Fitness

Why Strength Training is Key to Fat Loss in Women

January 17, 2025

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Hi, I’m Victoria! Certified in exercise physiology + nutrition coaching. I wanna help you create vibrant health without losing perspective on what matters.  

Meet Victoria

Woman lifting weights as part of a strength training routine for fat loss.

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When most women think about losing fat, they go straight to cardio. 

Hours on the treadmill, endless spin classes, or pounding the pavement in running shoes. Cardio has its place in a well rounded exercise routine but we miss out on some real magic when we make it the star of the show. The real game-changer for sustainable fat loss is strength training.

Don’t believe me? 

Meet my client, Pam. 

She spent 2 years going to cycle 3-5X a week. She worked hard every class for over 2 years.

Not only was she still unhappy in her body, she was in pain. Her joints hurt, she was stiff, her balance was poor, she couldn’t step up, push up, or move in any direction without pain and a lot of assistance. 

It took less than 8 weeks of focused strength training before she noticed her joints, energy, and movement were drastically better. The best part? Her clothes started fitting better and she felt confident for the first time in years showing off her arms.  

More energy and achy joints testimonial

Let me introduce you to your new best friend; strength training for fat loss. Here are some things you should know.

1. Strength Training Turns Your Metabolism into a Fat-Burning Furnace

Your metabolism? It’s like a fire, and muscle is the fuel that keeps it burning hot. Strength training helps you build lean muscle, and here’s the magic: the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn—even when you’re Netflixing on the couch.

This is thanks to your resting metabolic rate (RMR), which is like having a 24/7 calorie-burning machine inside your body.

2. It Protects Your Muscle (and Your Shape!) During Fat Loss

When you’re losing weight, it’s common to shed both fat and muscle—but losing muscle isn’t what you want. Muscle is what gives your body strength and a nice toned look. Strength training helps you preserve muscle while your body focuses on burning fat.

So instead of just getting smaller, you look leaner, stronger, and more defined. That’s what we’re all after, right? Want a tight waist and jeans that fit just right? Strength training creates the shape you’re looking for. Trust. 

I was chasing a shape + look for years. It wasn’t until I stopped focusing on “sweating it out” and shifted my focus to getting strong! My body changed in ways I had never seen before. 

Fit woman flexing her arms to show the muscle-toning benefits of strength training.

3. You’ll Burn More Calories Than You Think

Strength training isn’t just about the calories you burn during your workout (although that’s a nice bonus). It’s also about what happens after you’re done. Enter the “after-burn effect”—also known as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC).

After a solid strength session, your body keeps burning extra calories for hours as it repairs and rebuilds your muscles. This means that long after you’ve left the gym, you’re still “working”.

Compare that to steady-state cardio, where the calorie burn stops as soon as your workout ends, and you’ll start to see that strength training is the gift that keeps on giving.

4. It’s a Game-Changer for Hormonal Health

Hormones are way more than just puberty, periods, getting pregnant, or going through menopause. Our hormones also run the show when it comes to fat storage and fat burning.

Strength training has been shown to help regulate key hormones like insulin and cortisol. It also boosts growth hormone and testosterone (don’t worry, you’re not going to bulk up!)—both of which are crucial for building muscle and burning fat. One of the best things an “out-of-whack hormone girly” can do is to start lifting weights.

I’ve lost track of the number of PCOS, hashimotos, and thyroid effected women that have gotten their period back after following programs like this. Strength training and intentionally adjusting the diet is the real deal!

Strength training for hormonal health testimonial

5. Strength Training Builds Confidence as Well as Strength

Feeling strong is addictive. There’s nothing quite like watching yourself get stronger and realizing just how capable you are. That newly discovered confidence won’t just stay in the gym—it spills into every corner of your life.

When you feel strong, you show up differently. You stay consistent. You commit to your goals. And that’s where the magic happens.

The best part of my job is seeing a client hit a personal best—like lifting a weight they thought was “too heavy” a few short weeks ago. That spark of confidence spills over into other areas of life, whether it’s setting better boundaries, taking on new challenges, or simply feeling proud of their hard work.

Confidence building testimonial

6. It’s a Lifestyle, Not a Quick Fix

Cardio alone isn’t going to create the lasting changes you’re looking for, and you already know you can’t out-exercise a poor diet.

Strength training, paired with balanced nutrition, is a sustainable way to build a healthier body for life. It’s not about quick fixes or extremes—it’s about creating a routine that makes you feel strong, capable, and in control.

When I work with clients, I always emphasize sustainability over quick fixes. Handfuls of clients that have tried and failed in the past mention how this approach of sustainable shifts.

One client told me she loved that her new strength-based routine felt like something she could stick with—not just for six weeks but for years. That’s the goal, sister: building a lifestyle, not a temporary change.

7. You’ll live longer, with a better quality of life

Ok ok ok— so this one isn’t about fat loss but it’s too important to leave out. Even just 2 days a of strength training has been shown to decrease all cause mortality by 47% when paired with cardio, decrease risk of brain degenerative diseases and protect against age related injuries.

I’m on the same page as you- I wanna look good now! But the next 40 years and the quality of my life matters, too. Strength training is your insurance plan against a middle age health crisis. 

My Transformation from Skinny to Strong. 

I wouldn’t be here preaching to you on the importance of strength training for fat loss if I hadn’t lived it. In my early exercising years, I looked skinny but never had that definition that I was chasing. When I made some simple tweaks to my diet (hint, restriction wasn’t it) and switched to strength based training, my body changed quickly. It was so satisfying to finally look how I felt! Strong!

fit woman showing her body transformation to demonstrate benefits of strength training

It’s Your Turn to Transform

It’s time to switch things up. You’re still reading this because something is missing in your health journey and I’m here to say, it’s strength training! 

And guess what? I’ve got you covered on where to start so that you can be confident in the work that you’re doing. 

Start your 12-Week Strength Training for Fat Loss Challenge Today

Steal all my secrets (the ones I only share with my 1-1 clients) to help you lose fat, build muscle, and feel confident in your skin.

The best part? It’s jam packed with resources and there’s ZERO risk. 

  • Grab strength workouts just like the ones I used to transform my body
  • Science backed- Strength Program
  • Easy-to-use recipe bank of high protein delicious meals for you (and the entire family!)
  • My Eating Out Playbook, Grocery Shopping Guides, Macro Counting for Beginners… and more.
  • Weekly Accountability Check In’s  to keep you consistent and on track.

Oh, and if that’s not enough— did I mention there’s a 100% satisfaction guarantee? 

If at any point during your first 30 days you feel like this wasn’t worth your hard earned money, send support an email and we will refund you- no questions asked. 

Yep, I’m that confident this program will change your life.

Whatcha waiting for? 

Unlock this resource pot of gold + get your transformation started today. 

Still not convinced? Don't just take it from me.

Strength training program testimonials

 

Remember, always check with your health care professional before starting any new diet or exercise program. Any product recommendation is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Our statements and information have not necessarily been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.

Every body and person is different. Therefore, We cannot and do not guarantee that you will attain a specific or particular result, and you accept the risk that results differ for each individual. As with any health-related program or service, your results may vary.

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