Is lifting weights as important to my physical fitness as aerobic exercise?

Absolutely. Although aerobic exercise burns far more calories, and a higher percentage fat calories, than strength or anaerobic training, weight lifting, or resistance training, increases your lean body mass. Muscle tissue is metabolically active. It uses as much as 45 calories per pound per day to sustain itself. The more muscle tissue you have, the higher your resting metabolism. Even when watching television, the local gym rat burns more calories than their couch potato neighbor. So, while aerobic exercise burns fat during and briefly after a workout, the lean muscle tissue that is gained by lifting weights burns calories around the clock. That's especially important if you want to decrease body fat. Stronger muscles also enable you to perform daily activities more easily. The result is less fatigue at the end of the day. Well conditioned muscles also reduce your risk to injury. Strength training is a highly individualized procedure. That's why two equally successful strength ...  more