Is strength training the solution for your slow metabolism?

Slow progress is the ultimate motivation killer when trying to lose weight. This stagnation, which often coincides with an intensification of training efforts, is usually due to self-inflicted sabotage. Metabolism This is due to the fact that... Why this is the case and how you can escape this vicious cycle will be explained in this article.

Consider your metabolism as a unit

Both your weight control and your body composition are primarily determined by your body's metabolic, hormonal, and biochemical environment, which means they work together like a team. Therefore, if one of these three elements malfunctions and no longer behaves as usual, it inevitably has a significant impact on the entire system, often thwarting any body fat reduction goals. The problem is that most people who train don't truly understand this metabolic connection and try to counteract their lack of progress with increasingly intense and extensive workouts. However, at a certain point, this initially plausible approach no longer works, as it obviously doesn't address the original problem, and your body's three systems remain out of sync.

Why your metabolism switches to recovery mode

When you subject your body to stress, it adapts hormonally and biochemically to the demands placed upon it. However, if you overdo it, the additional energy expenditure won't lead to a further reduction in body fat; on the contrary, it will result in increased fat storage. The reason for this is obvious and, like so much else, is rooted in human evolutionary history. If the energy deficit, provoked, for example, by extreme calorie restriction or additional cardio sessions, is too great, the body switches to emergency metabolism, setting off a vicious cycle as the metabolic rate is continuously lowered. This emergency metabolism is a relic from the time when humans roamed the wilderness as hunter-gatherers, living hand to mouth. Especially during times of food scarcity, this emergency metabolism ensured survival. Evolution unfortunately cannot have known that we as modern humans live in near abundance and can have high-calorie food delivered to us at almost any time at the touch of a button.

Only those who train in a balanced way win.

One could call it an unfair twist of fate that our bodies initially react so paradoxically, but with the right approach, this problem can be solved relatively easily. First, however, we need to let go of the mindset of measuring success solely in terms of weight lost and calories burned, and of judging athletes exclusively by their weight. So, if the goal is to restore balance to your body's three bodily functions, for example, to normalize fat burning, you should focus on both a balanced diet and a balanced training program. In practice, this means you have to stop fixating solely on cardio training.

Fat loss and normalized metabolism through strength training

Of course, cardio training is also part of a balanced workout program. However, you should give significantly more importance to strength training for several reasons. While cardio training is fundamentally focused on burning calories, strength training aims to build new, metabolically active body tissue that consumes energy even at rest, thus supporting weight loss without any effort on your part. Furthermore, strength training, along with the generation of the necessary growth stimuli, triggers the release of growth hormones. These not only help promote muscle growth but also normalize your hormonal balance and, consequently, your metabolism, putting you back on track for success in the medium term. Besides, weight loss shouldn't be solely about reducing body mass.
You can see the results of this by looking at anyone who starves themselves, because usually, all that's left is skin and bones, nothing to give the body a presentable shape. But wasn't that your goal? It's also crucial to understand that strength training works your entire body, not just your legs like cardio. Only those who train their whole body can achieve the physique of a model athlete. So what are you waiting for? Start strength training to shape your body and lose weight effectively and healthily in the long run. Ideally, your weekly training sessions should be a 2:1 ratio in favor of strength training.