Strength Training is important to include in your exercise routine since body-fat composition can be one of the main resistances to weight loss. Many people have lost muscle and gained it back as body fat. Strength Training preserves muscle mass and can also increase it. When body fat is greater than muscle mass, metabolism slows down and fat is stored. Your muscle mass dictates metabolism.

You should not do strength training daily. Two or three times a week on non-consecutive days is enough. It should only take 15 or 20 minutes. If you're just starting, begin on upper body and abdominals.

My favorite strength training is doing workouts with Fitness Blender, a husband and wife team that have normal workouts for normal people! You can watch them from their website or on YouTube. You can find strength training, aerobic, flexibility, and total body workouts that are a combination of all of those 3 basic components of an exercise program.

I have 2 lb, 5 lb, and 8 lb weights. Fitness Blender also has many routines with body weight only for those that do not have weights.

Have fun working out!