Health Benefits of Consistently Lifting Weights

Health Benefits of Consistently Lifting Weights

Apr 28, 2023 mindpump

When most people think of lifting weights they automatically think of massive bodybuilders with too much muscle. They think lifting weights is purely for vanity, when in actuality, the benefits go way beyond looking good. Today, I’d like to go over some of those benefits.

Mental Health

I wanted to start with this one because it is way more important than people realize. Our society today is riddled with anxiety and depression. We’ve been taught to mask it with medication. While the medication can help lower the symptoms, it doesn’t address the issue. Research has shown including a regular weight training regimen in your life can help reduce those symptoms of depression and anxiety. I know for me personally, I’ve had some really high anxiety days that the only way I cleared them out was going to the gym. Having something more challenging to focus on gave my brain enough break from the mental fatigue to come back stronger and see the bigger picture.

Bone Density

Lifting weights helps minimize injury by strengthening your bones. When placing an outside resistance on the bone, and progressively lifting heavier and heavier weight, the bone builds back stronger and more dense making it less prone to injury.  

Faster Metabolism

The more muscle you have, the MORE calories you burn at rest. Who doesn’t want that? Muscle is calorically expensive to have so the more you have, the more you expend. It also allows you to handle the calories you do eat much more efficiently towards fuel rather than fat gain.

Reducing Injury

I mentioned it helps with stronger bones. It also helps strengthen connective tissue. One of the bigger issues as we get older is that when we fall, we are more likely to break something. When we do, the recovery is even longer, because we are older. Lifting weights consistently can help significantly minimize the incidences of falling, and the severity of the break by having stronger bones.

Balance and Coordination

Having stronger muscles, also means strengthening the smaller stabilizing muscles that surround those areas. This is particularly important in our areas regarding balance. Think of the ankles, shoulder girdle, and knees. We need these areas to be as strong as possible to help keep us stable. Focusing on a variety of strength training movements at different angles, and planes of motion help challenge these areas to be more stable.

Better Sleep

We used to be a society that worked all day so that when it came to night time, we were so exhausted we got a good night’s rest. Now we just sit around all day and don’t expend much energy. Lifting weights can help us get one step closer to preparing us for sleep by putting our bodies through a challenge to help provide better deep sleep. If we get better sleep, we get better energy the next day, because all of our cells and processes get turned over and repaired more efficiently at night.

Reduce Chronic Disease

Lifting weights is one of the best things you can do to fight chronic disease. Individuals who lift weights have better insulin control, which can lead to avoiding type 2 diabetes, and other chronic illnesses. Paired with a proper nutrition plan it’ll help lower cholesterol and inflammation levels.

Overall, adding even 2 days of a full body routine to your daily life can increase your overall quality of life. It allows you to be bigger, faster, stronger, and more resilient than you ever could be. It’ll help with lowering inflammation, and allowing you to keep up with regular day to day tasks without assistance. It is a confidence builder that allows you to stay independent long into your years.