Weight lifting, not cardio training, the key to weight loss, according to local trainer. The Plain Dealer

John Henry Creel sounds like someone I would like to meet. He runs a fitness facility in America and preaches the message that concentrating on muscle and not the cardio is going to allow you to lose body fat more efficiently. After studying and getting a double major in marketing and exercise science he ventured out and worked for National City Bank and part time for a gym. His part time work introduced him to lots of bodybuilders and he saw how much and how often they ate without getting fat. Some of them were eating up to 10000 calories per day but they were using those calories to fuel their bodies muscle building efforts. So he then goes on to say how he now runs his facility emphasising individuals to condition themselves to lose body fat by building up muscle stores. By getting his clients to think and condition their bodies this way they become fat burners 24 hours a day, even at rest. He then states that a pound of muscle at rest burns eight times the number of calories that a pound of fat burns. Multiply that by the pounds of muscle in your body, and you have an amazing metabolic furnace. Excuse the pounds as a measure of weight but he is an American and I just wanted to highlight the point.

John Henry Creel's methodology and mentality is golden. Don't get the wrong idea about the muscle builder analogy, as body builders are a completely different breed of fish. We all have lean muscle stores in our bodies. If we neglect to exercise lean muscle with resistance type of training we will lose it. The more we lose the more our fat burning potential drops also. But utilising basic whole body resistance training methods into your routine, you are guaranteeing lean muscle tissue strengthening and growth. And if your lifestyle habits which include nutrition are in alignment then fat loss will happen steadily and healthily. What more could you ask than for your own body to be burning body fat while resting!!!!

The article can be found at http://blog.cleveland.com/lifestyles/2008/02/muscle_not_cardio_training_the.html