Until recently, the benefits of strength training weren’t clearly understood. True, lifting weights builds stronger muscles and you’ll look better in your tank top, but there are now many more fabulous reasons to lift your dumbbells. In fact, there are so many benefits, I don’t have room to list them all, so here are what I consider the “Top 5″:

1. Strength training (also called weight lifting or resistance training) helps you lose body fat. Pound for pound, muscle requires more energy to maintain than fat. This means that the more muscle mass you have, the more calories you’ll burn per day, even at rest. Note, I didn’t say you have to look like a bodybuilder, unless that is what you’re going for.

2. Strength training improves body image. A study from McMaster University examined the effects of a 12-week strength training program on 44 previously sedentary women and men. After the 12-week program, every participant noted an improved sense of well-being and improved body image. The women were more influenced by how they looked, whereas the men were more influenced by how they felt.

3. Strength training burns FAT! EPOC (post-exercise oxygen consumption, also known as the exercise “after-burn”) increases significantly in both magnitude and length after intense bouts of strength training. Perform a minimum of 3-5 sets of 8 different exercises, and 12-15 reps of each exercise to reap the post-exercise calorie-burning effects.

4. Strength training positively impacts resting blood pressure. Researchers at the University of Maryland found that a 3-day/week strength training regimen that lasted for a minimum of six-months decreased RBP from a high-normal range to a normal RBP level.

5. Strength training prevents muscle loss. While some calorie restriction will probably be necessary for you to lose weight, you must be careful not to restrict calories too much. Most experts agree that 1200 calories/day is the lowest you should go to lose weight without dipping into your reserves for needed energy. What reserves am I referring to? Your muscles! If you start to break down muscle, unwanted side-effects occur. A Lower Resting Metabolism is one of them. According to Len Kravitz, PhD, severe calorie restriction without strength training can suppress resting metabolism by as much as 20%, resulting in a weight plateau or in some cases, weight gain as your body goes into “starvation” mode and clings to every calorie you consume in order to conserve valuable energy.