This article originally appeared in Shape.com.
Are you cardio-ing yourself to death? Yes, running, cycling, and hitting the elliptical religiously can absolutely help you drop pounds-especially when you have a lot to lose. But, at some point, you're going to hit a plateau, says Holly Perkins, C.S.C.S., founder of Women's Strength Nation and author of Lift to Get Lean.
To get past it, you need strength training in your life. Why? Lifting weights helps to amp your metabolism for long after your gym-time ends since the more muscle you have, the more calories you torch when working out and while sitting perfectly still. (Learn How to Get the ‘Afterburn' Effect In Your Workout.)
If you're new to weight training, don't worry. Perkins created this four-week beginner strength training workout for women to help you to build a solid foundation of strength training and shift your body into a new place after all that cardio. The really great news? You only have to do this routine twice a week. Each week, the moves will stay the same, but we'll make the routine harder by changing the program variables (like rest, sets, reps, or load).