Happy 2014 to you!
Even though it’s been so cold and not exactly motivating, how are you
doing with sticking to your beginning of the year goals? Notice I didn’t use “resolution” and that was
on purpose…goals are specific and have an end point. I hope you are continuing to work towards
those goals, especially the health and fitness ones.
One major component of a successful and healthy weight loss
is weight training. Nearly every one of
my clients has a goal to “get toned.”
This is impossible without some sort of weight training. The good news is that it can also help with
weight loss!
First let me dispel a few myths. The first one is that lifting weights will NOT
make you look like a bodybuilder. To
achieve the “bodybuilder” look, it takes a specific type of training program
that includes specific nutrition and weight room requirements. Women are particularly fearful of weights,
yet they are needed for that toned look they are trying to achieve. So don’t worry about looking like Arnold
while you’re losing body fat.
Another myth is actually a misstatement. Muscle does not indeed weigh more than
fat. A pound of muscle weighs the same
as a pound of fat. The difference is
density – muscle is much more dense than fat.
While a pound of muscle might be the size of a fist, a pound of fat is
about three times that size. Muscle
takes up less space than fat. Because of
this, I encourage my clients to keep one eye on the scale, but focus on how
their clothes fit. On a related note,
muscle has a higher energy requirement than fat; you can increase your
metabolism by building muscle and simply burn more calories sitting still. Not a bad thought, huh.
So hopefully I have convinced you that weight training is
pretty awesome, especially when it comes to weight loss. Now, what is the best way to approach
it? Here’s what I tell my clients, it’s
pretty simple to follow. In order to
make your weight training also aerobic (keep your heart rate up to work on the fat
burn), try to do supersets. Perform a set
of one exercise, do another in an opposing muscle group. Add a quick cardio burst such as jumping
jacks, sit-ups or lunges and then repeat the entire set. A good rule of thumb when you’re looking for
opposing muscles is if you work the front, work the back. Example: bicep curls superset with pushups
and then jump rope for one minute. Need
help with exercises? Think back to your PE days, check out YouTube and/or
consult with a certified personal trainer.
Don’t forget that clean eating and cardio are also critical
to reaching your goal appearance! Give
it a whirl and let me know how it goes.
See you at the gym!
