Does weight lifting burn overall body fat, or mainly th...

haleslie

Member
Hi,

I know that weight lifting strengthens and builds muscles, which will help burn body fat. Will weight lifting burn overall body fat or mainly the fat underneath the muscles being worked out (for example, the legs and biceps vs. the abdominal fat).

Leslie L.
 
Weight training will help burn calories and increase your metabolism to burn fat. It will take fat from all over your body, not just the muscles worked. And that's one good reason for concentrating on large muscle groups, like legs, back, and chest, rather than spending a lot of time on smaller muscle groups, like arms and shoulders, because you will use more calories for your workout.

A good combo for reducing abdominal fat is squats (to burn a higher amount of calories), cardio, and clean eating. Ab exercises will tone the muscle, but they don't burn enough calories to affect fat stores noticeably.
 
Kathryn is right - weight training serves to raise your metabolism by increasing lean, active muscle mass. It is not possible to spot reduce fat (ie, doing crunches will not cause you to burn fat around your mid-section). When you lose fat, it is lost pretty much evenly from all over the body, although everyone's body has preferences about how it stores and releases fat. For example, my body absolutely will not let go of the fat around my butt and thighs! :p It is the last place I lose fat from and it doesn't matter how many squats or lunges I do. It's just my genetics. Some people have a hard time losing fat from their abdomen. Again, it's just genetics at work - and you can't change genetics.
 
I had a flat stomach when I lost weight, but I lost so much in other areas. I lost in my chest my shoulders were too bonie. Now that I tried not to lose so much weight, I have a little pudge. But I look a whole lot better. I think it is genetics.

kim
 
Thanks Kathryn, Emily and Kim!

Thanks Kathryn, Emily and Kim, for replying! My abdomen just wants to hang on to its fat and it refuses to let those last (several) pounds go...ugh! :)

I just recently started working out to Cathe (I love her workouts!) and this is really cool, to interact with other Catheites. Thanks again!

Leslie L.
 

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