Lifting...

Weight training increases your metabolism....

When most women think about losing weight they usually attempt one of two options. The first is to go on a diet which involves eating fewer calories over the course of the day. The second option normally involves some form of aerobic exercise, whether it be jogging, bike riding or an aerobics class. The more intrepid losers of weight will combine the two approaches and will have some success getting rid of the extra weight. But more often then not the results are short lived and the weight comes right back on when they fall off the fat loss bandwagon and return to their more normal way of life.

But why is this? Isn’t the latest infomercial exercise guru exclaiming loudly the benefits of this diet or that piece of cardio exercise equipment? Unfortunately the ability to lose weight and keep it off is controlled by your body’s calorie burning engine. That engine is referred to as your metabolism. It’s simple really, the higher your metabolism the more calories you burn, even when doing nothing. That’s right, burn away that unwanted fat even when doing nothing.

So how do you increase your metabolism to the point that it is a constant fat burning machine?

It will come down to your dedication to do the things required to permanently lose the weight and keep it off because the rate at which your metabolism runs is based on the diet you eat and how active you are. It takes calories to burn calories, that’s the way your body’s metabolism works. But it is the type of calories that determines this. The healthier your diet the more calories you can eat without adding any additional fat.

But diet is only one part of the equation. The other is your level of fitness. There are two parts to any good exercise program, aerobic conditioning and weight training. Aerobic conditioning does burn calories, but once you are done with your workout your metabolism gradually slows down. You burn calories only during the time you are exercising. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do aerobic exercise because strong cardiovascular health is very important in this day and age.

But if you are truly looking for the ultimate in metabolism boosting fat burning exercises then you need to weight train.

And here’s why.

Weight training forces your body to build muscle. This muscle building process does not happen while you are lifting weights, it occurs for hours after your workout is over. Lifting weights actually breaks down muscle fibers, which react by getting stronger during the time after your workout is over when you are resting. It takes energy to rebuild these muscles. Calories, lots and lots of calories. Not only that, but the more lean muscle mass you posses the more calories are needed just to maintain that muscle. And we’re not talking about getting huge massive muscles. When you weight train you can adjust the amount of weight you use and sculpt your body anyway you see fit. Just firming up your overall musculature will tone and shape your body while at the same time making it possible to keep the weight off. It’s a win-win situation for anyone who is serious about losing weight and then keeping it off.

Weight training is the best way to boost your metabolism to its fat burning heights. Not only does it strengthen your body it burns calories while you are sleeping, turning your metabolism into a fat wasting machine.

If you have tried the diets and the aerobic machines but have little to show for it try combining them with actual weight training. You may be surprised by the changes you see.

dd

lifting is essential to helping your body become fit, and helps loosing weight. Doing strength training 3X a week will really give you a burst through your plateau. Just make sure to do the lifting correctly with good form. Also, make sure to go through the full range of motion on the weights, if your doing a bench press, make sure to bring the bar an inch or so over your chest, and don't bounce. Make sure your movements are fluid. Try to use lifts that involve more then one muscle group, you'll get more bang for your buck and in the long run you'll strengthen much quicker this way.

Have to say I love a class called Body Pump that I do through my gym, a chain called Lifestyle Family Fitness (www.lff.com) . (Body Pump is choreographed by Les Mills)


Basically BodyPump is a weight workout to music, they change them up regularly which helps you to not get stuck in a rut and the instructors are very encouraging and you can be a beginner or a sesoned weight lifter it makes no difference. The music helps take the edge off and you get into it a little more. I used to do this back in 2003 in a gym I went to in the UK and now that they have it here at my local gym I immediately became a member. They offer all the les Mill programs, one which is yoga based, a bootcamp type one a spin class. From doing this weight class you get a warm up, squat track, lunge track, back track, bicep track, tricep track, shoulder track, chest track, Ab track and the stretch at the end...ssooooooo goood, gotta love a good stretch out after weights.

The downside is you hurt for the first few days but really it's mind over matter and you get on with it and you find you can lift more the more you do it and you tone up. It worked wonders for me back in 2003 before I got married so I am back at it now hoping for the same results. I feel weights are important if you want to tone and strengthen.

I usually do sets of crunches or situps, many push ups, push ups while holding arch,

and some stuff i didnt know the english word.

like beeing in position of a push up, but holding on your forearms and holding this position, also the same on each site.

hold a sitting position without chair.

I am not really familiar with training with weights..I use myself as a weigh

1st one = plank - on the side is called side plank - called the same thing whether the you are on your forearms or hands.

I'm all for weights. Women need to be stronger!

Thanks