk will help you change your life.