4 benefits of resistance training that go beyond your physique

Looking to optimize your health, boost your metabolism and enhance your brain function? Resistance training, also referred to as strength training, even just two or three times a week may have more benefits than you realize.

“Even though gym equipment is extremely helpful, you don’t necessarily need a gym membership or heavy equipment to reap the benefits of resistance training,” says Lindsay Fencl, a registered dietitian at Aurora BayCare Medical Center. “Simple bodyweight workouts, dumbbells or resistance bands work perfectly as long as you are challenging yourself.”

Benefits of resistance training:

1. Resistance training supports muscle mass and metabolism

Building muscle mass isn’t just about how you look or how strong you are. The muscle mass you carry keeps your body active even when you physically aren’t.

“Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat tissue. Maintaining and building muscle boosts your basal metabolic rate and helps support a healthy body weight as you age,” says Fencl. “Muscle mass is essential for a healthy metabolism, effective weight management, increased strength, injury prevention and longevity.”

2. Resistance training improves bone density and joint health

About 10.2 million people aged 50 and over in the United States have osteoporosis, the weakening of bone tissue, structure and strength caused by low bone mass. This increases the risk of broken bones and fractures.

“Resistance training helps prevent osteoporosis because the stress placed on your muscles pulls on your bones – signaling the bones to become stronger and denser,” says Fencl. “Strengthening the muscles around joints also helps reduce pain and improve mobility with age.”

Strength training may help you improve your bone density, making you more resistant to fractures and breaks. It can also reduce the chances of movement-related injuries, like hyperextensions and sprains.

3. Resistance training may enhance brain function and mood

Regular sleep loss may increase dementia risk. That’s why many people looking to protect their brain health as they age turn to puzzles, socialization and other ways to stay mentally active. However, resistance training can be an effective way to achieve the same goal while also supporting emotional regulation.

“Resistance training is linked to reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression and improved brain functions, like focus and cognition,” says Fencl.

Older adults who strength train not only build muscle but also improve neuronal density in the brain. This leads to enhanced neurotransmission to better store memories and improve recall.

4. Resistance training helps with type 2 diabetes management

Lifting weights doesn’t just develop your muscles; it improves your body’s ability to manage blood sugar by increasing insulin sensitivity.

“The more muscle you have, the more sugar is utilized as energy. This means less sugar is left in the blood to be stored as fat later,” says Fencl. “Having more muscle mass helps prevent insulin resistance with age – which is very common.”

One study shows men who engaged in strength training were 2.5 times less likely to have insulin resistance. Women who engaged in strength training were 30% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes and 17% less likely to develop cardiovascular disease.

When will you see results?

“Resistance training can yield numerous results when done consistently over time, though it does require a little bit of learning and awareness at the beginning,” says Fencl. “Stick with it to see results over time. Making big health changes can feel overwhelming, so don’t pressure yourself to overhaul everything immediately.”

Are you trying to watch your weight? Take a free online quiz to learn your healthy weight range.