What if I told you that as a country we don’t have a ‘weight’ problem, but we have a ‘muscle’ problem?
When you begin to lift weights it adds years to your life AND makes you a fat burning machine. It’s a solution to SO many issues many women in America are dealing with. So why isn’t this being promoted everywhere?! I have no idea, but we’re going to start here.
Throw out the mentality that burning calories through cardio is the way to your goal.
To circle back to the ‘but I don’t want to get bulky’ concern: don’t worry, women! We do not have enough testosterone in our bodies to bulk up. Any ‘swole’ feeling can be contributed to lifting weights and then our muscle tissue breaks down and creates tiny tears. Water and protein is sent to the muscle to help it repair, making it stronger and stronger each time we exercise (giving you that perfectly ‘toned’ look!)
During the repair process (the swelling time, usually 24 hours after our workout) we may feel that we are bulking up, when in fact it is our fat on our bodies, on top of the muscle that is repairing. We are not getting bigger, we are actually repairing and getting stronger. Take note: it takes about 12-16 weeks of consistent muscle focus to see a noticeable difference.
Keep that in mind when you hit week 2 and wonder where the progress is happening. I promise it IS working, it just takes time to show!
Here are some strength training workouts for beginners.
I have separated these into 2 parts: “A-DAY” and “B-DAY”. The goal would be to have at least 4 days of lifting each week: 2 “A DAYS” and 2 “B DAYS”.
Each day is a different muscle group, however, the exercise stays the same for these next 12weeks and you can continue to do these while incorporating other exercises. The main focus is to continue to work the same muscle groups over the course of 12 weeks to see significant progress.
A-DAY
- Chest Press (10 reps)
- Deadlift: (10 reps)
- Bent over row (10 reps)
- Alternating Lunges (10 reps)
Repeat 6 times for the first month.
B -DAY
- Squat (10 reps)
- Overhead press (10 reps)
- Bicep curl (10 reps)
- Triceps overhead press (10 reps)
Repeat the set 6 times for the first month.
Ideally you’d want to slowly increase weights week after week. However, you want to be safe.
Test each move with smaller weights and increase, as you do the next set. Since you are doing 6 sets the first month, you can increase for the first 3 sets, and decrease for the final 3 sets. Your heart rate will go up and you will be surprised at the ‘cardio’ feeling you get from lifting! This is similar to the LISS Training method. LISS stands for Low Intensity Steady State Cardio, which keeps your heart rate going for longer periods of time, helping you with endurance and strength.
In Month 2, you will want to increase the size of your weights, and the number of sets.
Try going for 8-10 sets.
In month 3, increase sets to 10-12 reps and add in any cardio at the end of your workout.
This cardio can be running, sprints, cycling or even high intensity interval training (HIIT). Your goal should be to do cardio for 5-10 min AFTER your lifting session. Not only will this help burn calories but this will also create an “after burn” effect for the next 24-28 hours. That means you body is increasing the calorie burn, much like a car will take longer to cool down when you rev up the engine over and over. The same goes for your own body, after you REV up your own body after strength training, it will burn more calories the next day or so, with out you doing extra work.
While there are many ways to approach weight lifting, this is a simple system that anyone can follow, especially a mom who may be a beginner. You can do this at home with hand weights, no fancy gym equipment needed! As long as you are consistent, you will see results over time.
Here’s to living longer, younger, and feeling great!
