After all the fitness books that have been written, workout videos watched, and diets promoted, in the end, it’s a pretty simple formula; fat cells store energy, and muscle cells use energy. If your body increases muscle mass, it will need more energy. And if you eat healthily, where will your body get the energy it needs? From fat cells. Simple, right?

 

Your metabolic rate is the number of calories your body requires while at rest. Increase your muscle mass, and you will increase your metabolic rate. As you get stronger, your muscles will use more calories whether working out or not.

 

 

Building your core strength will allow your muscles to protect ligaments, tendons, and bones better. Stronger muscles will carry the loads they were designed to carry and lower stress on other parts of your body.

 

Increased strength means better coordination and control of body movements. This improved coordination helps to prevent injuries from falls and other blunt force trauma. In short, you will be less likely to fall, and if you do, you will be less likely to get seriously injured.

 

 

Studies have shown that strength training can reduce the risk of heart disease. As your strength increases, you are likely to live a more healthy and active lifestyle. Active people have less incidence of disease than sedentary people. As your overall health improves, your risk for disease decreases. A recent study found that people at a higher risk of hospitalization were often older, weighed more, were more likely to have cardiovascular or chronic kidney disease, and weaker muscle strength.

 

 

Even though strength training is most often associated with musculoskeletal health, studies show that strong muscles reduce the risk of diabetes, stroke, and heart disease. Cardiovascular exercise is not the only way to get your blood pumping. One study indicated that resistance training reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease by 17 percent.

 

In that study, researchers found that women who performed resistance training were 30 percent less likely to be diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes than those who did not.

 

 

At a high level, those that are strong are more likely to live an active lifestyle. With the ability to safely and comfortably do the things they want to do, they are generally happier and more satisfied with their lives.

 

If you immediately associate strength training and strong muscles with a muscle-bound weight lifter, rethink that perception. Strength training can help you be generally more healthy, active, satisfied with your body, and happy. By adding weight and resistance training to your daily routine, you can see incremental improvements to your overall well-being.

 

 

Daniel Calugar is a versatile and experienced investor with a background in computer science, business, and law. He developed a passion for investing while working as a pension lawyer and leveraged his technical capabilities to write computer programs that helped him identify more profitable investment strategies. When Dan Calugar is not working, he enjoys spending time working out, being with friends and family, and volunteering with Angel Flight.