What Happens to Your Body When You Lift Weights Every Day

If you want to fast-track muscle growth and build a stronger body, lifting weights may seem like the ideal go-to. After all, research shows that strength training, in general, can help you maintain bone and muscle mass, decrease the risk of numerous chronic ailments, and significantly improve your overall body image. But what exactly happens to your body when you commit to lifting weights every day? We spoke with experts to find out and learned that the benefits can be truly spectacular.

That being said, it's important to establish the right weight-lifting regimen for your body and goals and take sufficient rest days to avoid overtraining. This way, you can optimize your strength training workouts to best suit your needs.

What Are the Top Benefits of Lifting Weights Daily?

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Lifting weights is a stellar way to preserve strong and healthy bones, boost your metabolism, and enhance muscle size and endurance, explains Dr. Milica McDowell, a doctor of PT, certified exercise physiologist, and VP of operations at Gait Happens.

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"Lifting weights is also great for your neurological and cognitive systems as the movement patterns require coordination, motor planning, and concentration," Dr. McDowell adds. "[Additionally,] lifting weights helps burn calories as it usually occurs in our fat-burning heart rate zone (50-70% of heart rate max), so it can help with body composition as well."

If you make weight-lifting a daily habit, you're more likely to stick with it—and consistency is crucial in any routine to achieve noticeable results!

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"One of the hardest parts of any exercise routine is staying consistent, which is why one of the best things you can do to maintain your routine is to make it a regular daily habit," explains Amanda Grimm, a personal trainer, UK Athletics certified running coach, and We Run coach. "A big benefit of finding a plan you can stick to and fit in every day is that it will become a natural part of your routine and become much easier to maintain."

Along with all that goodness, lifting weights daily improves your mood and increases functional fitness. "Resistance training can release endorphins, reducing stress and anxiety," says Kate Ligler, NASM, CPT, CES, PES, a certified personal trainer, endurance coach, expert to TYLENOL PRECISE, and athlete. "It [also] enhances your ability to perform daily activities, improving overall quality of life."

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Rest Days and Proper Nutrition Are Crucial for Muscle Recovery

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Every exercise calls for rest days, and lifting weights is no exception. Carving out sufficient rest and active recovery days in your fitness routine is key to injury prevention and muscle repair.

"Muscle growth happens in recovery, not during activity," Cassandra Padula Burke, RDN, CPT, a registered dietitian nutritionist, certified personal trainer, triathlon coach, and owner of Catalyst Performance Lab in Finksburg, MD, tells us. "Without adequate rest, including sleep, muscle repair may be decreased, [leading] to decreased performance and the need for even more rest to repair muscles as you continue to lift weights. Adequate nutrition, especially protein, is key to supporting muscle repair and growth."

Does Lifting Weights Burn More Fat Than Cardio?

Without the correct balance of healthy meals and rest, your performance and progress will be negatively impacted, and you may suffer from burnout.

"I wouldn't recommend that anyone lift weights seven days a week; that's a recipe for overuse, injury, or burnout," Dr. McDowell stresses. "Lifting weights with rest days allows for the adaptations to occur during the recovery window, [which] promotes muscle growth and strength improvements."

What Signs Indicate Overtraining?

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Recognizing the telltale signs of overtraining is essential for your progress. Some red flags include persistent lethargy, a decrease in strength or performance, mood changes, sleep disturbances, and increased susceptibility to injuries.

"Mild overtraining might present as a small, nagging injury, like a muscle strain, and severe overtraining might present as a complete stop to a program," Dr. McDowell says. "Overtraining can have both mental and physical implications; you can get an overtraining physical injury or get into a state of mental/neurological burnout as well, which is why rest days and workout variety are key to long-term success."