So you've gone to the gym, gotten yourself some new weights, and now all you have to do is pull them off the rack, and you'll start losing weight as soon as possible, right? Not so fast. If it were that easy, wouldn't we all be fit by now? There's a lot more to muscle building than just physically lifting weights, and your body's composition plays a huge role in the process of losing weight and keeping it off too! In this article, we're going to look at how you can lose weight by pulling weights but also how physical exercise isn't the only piece of the puzzle.

What it means to lift a weight

• To lift a weight, you need to overcome gravity (the force pulling it toward Earth) and keep it at a certain height above Earth's surface. The weight you can pull up will depend on three factors: 1) how heavy that weight is; 2) how high off of Earth's surface you are, and 3) what shape your body is in while pulling that weight. To get an idea of just how big of a role these factors play, try lifting something from knee level to chest level with your eyes closed: not too hard, right? Now try doing it on top of Mount Everest.

Total Calories Burned During Exercise

• This figure is not affected by how heavy your weights are or how much time you spend lifting. The Calories Burned During Exercise formula, also known as EPOC (Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption), is defined by: 10 x exercise time / 60. For example, if you run for 30 minutes at 8 mph, that's 6 miles per hour, your total calorie burn would be 600 calories (10 x 30 / 60). If you pull 250 kg for 5 minutes using your body weight, that’s equivalent to running 5 miles per hour at roughly 16 mph (10 x 120 seconds / 60), which equals 240 calories burnt from EPOC.

If this were an easy solution, everyone would do it

• Just pull weight to lose weight. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. Think about it—if lifting weights help you lose weight, wouldn’t everyone have done it by now? But here we are: Wherever you go, someone has probably lost weight using some magical workout or plan that promises to reshape your body in 30 days or less. While these solutions sometimes work—and there's nothing wrong with getting fit quickly if that's what you're after—most of them aren’t sustainable long-term because they just don't teach you how to make better lifestyle choices and address your reasons for being overweight in the first place.

The Cost of Exercising (Costs)

• In addition to tracking what you eat, it’s also important to keep tabs on your exercise routine. To lose weight, you have to know how many calories your body needs. As we mentioned above, that number is calculated using formulas based on your height and weight—which is why it’s so important to input them into your fitness tracker correctly. To make sure you know exactly how much energy you’re expending during each activity, start logging them in an exercise journal or spreadsheet. That way, you can see if any workouts stand out as taking more (or less) of a toll than others do. With data in hand, you can work to make improvements and adjust activities for better results.

Eating Healthy Costs Money Too

• Unfortunately, eating healthy is generally more expensive than eating junk food. With fast food, you get your money’s worth: you get a ton of calories for very little money. It’s a winning situation. With produce and lean meats, however, it’s difficult to turn cheap food into an easy-to-consume substance that provides significant nutritional value. You may find yourself paying double—or even triple—the price for something like steamed broccoli or chicken breast without sauce compared to just ordering that $5 burger with fries and diet soda from McDonald's. Is it worth it?

Balance Your Diet And Exercise

• If you’re looking to lose weight, you must include regular exercise in your routine. It can be hard to find time to work out, especially if you don’t want to spend hours at a gym or run on a treadmill at home. But even simple exercises like walking your dog or going for a long bike ride are beneficial. Be sure that when you do get in some physical activity, it’s something with an intensity level of at least 6 (on a scale of 1-10) and lasts no less than 20 minutes. You should also make sure that when doing cardio or working out, any weight-loss efforts are accompanied by healthy eating habits.

How Much Do You Need To Improve?

• The reason why you aren’t losing weight may be one of two things: your current diet isn’t good enough, or your exercise routine doesn’t burn enough calories. The first solution is relatively easy to tackle; if you aren’t eating right, then eat right. We have tips on how to lose weight with diet and we outline numerous ways you can get healthier with food in an earlier section (Calories Count). As for improving your workout plan, it would involve creating one that burns more calories than your current routine. If you are following a running program and only want to lose fat, then keep going at it; otherwise, start looking into programs that involve weight training and cardio work.