If you want to lose weight, doing cardio every day for hours at a time is the way to do it. NOT!

Instead, try lifting heavy weights. What does lifting do for your body besides make you stronger? It helps you build lean mass. Muscle building burns calories.

When most people try to lose body fat, they all tend to make the same mistake; they go all out on the elliptical but never make their way to the weight room. You will lose weight this way, but you will also lose important lean muscle mass. Your number one priority when attempting to lose weight is to maintain the muscle mass you have. Lifting heavy weights will help you maintain that muscle mass.

Ten pounds of muscle burns 50 calories per day (that’s 350 calories a week!) Go big or go home!

*image by Daryl Sim, Flickr

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