HEALTH & FITNESS BLOG

Strength Training’s Positive Effects on Your Metabolism Revealed

By: Northwestern Staff

December 23, 2019, 9:00 am - Categories: Fitness

Strength/resistance training can positively alter your metabolism; it improves cardiorespiratory fitness and resting metabolic rate (RMR). RMR measures how many calories you burn when at rest. It accounts for 50–70% of your daily caloric expenditure and maintains the body’s vital functions (e.g., breathing, heart rate, brain function).

Using periodized programs is an effective method to increase your RMR. In periodized programs, exercisers cycle progressively through various aspects of training and there are systematic variances in both volume and intensity. Resistance training fosters muscle protein synthesis and repair—a metabolic process that craves more energy than aerobic training. Plus, weightlifting and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) burns approximately 300 more calories in a day than steady-state cardio.

For more information about strength training, consult a fitness specialist. 

Reference: https://www.ideafit.com/fitness-library/how-strength-training-impacts-metabolism