Fitness

Weight training and changing your body

by Lorenza

14/07/2020

Blog Weight training and changing your body

So many women are still afraid to step in the weights room! There are many reasons for this, many feel intimidated, others still think that weights make you bulky and some don’t know where to start.
Here we have addressed how weight training can help you change your body!

Fat loss –
Whilst like many others you have spent endless hours on treadmill and cross trainer, thinking that cardio is the key to fat loss and changing the way you look, you are mistaken! Cardio certainly has it’s time and place but weight training is the most effective way to burn calories and change your body composition. Whilst we can’t spot reduce, we can certainly use exercise to shape our body. As the body fat reduces your muscles will give you the toned look you desire. Without muscle underneath we will only end up with a saggy look!
Whilst as we just mentioned we can’t spot reduce , we can certainly perform exercises specific to the areas we want to improve. Eg if you want to improve your glutes you can perform exercises such as back squats, hip thrusts and glutei bridges. If you want less wobbly arms you can work on the biceps & triceps.
Get stronger –
Weight training will improve your posture. It will also improve your bone density. When your bones are put under stress from the force of resistance training over a long period of time, they grow stronger and increase in density to withstand the extra load and force. Resistance training increases bone density and therefore decreases your chances of developing osteoporosis later on in life. Every time your work out with weights, you become stronger, so next time you’ll be able to lift more, which is a great motivator in itself.
Improve your energy levels –
Exercise releases endorphins, encourages you to eat well and feel less sluggish during the day. It will also help you sleep better at night, so your body repairs itself and you will be ready for your next session. Seeing progress in the gym and changes to your body composition will certainly spur you to keep going.
Can help offset the age-related decline in muscle mass –
Loss of muscle mass is also known as sarcopenia. This is actually another one of those “use-it-or-lose-it” situations. If you never challenge or stop challenging your muscles, over time they will shrink and when coupled with a poor diet, waste away (atrophy). Eventually, you may lose the strength to do the ordinary, mundane activities—like pushing a shopping trolley or carrying a heavy suitcase. What we need to do is resistance train to maintain that muscle mass, so that we don’t wither away.
In the long-term, weight training can help keep you strong even as you age. In the short-term, strength training simply makes everyday living easier.
And finally…..it doesn’t make you bulky!!
Sadly, many women still have the notion that lifting weights will make them bulkier like men, while in reality it is only a myth. Women simply don’t have the required testosterone levels to build muscle like men. Instead women develop muscle definition and strength without the size. So, if you are one of those ladies that want a toned look…that can’t happen without muscle on your frame! If you would like to learn more contact us today for a free consultation & assessment, we are happy to help 😊