Why would I want to lift weights?

I keep a fitness binder. In that binder I stick articles that appeal to me, exercises that I want to add to my routine, different weight lifting circuits to try, cardio routines, healthy eating...any thing and everything that I find interesting. I pull stuff out of my magazines and stick it in there for reference later. I was flipping through it tonight trying to get some ideas for some workouts. I have been trying recently to rev up my workouts and I have been concentrating a little more on strengh. I have always done strength training, sometimes more than others. But I have noticed the last few baby pounds weren't coming off like I wanted sooo I've been hitting the weights a little harder again. I really do love the weights, and I thinks it's the secret to getting and keeping the weight off. Here's some stuff that grabbed me tonight...

The key components to a good work-out: cardio, strength training, stretching and a healthy diet. I really am quite "passionate" about all four, but I think strength training is the real secret (plus you just plain look better with a toned body or should I say booty).

Did you know that cardio IS critical to losing weight, but that strength training is just as important? Did you know that as you burn more calories from cardio and cut calories out of your diet, you don't just lose fat, you lose muscle too! That's bad because that slows down your metabolism.

Diet and cardio are also really important, but weight lifting really changes the way your body looks. Here are some reasons why I love weight training:

1-I'm sure you have all heard "muscle burns more calories than fat, so the more muscle you have, the more calories you'll burn all day long"! This one dude said in an article I was reading that, "the reason to do strength training is that you maintain your muscle mass so you keep your resting metabolic rate (RMR) up, and you don't lose your strength or the size or your muscles".

2-When you do strength training exercises you are doing weight bearing exercises and that helps to strengthen your bones, especially good for us girls.

3-Strong muscles help you avoid injuries.

4-I know I feel better about myself and my body when I feel like I have some tone to my muscles. For instance, I like the way my arms look when they have some muscle definition to them. I am prone to "flat butt"...not bubble butt...I think that would actually be better. When my butt is flabby, it's looong and wide. I don't particularly like that look, so I try and keep my butt as "tight" as possible with squats, lunges and all manner of exercises.

5- Weight lifting also improves coordination and balance and makes day to day life a little easier. Carry groceries, babies...whatever...life gets heavy and it's nice to have some muscle to back you up.

Like I said before, I was flipping through my binder, and thought I'd share some stuff with you that I have learned along the way.