Lifting weights does help, but you can't really spot reduce fat. A common misconception (and one that I had, as well) is that you can turn fat into muscle. That's like saying you could turn cartilige into bone. Muscle and fat are two completely types of body matter...you burn fat and gain muscle, you cannot turn one into the other. (A lot of people also think that if they don't work out, their muscles turn into fat. Your muscles weaken and that can cause a flabby appearance, but there is no cellular change that causes a conversion of muscle into fat.)
Knowing this made me a little bit more reasonable in my expectations. I know now that even if I lift weights day and night, it won't necessarily make my arms unless less fat...it will build muscle, but the fat will have to be lost just like fat in another area of my body.
Lifting weights during weight loss is an investment in the future if you have a lot to lose. You might not necessarily see the results immediately or quickly or even soon...but once the fat comes off, your arms will look MUCH better than if you hadn't lifted.
Last edited by ThicknPretty; 07-02-2010 at 01:51 PM.
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