RSS
December 9, 2008 | 11:00 AM PST
So you wanna lift weights, eh? And NO lifting your console controller doesn't count, nor does lifting your bottle of beer to your mouth count as a bicep curl! I'm talking about throwing down some major weight lifting. There are many advantages to weight lifting, other than the obvious of being a lean mean fighting machine! Let me explain…
Weight lifting is beneficial in at least three ways. The first reason is that you burn calories while you are doing it. It takes a lot of energy to lift weights which means a lot of calories are going to be spent while you're lifting. Second, when you lift weights you create microtears in your muscles. For approximately 3 days after you lift your body must spend calories on repairing those tears, so your body is burning more calories than it normally would for days after you lift. Third, the more lean muscle mass you have, the higher your basal metabolic rate is going to be, meaning you will burn more calories without even trying. So you'll be burning more calories as you're throwing down on Gears of War 2, even while you're sleeping! Woo hoo!
Many female clients of mine have expressed concern over becoming too muscular as a result of weight lifting. Let me put those fears to rest. Among other things, testosterone is required for muscle growth, which obviously is found less in women than it is in men, point being that, as a general rule, unless you are taking steroids the chances of you turning into a monstrous beast are very very slim. The women that you do see that look like monstrous beasts are on steroids, despite what they may claim. Except in rare cases, women do not have the necessary body chemistry to bulk like men do without the aid of steroids. With that being said, yes, all of us are genetically different, so some of us tend to build muscle faster than others, but it is not something that happens overnight. When you begin a new weight lifting routine, simply monitor your body, as I'm sure you would be doing anyway, and if you feel that you are putting on too much muscle for you liking, reduce the amount of weight you are lifting and increase the reps. As a general rule, lifting heavy weights and less repetitions will build muscle, less weight and more repetitions will tone muscle. Some of us are safe lifting heavy weights and not bulking to a point where it is no longer feminine. Myself, for example. I lift as heavy as I can with only 8-10 repetitions per set, and I have yet to feel that I have put on too much muscle. Others may feel like this type of workout makes them too bulky and would be better off with slightly lighter weights with 12-15 repetitions per set. It all depends on your body, but like I said, changes do not occur overnight so simply monitor the changes your body goes through and make adjustments accordingly. I'd also like to point out that there is a difference between being skinny and being in shape. There are plenty of out-of-shape skinny people, who may not be fat, or even chubby, but are flabby. Weight lifting can aid in getting rid of the flabby look and giving you those sexy lines that you've always wanted.
With the holiday season, it's extremely easy to put on some extra pounds. Most gatherings revolve around food, and lots of it! Many clients of mine express guilt about enjoying themselves around the holidays. Don't feel that way! You can't be too strict on yourself year round; you will drive yourself insane and feel deprived while everyone else around you is stuffing their faces and enjoying themselves. Now is a great time to start a new workout routine to help ward off the holiday weight gain. Get your friends and family involved as it's always easier to have a friend or two for support along the way. The extra movement will help you burn more calories and keep the weight gain at bay, and like I mentioned before, weight lifting is a great way to burn extra calories while you are doing, after you complete your workout, and in general as you put on lean muscle mass. So enjoy yourself this holiday season, just make sure you balance it with plenty of exercise!
Weight lifting is beneficial in at least three ways. The first reason is that you burn calories while you are doing it. It takes a lot of energy to lift weights which means a lot of calories are going to be spent while you're lifting. Second, when you lift weights you create microtears in your muscles. For approximately 3 days after you lift your body must spend calories on repairing those tears, so your body is burning more calories than it normally would for days after you lift. Third, the more lean muscle mass you have, the higher your basal metabolic rate is going to be, meaning you will burn more calories without even trying. So you'll be burning more calories as you're throwing down on Gears of War 2, even while you're sleeping! Woo hoo!
Many female clients of mine have expressed concern over becoming too muscular as a result of weight lifting. Let me put those fears to rest. Among other things, testosterone is required for muscle growth, which obviously is found less in women than it is in men, point being that, as a general rule, unless you are taking steroids the chances of you turning into a monstrous beast are very very slim. The women that you do see that look like monstrous beasts are on steroids, despite what they may claim. Except in rare cases, women do not have the necessary body chemistry to bulk like men do without the aid of steroids. With that being said, yes, all of us are genetically different, so some of us tend to build muscle faster than others, but it is not something that happens overnight. When you begin a new weight lifting routine, simply monitor your body, as I'm sure you would be doing anyway, and if you feel that you are putting on too much muscle for you liking, reduce the amount of weight you are lifting and increase the reps. As a general rule, lifting heavy weights and less repetitions will build muscle, less weight and more repetitions will tone muscle. Some of us are safe lifting heavy weights and not bulking to a point where it is no longer feminine. Myself, for example. I lift as heavy as I can with only 8-10 repetitions per set, and I have yet to feel that I have put on too much muscle. Others may feel like this type of workout makes them too bulky and would be better off with slightly lighter weights with 12-15 repetitions per set. It all depends on your body, but like I said, changes do not occur overnight so simply monitor the changes your body goes through and make adjustments accordingly. I'd also like to point out that there is a difference between being skinny and being in shape. There are plenty of out-of-shape skinny people, who may not be fat, or even chubby, but are flabby. Weight lifting can aid in getting rid of the flabby look and giving you those sexy lines that you've always wanted.
With the holiday season, it's extremely easy to put on some extra pounds. Most gatherings revolve around food, and lots of it! Many clients of mine express guilt about enjoying themselves around the holidays. Don't feel that way! You can't be too strict on yourself year round; you will drive yourself insane and feel deprived while everyone else around you is stuffing their faces and enjoying themselves. Now is a great time to start a new workout routine to help ward off the holiday weight gain. Get your friends and family involved as it's always easier to have a friend or two for support along the way. The extra movement will help you burn more calories and keep the weight gain at bay, and like I mentioned before, weight lifting is a great way to burn extra calories while you are doing, after you complete your workout, and in general as you put on lean muscle mass. So enjoy yourself this holiday season, just make sure you balance it with plenty of exercise!
November 20, 2009
