Mom's Fitness Tips for Women

In a quest for a healthier lifestyle, women know that fitness and exercise are important. Exercise can improve your health, increase your energy level, relieve stress, and help you to sleep better. A fit woman will remain stronger and more independent as she ages.

Sometimes the road to fitness is a difficult path when you are attempting to initiate and exercise program and eat healthier alone. Attempting to exercise daily, watching your nutrition, and making healthy lifestyle changes are often overshadowed by boredom or a too busy lifestyle. At one time or another, most women have had trouble starting or sticking with a fitness or exercise program.

Being a fit woman does not have to mean a solo journey. If you have ever had trouble initiating a fitness program or sticking with the exercise program you have started, a fitness partner may be the solution. A fitness partner is a powerful motivator. Being accountable to a fitness partner can help you start a new exercise program or stick with the exercise program over time as you continue on your road to fitness.

The right fitness partner can motivate you to achieve your fitness goals. Your fitness partner should be positive and supportive as she encourages and supports you. In choosing a fitness partner, look for someone whose fitness level is close to yours. As you become fit together, you can progress at a similar pace, and encourage each other to climb to new levels of fitness. Having similar fitness goals will allow you and your fitness partner to share triumphs and encourage you to accomplish individual fitness goals.

Keep lines of communication open with your fitness partner. A good fitness partner is honest and sensitive. Cheer each other on in your fitness successes and avoid being critical.

In addition to a fitness partner, the right fitness program is also important to achieve health. Sisters in Sneakers provides a complete home fitness program and exercise program designed especially for the fitness needs of women. Sisters in Sneakers includes color coded exercise cards for flexibility, strengthening, and cardiovascular exercises so you can vary your exercise routine day to day. Since exercise alone is not enough for a healthy lifestyle, Sisters in Sneakers includes nutritional information including fat and calorie awareness to get your eating on the right track.

Motivation is important for fitness, and Sisters in Sneakers includes inspirations and nutrition tips as well. An exercise band is a great tool for resistance exercise and is also a part of the Sisters in Sneakers complete fitness program.

Look no further for your new fitness partner. Sisters in Sneakers will connect you with a fitness partner just for asking. You and your new Sisters in Sneakers fitness partner can motivate each other on the way to fitness and health, as you work out in the privacy of your own home.

It is time to get serious about starting to exercise and becoming involved in a fitness program. Your health is important. You do not need to be an athlete to be fit. The first step is the hardest.

Grab your sneakers, your new Sisters in Sneakers Home Fitness Program, connect with your Sisters in Sneakers fitness partner, and start on the path to better health with Sisters in Sneakers today.To begin your journey to a healthier lifestyle with a complete women’s home fitness and exercise program visit www.sistersinsneakers.com

Everyone can benefit from exercise and good nutrition. Most women know that the right combination of exercise and nutrition can result in fat loss, increased muscle strength and improved energy. Regardless of at what age a woman becomes physically active and aware of good nutrition, the rewards of a comprehensive fitness program are tremendous and extremely beneficial. Once you decide that you actually wish to change to a healthier lifestyle, a fitness program can be a great way to get into shape. With so many options available, how do you decide which fitness program is best for you?

Exercise equipment can be costly and take up a lot of space, especially when it goes unused. A gym or fitness center membership can be expensive and inconvenient; most women are busy enough without taking the time to travel to a health club. Luckily, there is no better place than in the privacy of your own home for reaching your fitness goals.

With so many options and varieties of home fitness videos, books, and exercise equipment, the problem arises of how to choose the right home fitness program. You do not want to spend thousands of dollars on some fitness gadget that will gather dust or make a new clothes hanger. Exercise videos can be boring. And with a woman’s busy schedule, who has the time or energy to read all of those books?

Exercising at home is perfect because it can easily fit into your schedule and your budget. Anyone considering an exercise program should contact her physician to be sure the fitness program is compatible with her health. In addition, it is important to include these essential components for an effective fitness program: strength training, flexibility, cardiovascular training, and balance.

Strength training can increase muscle strength, coordination, and metabolic rate. This type of exercise uses free weights or resistance bands to help target and tone your muscles. Strength training has also been shown to improve bone health and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

Flexibility training or stretching exercises can increase the physical performance of your body and general health. This component of a complete fitness program is often overlooked. Flexibility training can help to reduce your risk of injury, improve your posture, and even reduce post exercise muscle soreness.

Cardiovascular exercise is integral for healthier heart and lungs. Although some place more emphasis on weight training for muscle development, it is important to remember that the heart is a muscle too and needs to be conditioned through regular aerobic activity.

Balance is crucial to our bodies, and becomes more important as we age. As we become older, our balance can become compromised. Improving coordination and balance through exercise can prevent falls and allow our bodies to function more efficiently.

Although it is a great start to having more energy and improving the quality of your life, a good exercise program alone is not enough to complete your change to a healthier lifestyle. We have all heard the adage, “you are what you eat.” Every woman needs to be aware of food and nutrition, key factors to be incorporated with comprehensive exercises for a complete fitness program. Do not eliminate food groups from your diet, rather become aware of healthy eating and good nutrition to complement your exercises.

There is a program that will have you fit, healthy, and bursting with energy. A unique home fitness program designed especially for women is available. Sisters in Sneakers includes all of the essential components of a complete home fitness program for exercises and nutrition.

When you exercise at home, the fitness program you choose must keep you motivated and interested. Sisters in Sneakers proves exercise does not have to be boring. Sisters in Sneakers allows you to vary your exercise routine to keep you out of an exercise rut and on your toes while conditioning different muscle groups.

Even with the best women’s home fitness program, sometimes the going gets tough when you are all alone. Sisters in Sneakers gives you the opportunity to connect with a fitness partner for friendship and to offer encouragement to each other, increasing the chance that you will succeed to achieve your fitness goals.

Physical activity and good nutrition are two of the best gifts you can give yourself. Praise yourself for making a commitment to a healthier lifestyle, conveniently and affordably in your own home with Sisters in Sneakers. Sisters in Sneakers is creating a new generation of lifetime movers, one woman at a time. Visit www.sistersinsneakers.com today to begin your journey to a healthier lifestyle.

If recent media coverage were any indication, it would appear that virtually nobody in the United States has had any success at losing weight. Crash diets, weight loss pills and get-thin-quick gimmicks are more prevalent than ever, yet two-thirds of our population is still overweight. Even more startling is the fact that approximately one-third of the people in our country are clinically obese.

Yet more and more Americans are finding that weight loss success is not only within their grasp, but also actually easier to achieve than they thought possible.

Due to the rapid growth of women-only circuit-training gyms, women in particular are finding that weight loss is an achievable goal. Workouts just for women have become a common sight from sea to shining sea, with the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association reporting that as of July 2005 there were 26,046 health clubs in the United States (a 10.8 percent increase from just six months previous). Women-only circuit training clubs account for more than one out of every three fitness centers in the nation.

Sales at fitness clubs have also been on the rise. In January 2003, the latest figures available, the industry collectively took in $14.1 billion in revenue, a jump from $13.1 billion a year earlier.

Why has the women-only circuit-training exercise model worked so well? The short answer is that it works. Circuit training is a proven exercise system that, for many women, has proven to be more effective than dieting or nutrition programs alone.

The routine at these ladies express gyms is quick and simple, allowing each woman to progress at her own pace. The ladies exercise in a circle, each at a station. They spend 30 or 45 seconds at each station, either working a hydraulic resistance machine or doing aerobics. The entire routine takes 30 minutes.

Pick Up The Pace is one such gym for women that has carefully tracked the success of its members for years. Deanna S., a member of Pick Up The Pace in Libby, MT, lost 14.75 inches in just one month. Kim M. reduced her body-fat by 4.2 percent in just one month at Pick Up The Pace, while at the same time losing 10.75 pounds of fat.

With results like these, it’s easy to see why this fitness center concept has skyrocketed in popularity with today’s average woman. For perhaps the first time in their lives, women are finding that it’s possible to slim down and tone up in only 30 minutes each day.

What many women see as just a great way to achieve some quick weight loss, others see as a business opportunity. Despite the incredible growth of these hydraulic gyms, there seems to be no shortage of customers. As reported by CNN on 1-14-05 “Americans were expected to spend more than $40 billion in 2004 on weight control pills, gym memberships, diet plans and related foods, estimates Marketdata Enterprises, which studies the weight loss industry.” Furthermore, statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that 80 percent of overweight individuals and almost 87 percent of obese individuals are trying to lose or maintain their weight.

As reported by mygoals.com, 80 percent of Americans made a New Year’s resolution in 2005. A whopping 26 percent of those resolutions were to improve overall health and fitness, making this the top category for self-improvement. This year was no anomaly, either, according to Amy O’Connor, deputy editor of Prevention magazine: “Fifty-nine million people every year resolve to lose weight.”

With so many potential customers, many women seek to start their own circuit-training business only to find themselves discouraged by the typical franchise opportunity. They’re finding that a hydraulic gym franchise such as Curves for Women can be expensive, restrictive, and sometimes difficult to purchase.

According to the International Franchise Association, one of the women-only workout franchises recently announced that they are raising their franchise fee from $9,995 to $12,500. Another franchise package costs anywhere from $85,000 to $225,000, including a $36,000 franchise fee and startup cost. Monthly franchise royalty payments, which can range from $395 to $590 per month, place an additional burden on the franchisee. Assuming that the franchise agreement permits the buyer to use the franchise name for 10 years, the gym owner will be paying approximately $60,000 in royalty payments over the franchise term. These figures can scare off many would-be health club owners.

Many women who do opt to open a circuit-training franchise find that the franchise agreement does not grant them the liberty to add amenities as they wish. Many franchise operations restrict their fitness centers by not allowing them to add tanning, nutrition counseling, supplements, vitamins, massage therapy, body wraps or other extras for which ladies are clamoring.

Relying on good old American made ingenuity, many women entrepreneurs are choosing to either open a completely independent workout center or opt for a license package. While going independent carries the inherent risk of having to reinvent the wheel, it still may be the best option for some women. The other option is to capture most of the benefits of a franchise while at the same time avoiding the financial burdens of that system. This is done with a license package, such as the one offered by Pick Up The Pace 30-Minute Workout For Women.

For many women, getting fit, slender and in shape themselves has not only been good for their health but has also prompted them to enter the fitness market as a gym owner. With obesity rates still climbing, this is a trend that may continue for years to come.

The Benefits of Boot Camp Workouts for Women
Until recent times, few women thought of boot camp workouts as a solution to their fitness and weight loss problems, but recently the many benefits of fitness boot camps have prompted more women to reexamine the advantages of enrolling in boot camp to get into shape. No matter what your current fitness level is, it is difficult to beat the many health benefits women can receive with a regular boot camp workout.
One of the main motivating factors in women choosing fitness boot camp to help them get into shape and lose weight is that fitness boot camp offers one of the best workouts for weight loss – even if you’ve had problems losing weight before. A well-designed boot camp class will offer a progression of each exercise for novice, intermediate and advanced boot camp participants. As you gain fitness and strength, the progressive difficulty of each exercise will continue to challenge you
One reason that boot camp workouts work so well for weight loss and toning muscle is that these fitness workouts are based on exercise science and physiology, using the proven techniques of resistance and cardiovascular training, as well as specific weight training exercises. Building muscle is essential to boosting the body’s metabolism and effectively and efficiently losing weight by burning more calories throughout the day.
Another reason that fitness boot camps are such a great way to get into shape and lose weight is that they provide structure and consistency. Without having structure to your fitness program, and consistently participating, your chances of reaching your goal of having a great looking and fit body are greatly reduced. With a fitness boot camp, not only are the workouts intense enough to provide you with the results you want, but you will find that the personal trainers and instructors help provide the necessary motivation to keep you consistent.
Fitness boot camps also provide significant health benefits. One of the most important health concerns for women is heart disease; so cardiovascular health should be one of the main goals when choosing an exercise program. Boot camp workouts provide enough cardio exercise to help keep a heart healthy and reducing the chance of suffering a heart attack or stroke. Another benefit of the boot camp classes is the decreasing risk of osteoporosis by improving bone density. The weight-bearing exercises often found in a boot camp workout are important in increasing a woman’s bone density.
Time management is another attractive feature of fitness boot camp for women. In most cases one can get a vigorous total body workout in a short 45 minute to one-hour session while burning over 700 calories. These workouts are usually far better than other exercise programs that take twice as long to participate in. This high-calorie burning workout is an advantage to the modern woman who is often short on time.
The benefits of fitness boot camps are for women of all fitness levels. If you are looking for an effective method of getting into shape, consider enrolling in a fitness boot camp for one of the best ways to lose weight and shapeup.

It is a well known fact that keeping fit is crucial to maintaining overall health. This is true for everybody : men and women, young and old. It is also true for plus-sized women.
Some people believe that if they are overweight, they cannot exercise. Sometimes, women who are uncomfortable about their size feel embarrassed to be physically active.
The truth is that larger women can and should exercise. The benefits will include increased levels of energy, lower blood pressure, cardiovascular workout, muscle and bone strengthening. Exercise can also bring a feeling of wellbeing and increased levels of confidence. In order to maximize the benefits of exercise, there are some important points to remember.
1. Exercise a few times a week
Try to exercise at least three times a week for a minimum of twenty minutes at a time. The frequency of your exercise sessions is important. The more often you exercise, the greater the benefits.
2. Be creative!
Vary your workouts and keep them interesting. Go for a brisk walk with a friend. Try aqua-aerobics. Join a women’s gym. Choose a form of exercise that is comfortable yet challenging for your body and your fitness level.
3. Keep hydrated
Drink lots of water. This may seem obvious, but it is easy to forget to drink the amount of water you will need to maintain a healthy workout. Keep a bottle of water beside you and take small sips before, during and after your workout.
4. Think comfort
Wear comfortable, loose fitting garments that will allow freedom of movement. If possible, wear cotton clothing as the natural fibers will allow your skin to breathe and ensure maximum comfort. Make sure your footwear is supportive and suitable to your choice of exercise.
5. Start and finish the right way
Warm up before you begin and cool down at the end of each exercise session. This is extremely important. You can do this by performing some simple stretching exercises. These will help to prevent injury and will gradually ease your body into the workout, and will relax you afterwards.
As with any fitness program, it is advised to consult with your doctor before you begin.
When your motivation level is low, and you are finding it difficult to be enthusiastic about exercise, remember that exercise is a gift you can give your body and yourself. The benefits are both physiological and psychological, and remember: the more you exercise, the more you will want to exercise, as you begin to feel the positive results.

Being a man or a woman has a significant impact on health.The health of women and girls is of particular concern because, in many societies till today, they are disadvantaged by discrimination rooted in socio-cultural factors.
While life expectancy is higher for women than men in most countries, a number of health and social factors combine to create a lower quality of life for women. Unequal access to information, care and basic health practices further increases the health risks for women.Here are 10 tips for women to stay fit and healthy :
1.Balanced Diet
Staying fit and healthy starts with a balanced diet.Know and monitor the right weight for your age. Consult your doctor to learn what food you should avoid and follow your eating discipline routines. If you are trying to lose some weight, foods with high calories should be omitted from your meals. Food with high fiber and low fat should be included a priority in your grocery list instead of red meat, sugars and fats.
2.Drink Plenty of Water
Drinking at least eight glasses of water everyday. This cleanses the body from impurities. It is also advised for lactating women to increase water intake to keep the body hydrated.
3.Take Vitamins and Supplements
Do not forget your Calcium supplement. Sufficient Calcium intake is beneficial for women of all ages. This has been proven to prevent having cramps and Pre-Menstrual Period (PMS) Symptoms. It also prevents Osteoporosis especially for menopausal women. Vitamin E boosts strong immune system. Women who undergo menopausal period should take Vitamin E-400 as it stops night sweats and hot flashes. Also, Vitamin E is said to be best in avoiding wrinkles when aging.
4.Quit Smoking
If you are smoking, stop. It is also a big NO for pregnant women, as this will affect the health of the baby. Pregnant women who smoke may pass the harmful content of cigarettes to babies through the bloodstream. Recent studies have shown that women smokers are more prone to diseases than men smokers. Women who smoke have a high risk of getting breast cancer. Also limit your alcohol intake.
5.Exercise
Incorporate exercises in your daily routine. Take a walk after work, use stairs instead of elevator or play with your kids when you are at home. Home exercises are also effective especially when you do not have time to go to the gym and would like to lose some weight. Yoga and Pilates are only a few of the many effective exercises you can do at home. Exercises help in limiting the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
6.Avoid Stress
Many women are prone to too much stress. Stress has been known as cause to many sicknesses. As much as possible take time to relax. Read a good book, hang out with friends and engage into sports. Pamper yourself by going to parlors or you can do some shopping. And do not forget to get enough sleep to revive your energy.
7.Use Sunscreen
Use sunscreen to protect your skin from the harmful rays of the sun. Wear hats when under the sun to protect your skin. Too much sun is bad for your skin. The skin is prone to cancer when exposed to too much sunlight. It also speeds up the aging of skin cells, which causes wrinkles to women.
8.Visit the Dentist
Make sure to visit your dentist to keep that beautiful smile. Always have it cleaned to prevent cavities and bad breath.
9.Visit the Gynecologist
Women who are eighteen and above should have their Physical Examination annually especially for the Pap Smear test. Women who are forty and up should have their mammograms and the Breast self-exam is encouraged once puberty has been reached and should be a habit as they mature
10.Safe Sex
Practise safe safe.Safe your life and that of others.Use condoms to prevent sexually transmitted diseases. Being older or heterosexual doesn’t mean you are not at risk. Most women with HIV get it through heterosexual contact. And in the year 2003 alone the latest year for which data from the CDC are available – nearly 13,000 people aged 45-64 were diagnosed with AIDS in the U.S.

If you are doing the recommended 20 minutes of cardio a day then congratulations, but are you really getting the maximal results?
It is great if you can run straight for 20 minutes but this alone is not the best cardio workout you can get. It has been shown that interval training is key to increase cardiovascular workouts.
Interval training is a really easy concept but yet few serious workout ladies take advantage of it. The key is to increase and decrease intensity throughout the workouts. Hard to believe this is going to have your burning more calories?
Well believe it. The stress that going up and down puts on your body is really going to jump your cardio results up! The sudden burst your heart goes through when changing from a moderate intensity to a high intensity is really where the benefit of cardio interval workouts come from.
This sudden surge requires a ton of energy, so each time to decrease down a level and burst back up really revs up your workout.
So with that what is a great interval workout? Even though I mentioned running above that does not mean you have to interval train with running, chose what you like from biking, hiking, swimming, stair step, you name it.
When you first start the workout start at an easy level to start to get your heart rate up but where you are not uncomfortable.
After 3 minutes increase to a moderate level (it should be around a 5-7 on a scale of 1-10). You will feel the heart beating faster and your breathing picking up, but you are still feeling good about yourself.
After an additional 3-5 minutes rev it up to a level 8-10, where you are sprinting or going at it as best you can. Keep
This up for only 1-2 minutes before lowering back down to moderate level then easy level and work your way back up!
Keep going for a grand total of 20 minutes!
Remember not to exceed 20 minutes, there is no need this is all the time your body needs to give you heart healthy calorie burning benefits. After this time the body switches over its energy source from fat to protein (muscle).
And I know that there is no way you want to have your muscle stolen from you.
I find interval training to pass by much quicker than if I were just cruising at a nice 7 miles per hour. The change in pace keeps me from getting bored and I have a few great playlists just for my cardio workouts.
I also recommend have a workout partner. This training is not a breeze and it helps to have someone going through the same routine with you to keep you motivated throughout. I think staying at one pace is often the easiest choice for women and having someone with you keeps you from choosing the easiest way out.
So now is the time to get out there and get your heart pumping.
If you have hills where you live I promote hill intervals for an even more heart pumping workout.

Body building is getting more and more popular these days and for good reason. However, there are people getting into the sport and failing simply because they aren’t doing it correctly. The following are some great fitness tips to help you get fitter, stronger and healthier.

1. Get a program that will best suit you. Every body building program or workout is different. So always consult a qualified trainer to make sure that the fitness program will not hurt you. Going for a fitness program that sounds good but is out of your league can only cause frustrations and even injuries. So pick wisely.

2. Be realistic in your goals. Make sure that your target is achievable and realistic. The program also needs to be practical and not give you false hope. In fitness and body building, it is important to be aware of the blocks you will encounter.

3. Focus and work the muscles. When you develop muscles, you burn more calories and reduce fats in your body. Multi-joint exercises and weight lifting are recommended to help you achieve a more muscular physique. They aren’t just effective but time saving as well.

4. Be systematic. Your muscles should be working harder over time. Repeating the same sets of exercises and same weight without getting your muscles to work harder will not give satisfactory results. You can record your daily results and make the progression based on your previous data. A daily log will also motivate you since you are able to track how far you have gone. It builds confidence since there is a written proof something that was successfully accomplished.

5. Perform a set of exercises in 10 repetitions. Every number that was accomplished is called a repetition. Try to make every repetition with less momentum as much as possible. The lesser the momentum, the harder your muscles work. And the harder they work, the bigger they become.

6. Be flexible and perform a variety of exercises. Every exercise program should have variety. You can change your exercises, goals and sets every month to keep you motivated and on-the-go. Doing this will prevent boredom and losing energy physically and mentally.

7. Stay motivated! This may be the most important fitness tip of all. Many people drop out of fitness programs and workouts over time. Do not fall victim to this! Keeping an eye of your goals is a way of staying with your program. Remember that motivation gets you started and habit keeps you going.

Very frequently I hear women at the gym state that they are not trying to build muscle, but that they are just trying to “get toned.” Then I watch as they proceed to pick up two pencils and work their biceps like crazy.

I’m actually joking about the two pencils, but what I’m trying to convey is that most women work out with very light weights. By very light I mean weights that are under 10 pounds. I frequently see women working out with only 2 pound dumbbells.

So What Is Wrong With Using Light Weights To Enhance Muscle Tone?

First of all, let me state that working out, even with very light weights, will provide some health benefits, will improve your appearance, and your muscle tone to some degree. However, if you really want to tone up your muscles you should use heavier weights. If you are just beginning to workout then you should use light weights and then slowly progress to using heavier weights to avoid injuries. Keep in mind that toning up your muscles involves building muscle.

The reason you should eventually progress to using heavier weights is because to really tone up your muscles they need to be worked hard. If you pick up two 5 pound weights and work out with these without ever increasing the amount of weight you are using, within a very short time you will cease to continue to see improvements in your muscles. By gradually increasing the amount of weight you use you will gain more muscle, which will enhance what most women think of as muscle tone, and you’ll get stronger. Maybe even strong enough to finally open that jar of pickles all by yourself.

In addition, having more muscle will help you to burn more calories even when you are not exercising and so you will be able to eat more food without gaining fat. Also, keep in mind that muscle weighs more than fat and so you may actually weigh more, but you will look better than before and your clothes will fit better.

Why Most Women Are Reluctant To Work Out With Heavy Weights:

The reason that most women are reluctant to use heavy weights when working out is because they are afraid that they will gain huge amounts of muscle and will no longer look feminine.

Now, I happen to think that women with a lot of muscles look very attractive, however, if the fear

of gaining too much muscle is stopping you from using heavy weights then don’t let this stop you.

Most women are not going to build more muscle than they want from lifting weights. They will build some muscle and be stronger than they were before, but it is very difficult for women to build huge, bulky, muscles. In fact, most men find this difficult. The bodybuilding supplement industry makes millions of dollars each year because building a lot of muscle is so difficult.

Although it is possible for women to build big muscles, it is very difficult and you would

need to work out with VERY HEAVY WEIGHTS on a regular basis. I add this because I certainly don’t want to perpetuate the myth that it absolutely isn’t possible for women to build large amounts of muscle. The reason that most bodybuilding information for women states that it isn’t possible is so that women who are afraid of building too much muscle by working out with weights will finally pick some up and work out. It is possible to build big muscles if you are a woman, however, in order to attain them it would be your goal to do so. It won’t just happen by accident, you would purposely build them.

There are also health benefits to being stronger and having more muscle:

1. Increased metabolic rate – I’ve already mentioned this, but you are much less likely to be fat if you have a lot of muscle.

2. Decreased risk of osteoporosis – This is because your bones need to be strong enough to support the increased amount of muscle. Bone tissue is dynamic and your bones will respond to the increased demand placed on them by becoming stronger.

3. Being physically weak isn’t safe – The stronger you are the more likely that you will be able to defend yourself if you ever need to. Plus you will find certain tasks easier, such as carrying in the groceries.

If you don’t believe me, then try gradually increasing the amount of weight you use when you work out and you will see big improvements in your muscle tone and overall appearance, but you will not see the development of huge bulky muscles.

For more information on fitness and health topics please see Official Fitness and Health.com.

One of the biggest myths out there is the myth of women growing big muscles if they lift weights or get into weight training. Old myths are hard to get rid of. I have heard many times from women who haven’t even lifted barbell weight in their life state that they don’t lift weights because they fear getting too big.

First off I’d like to see them try, as any muscle building takes a lot of work even for the smallest amounts of growth and second men and women can only grow so much because of genetics. If lifting weights made everyone huge like you see in magazines you’d see everyone in the gyms looking like that. You rarely see huge bodybuilders around because to get that huge man or women, it takes the help of drugs.

In countless cases women want to lose body fat and the last thing they think of is lifting weights or getting into bodybuilding. That’s because their mind set of bodybuilding is this huge muscular looking figure. Truth is, yes you can create a good figure, but getting “too big” is just about impossible. Here’s the thing. During the rest time when muscles re-energize, (after working them) they eat body fat for dinner. In other words the muscles go after fat to get more energy required. Keeping it simple, the more a muscle is worked (without over training) the more fat it will eat up. I have seen cases were the women focuses on the bodybuilding and learning, rather the standing on the scale every day watching the weight and they have had unbelievable success losing weight. Stay off the scale and use the mirror.

What happens when a women or man focuses on building and shaping muscles rather than fat loss is the fat or weight loss becomes the byproduct of the bodybuilding and toning. By the way there really is no such thing as toning. You either have muscle growth (hypertrophy) or no growth and toning is simply muscle growth. A so called cut muscle or ripped muscle in many cases shows more with a dehydrated body. My point is to make your target to build muscles and the weight loss follows behind on its own. It’s much easier and more interesting to focus on the exercises rather than the weight loss. Building muscles has a greater effect on weight loss than cardio workouts. Because gained muscle burns fat (while you sleep). Go into any gym and you will find most people riding the bikes rather than lifting weights. Because of years of being told cardio workouts are the way to lose weight everyone does it.

Lifting weights will help lose the fat twice as fast and keep it off. Do both is even better. I can’t count how many people I know who lost weight doing cardio workouts like running and bike riding, (cardio workouts, work the heart muscle) only to find that a few weeks later after they slow it down or quit they gain it all back. It takes two weeks to lose cardio shape and it takes months to lose gained muscle.

By Mike Thornton Certified Fitness Trainer UFit Exercise