Right so, as women and in the society we were brought up in - I get it this sounds crazy. You will be saying in your head 'the last thing we want is to be bulky, we want to lose weight and tone up so how could this help me?'. Well this is where our society has brainwashed us to think weights aren't for us and they 'make us bulky' - when this is not the case. We were told to do an excess amount of cardio, eat less and the weight sections are for men! Believe me this is not the way to do it and I learnt the hard way. I've gone through yo-yo dieting, overexercising, excessive starvation, obsessing over calories to a binge eating cycle I had no way of escaping. Now I can say I've found my balance with the 80/20 mindset and weight training 4-5 times a week and only 1/2 days of cardio.
If you still aren't convinced I have plenty more evidence below
If you are starting off with no goal in mind start low! Find some exercises online with some dumbbells and start with whats comfortable first do not push yourself yet. The best way to find out your strength level is all your reps (how many times you do the movement) should be around 6-8 and it should be tiring your muscle at this point. If you can easily do around like 11-15 i suggest upping the weight but only to the next available weight no higher! Then apply the same rule if it hurts around 6-8 keep doing that until you go to the gym one day and reach 11-15reps easily then up it again.
The best way if you have goals in mind is to speak to a personal trainer at the gym. I feel when being a gym goer you are forever learning and adapting. I still to this day see someone doing an exercise I want to try and just ask them. Alternatively I'll ask a PT to watch me and check my form. After all, that is what they are there for, the last thing they want is you injuring yourself!
Lifting weights tones and shapes your body – it doesn’t make you look like a bodybuilder. Women have low levels of testosterone so they don’t naturally build massive muscles.
Lifting weights can prevent loss of muscle mass, help build bone density and increases the rate at which your body burns calories to keep you at a healthy weight. Maintaining a healthy weight can help you fight off diseases like cancer.
Muscle can’t turn into fat, just as fat can’t transform into muscle. When you stop strength training, you lose muscle mass and your metabolism slows down. A sluggish metabolism means your body is burning fewer calories at rest, which can lead to weight gain.
Being overweight or obese increases your risks for colon, pancreatic, kidney, endometrial, gallbladder, esophageal and breast cancers.
You can get all the benefits of exercise whether you’re at the gym or at home. The key is to exercise smarter, not longer. To get the most out of your workout, strength train before you do aerobic exercises.
Here’s why: When you work out, your body activates its limited supply of carbohydrates first. This is the best fuel for short term and intense exercise, like strength training. After your body has depleted its carbohydrate storage, it starts using fat for fuel. And fat is the best fuel for aerobic exercise.
You should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity, like brisk walking and slow swimming, each week to reduce your cancer risks. Or you can do more vigorous activities, like running and fast bicycling, for at least 75 minutes each week.
It’s more effective to stretch after you exercise when your muscles and joints are warm. Stretching after can improve performance and flexibility, and helps you maintain a healthy range of motion in your joints.
Stretching also can reduce stress, decrease muscle tension, and improve your circulation and posture.
The more fit you are, the better chance you have to fight off diseases like cancer.
For years my main goal was to lose weight and tone up. Nothing I ever did worked I was either slim with no muscle or struggling to maintain my eating habits by bingeing very often.
Yes, you heard my right! You can literally build your body you want to have. The amount of girls I've seen on their fitness journey grow their own butt - no word of a lie it's possible... I'm sure you don't believe me so I thought I'd tag a few examples haha!
Yep, when you are lifting weights you use lot's of energy as well as the more energy it takes to keep muscle and maintain it. Gaining muscle and eating more food go hand in hand so the myth of toning up and eating less is a complete myth. What you have to do is eat more!
Muscle tissue is very ‘metabolically active’, meaning it requires consistent calories to keep it alive and functioning. So the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn throughout the day, even at rest.
Weight lifting uses quick bursts of energy rather than tackling high intensity HIT workouts and stair masters. Cardio is best for heart health and keeping your body active - Me and cardio have a love hate relationship haha!
Lose weight through weights training, and your body will transform. The fat will melt away to reveal a tighter, more toned version of you. You’ll notice muscle appearing in all the right places – giving shape to your bum and firmness to your arms and thighs.
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