Strength training exercises are safe and effective for people of all ages and health levels. Regular strength training can benefit those with health conditions the most by reducing symptoms of diseases like arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity, back pain, and depression. Strength training along with aerobic exercise can have a profound impact on mental and physical health. While strength training, it is unlikely one will gain significant weight or become bulky unless calorie intake is increased, as muscle takes up less space than fat. Strength training can help increase muscle and decrease body fat even if overall weight stays the same.

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Fitango Education
Health Topics
Muscle-building

2. 1
Overview
Research has shown that strengthening
exercises are both safe and effective for women
and men of all ages, including
those who are not in perfect health. In fact, people
with health concerns—including

3. 2
Overview
heart disease or arthritis—often benefit the most
from an exercise program that
includes lifting weights a few times each week.
Strength training, particularly in conjunction with
regular aerobic exercise,

4. 3
Overview
can also have a profound impact on a person's
mental and emotional health.

5. 4
Benefits
There are numerous benefits to strength
training regularly, particularly as you grow older. It
can be very powerful in
reducing the signs and symptoms of numerous
diseases and chronic conditions,

6. 5
Benefits
among them:
-- arthritis
-- diabetes
-- osteoporosis
-- obesity
-- back pain

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Benefits
-- depression

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Muscle vs. Fat
Unless you increase the amount of calories
you are eating, it is very unlikely that you will gain
weight or become bulky.
Here's why: one pound equals one pound
regardless of whether the pound is fat,

9. 8
Muscle vs. Fat
muscle, or some other substance like butter or
steel. Muscle is denser and
therefore takes up a smaller amount of space per
pound than fat. Some
scientists estimate that the "space" that one
pound of muscle
occupies is about 22% less than one pound of fat!
If you begin strength

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Muscle vs. Fat
training and continue to eat the same number of
calories, you may lose some
weight because you're burning additional calories
while exercising. The
important thing about strength training is the
change in body composition. You

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Muscle vs. Fat
will gain muscle and most likely decrease body fat
even if your body weight
stays the same. In our experience, people might
drop a size or two after they
have been strength training for a couple of months
because their body shape has

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Muscle vs. Fat
changed for the better. If your goal in starting
strength training is to gain
weight, we recommend you also increase the
number of calories you are
consuming. Try adding an extra fruit, vegetable,
low-fat dairy and/or whole
grain serving to your daily diet.