Want the best fitness investment money can buy? Spring for a set of light weights. There's no denying the benefits of strength training. Too many women base their entire regimen of physical activity on cardio exercise. While running, jogging, walking and doing aerobics are all beneficial to the body, they are no substitute for working out with weights. {relatedarticles}The best recipe for fitness success calls for weight-training three times a week. Anything less is too little. Anything more does not provide the body with enough time to recover, which is the period where muscle building occurs. If you have doubts about the benefits of strength training, be assured these workouts are worth their weight in gold. Weight training expert Wayne Wescott swears by them. Through his research he's found that weight training helps the body lose fat and gain muscle, boosts the resting metabolism, increases strength, prevents bone loss and osteoporosis, reduces the risk of diabetes, fights heart disease, combats back pain and arthritis, and strengthens your mental health.