If you want to change your body and drop fat, one of the most important things you can do to achieve this is weight training.

Cardio and a good nutrition are just as important, but when it comes to changing how your body looks, weight training is the clear winner. During a cardio session you burn calories at a relatively high rate. Once you stop the cardio workout your calorie burn quickly returns to a normal rate.

Although weight training doesn't burn a lot of calories whilst working out, it stimulates the growth of lean muscle tissue, which in turn boosts our metabolic rate. This means you are burning higher calories for the rest of the day, including while you are sleeping. Often, women in particular, believe that weight training causes bulking up, this is untrue. Weight training for women will cause muscle tone and muscle strength. In males, weight training will result in muscle mass, tone and strength. Males produce high amounts of testosterone which promotes muscle growth. Females produce high amounts of estrogen which inhibits the mass building of muscle tissue. 

Building up your strength can also help reduce your risk of injury. Strong muscles, tendons and ligaments are more capable of withstanding higher levels of stress. Improved flexibility gained by strength training reduces the likelihood of pulled muscles and back pain. Resistance exercise can reduce bone deterioration and build bone mass, preventing osteoporosis.