10 Reasons to Weight Train

I put this here more for my own reference than anything, but it is good information and it doesn't hurt to share it, right?

10 Reasons to Weight Train
Original By Kelly James-Enger

1. It works. "One of the beauties of strength training is that it's a very efficient way to not only improve your appearance, but your overall health," says Brad Schoenfeld, author of Look Great Sleeveless (Prentiss Hall, 2002.) Just three 30- to 45-minute sessions a week will produce results


2. You'll look better. Nothing sculpts your body like weight training -- you must overload your muscles to change their shape. And firm muscles also help mask the appearance of cellulite by smoothing out those lumps and bumps.


3. You burn more calories. Every pound of muscle you gain burns about 50 calories a day, even at rest, meaning you can eat more and maintain your weight, says Schoenfeld.


4. It keeps you young. Women in their 30s begin to lose about 1 percent of their muscle mass per year. Weight training staves that off and helps you maintain bone mass to combat osteoporosis.


5. It makes you tougher. And less prone to injury -- the stronger your muscles are, the less likely you are to get hurt, says exercise physiologist Richard Cotton of First Fitness, Inc.


6. It reduces anxiety. Studies show that pumping iron reduces anxiety and eases depression. Channel the stresses of the day into your workout, and leave them at the gym.


7. It boosts your metabolism. When you weight train, you increase your metabolism -- it's like replacing a 4-cylinder engine with an 8-cylinder one, says Cotton. You have more power, and you need more fuel.


8. It improves your posture. Not only will you stand straighter, you'll feel more confident as well -- research shows that weight lifting improves self-esteem, says Cotton.


9. It makes life easier. Strength training -- duh -- makes you stronger so you're better able to perform functional tasks like carrying groceries or picking up your two-year-old.


10. You'll reduce your body fat. Proper diet and weight training will lower your body fat. Even if the scale number doesn't change, you're replacing fat with denser muscle, which means you'll lose inches, says Cotton.