Will lifting weights increase my metabolism, and in turn help me lose weight?

Question

I've just started lifting, and I was curious (cause I dont know that much about the effects of weightlifting), as to if my metabolism could be sped up. I also do other sorts of exercise such as 5 or 6 hundred situps a day. I'm about 250 and I'm 6'0'' tall, and I'm 18.

Answer 1

yes they will especially squats but cardio will do the best

Answer 2

Weight lifting is not going to "increase your metabolism," but what it will do is create muscle which will in effect cause you to metabolize the fat you are 'storing' so that it doesn't just sit on you. Cardio is going to increase your metabolism...so you should be doing at least 20 - 30 minutes a day (3-4 times a week). You may notice some initial weight gain after that period if you are eating healthy it should start to drop.

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Answer 3

Weighlifting should be done in moderation and in reps. Just because you can freeweight 50 pounds right off the bat, doesn't mean you *should*.

Lifting weights builds your body up, but it doesn't do it overnight. It does help increase your metabolism, but only in increments. Having a steady diet helps.

At your age, your metabolism should already be in the latter stages of overdrive before it begins to taper off. By the time you're 30, it'll have slowed to a crawl.

The important thing is, is that you should pace yourself with your weights.

Do too much weight all at once and you'll strain yourself. Do too many quickly and you'll burn out--leaving yourself open to a bout of achiness in your body and a tired soreness in your arms.

Start out with a light weight first--10-15 pounds for each arm. Then gradually build yourself up. But you should keep at it for awhile.

The trick isn't to "know" when you're ready for an increase, you'll know just by how well you can sustain a series of reps without approaching a burn out cycle.

You should also vary your routines. Try a few days of a good work out followed by a rest, and then a light one. (Half your reps.)

The thing that most people do, is continuous workouts, and that usually isn't good for the body. You have to rest it in order to see some results.

I've been free-weighting for three years now, and even though I don't have as much definition as most guys do, it doesn't mean that I haven't solidly built myself up. A lot of it's hidden. So what you see on the surface is typically deceptive.

I've only begun to use 15 pound weights for a couple of my arm outstretching reps, after coming off the 10-pounders for 2 years straight.

In 2 more years, I'll go to 20. But the trick is to slowly build myself up.

As for doing situps, I was doing about 300 a day. But I discovered that all it was doing was making my stomach LARGER, and not helping shrink it and the spare tire I still have.

Once I stopped, I found that the muscles vanished after a time. But it doesn't mean my back muscles are weak. I started a new rep to correct for that. But my situp days are over as far as I'm concerned.

Answer 4

Lifting weights will add muscle mass and that will probably add to your overall weight. I wouldn't worry about the number on the scale since muscle mass weighs more than fat. It'll help burn it too so you should eat regularly. You seem fit though and girls like a healthy tall big guy.

Answer 5

Lifting has minimal effect on your metabolism.