Fitness myth: Lifting lighter weights will make your muscles more defined and toned. FALSE

Muscle responds to overload. If you lift "heavier" weight with sufficient intensity, you will create more microscopic tears in the muscle. When the muscle recuperates, it will become denser and stronger.

Burn That Fat

Lifting heavy weights burns more body fat than lifting light weights, and the heavier the weight, the more calories you burn with each rep. Because they recruit fast-twitch fibers, heavy weights also burn more fat after your workout.

Fast-twitch fibers tap into fat stores in your body for energy, since it's available more quickly than oxygen. As a result, lots of fat-burning hormones are released that continue burning fat eight hours after your workout. Light weights recruit slow-twitch fibers, which only continue burning fat for an hour after your workout.

However, your nutrition must support your workouts. Reduced body fat is what creates the “lean and tight” look, not high reps (15 plus reps). Reduced body fat is a result of efficient weight training, proper amounts of cardiovascular exercise and nutrition that places one in somewhat of a calorie deficit (less than maintenance). That’s how you get defined and toned!