Hello,
With Summer right around the corner, we want our bodies in shape instantly! Most of us have tried diets that failed. Most of us still think the way to a better shape is by doing more cardio. Unfortunately, every woman that I know right now has tried some quick fix diet at some point, and failed that as well. Oh, of course they lost a few pounds quickly, but did it last? Did they look fitter or firmer or tighter? Nope. The reason those women are failing, and I could be speaking of you, are for one main reason. They did not increase their muscle mass. Once again, muscle is the only tissue on the body that is metabolically active.
I have spent over 12 years trying to dispel myths. Myths about how diets work, and fat loss comes from dieting. I have spent a lot of time with many, and produced results with some. The ones that have seen the amazing results, are the ones that have started weight lifting. Some of them have been working out with me for 3-4 months, some for 2-3 years. One thing that is for sure. The ones that have been working out with me are lifting weights, losing fat, and losing inches. They feel amazing. They look amazing. Most importantly they want to keep getting stronger, and fitter, and now they know how.
Once and for all. Building muscle will raise your resting metabolism. I feel like a broken record. If you add more muscle to your frame, you will have a faster metabolism. Zumba, running, cycling, and any other form of cardio will not build muscle. Yes, you will burn calories while you are participating, but that is where it will end. The difference is this. When you are done lifting weights, you will still burn calories. Not only will you still be burning calories, some studies show that if you lift in a circuit fashion, you can burn calories from that one workout session for up to 36 hours! Imagine, one killer training session, and 36 hours of calorie burning. Better yet, that session may have only lasted 30 minutes!
So I ask you this. Would you rather pound your joints and run for 1 hour or more, every day to burn away at important muscle tissue? Or would you rather spend 3 sessions a week, 30 minutes at a time, and be stronger, have less body fat, and a metabolism that works like a machine? A body that even while you are sitting on the deck the night after a 30 minute weight training session, is still running fast, and burning calories. So, how do you start this plan? Here are some basic steps to change your body:
1. Hire a trainer.
Before you hire a trainer, interview them and tell them you want to build muscle and get stronger. That you want to work out in an interval style. If they tell you a reason that you can’t. Find another trainer. Yes you can. Don’t go in saying “I want to lose weight”. You want a specific plan that works, not what every other woman in most gyms does….going from cardio, to the next machine that they sit on.
2. Join a Bootcamp. (preferably mine, or my husbands!).
This is the most bang for the buck right here. In as little as 6 weeks, you could be sporting some arms and a tight rear that you never thought possible! Great camaraderie, a commitment, and quick results.
3. Set up a mini home gym.
These tools will give you a good enough foundation to kick start your muscle building, fat loss plan. However, most people say that even with home equipment, they make up excuses. So I would advise to use plan 1 or 2. If you are the dedicated type that wants to work out alone?
Purchase these tools, and get good instruction on line or from books.
2 Kettlebells. One lighter (as in 15-20 lbs) and one heavier for swinging (25-35lbs)
* this is an approximate weight for a beginning woman. Men can use heavier. Kettlebells are the one amazing tool that you can reshape your body with. Don’t plan on using kettlebells like you would free weights. The basis of all kettlebell movement comes from the swing. See below for sources.
Dumbbells – increments in 10, 12, and 15 lbs. (forget the 5’s unless you are rehabilitating an injury, remember, we are building muscle, not just moving our bodies comfortably around)
Go on You Tube – Watch videos on Kettlebell swings, kettlebell deadlifts, kettlbell fat burning workouts, etc. Lauren Brooks has great “how to” videos.
Buy a book on weight lifting for beginners. This will give you a series of exercises that you can start building up your body, and start getting stronger.
Go on line, or better yet, check out my workouts on this site. Sign up for my newsletter to receive workouts and fat loss tips sent to your e-mail address. Scroll down to previous posts for home, or gym workouts done with kettlebells and dumbbells.
Remember the most important thing here is to build muscle. Forget that line that women love to say “I only want tone”. What “tone” is , is a muscle that is not surrounded by fat. Now, get on to building those toothpicks, or batwings into muscle! Bigger muscles burn more calories. Muscles burn calories even while at rest. Stop being the thin, weak person, or the dieting weak person with too much flab. Be the strong, fit, tight person that you would admire. You will never see a body with definition and muscles doing only cardio. That is never how those bodies are made. A body that says “I work hard for this” can be yours this Summer. All you have to do is challenge your muscles, feed them and let them rest to grow, and never diet again.
Summer is only 2 months away. Your body can start changing in as little as 2 weeks when you add in some weights. No other plan in your life will have so many benefits from even the first couple of weeks. Now go out today, and pump some iron!!
Check out our class info at : www.MichiganKettlebells.com
In Health and Strength,
Dawn