As a female in the field of fitness for over 20 years I know a bit about getting results in fitness and weight loss….I’ve learned a thing or two to say the least!
So here’s the scoop.
You can cut your calories, spend an hour a day doing cardio but if you don’t lift weights as part of your regular routine you aren’t going to sculpt your body and achieve the results you desire, period.
….and ladies, you don’t get BIG from lifting weights. You get BIG from consuming too many calories.
What I recommend to clients is to throw away your scale, or at the very most weigh yourself no more than once a month. Go by how your clothes feel! If you incorporate weight training your actual physical body weight may stabilize or even go up so this is not something you can put your focus on.
My challenge to you is to shift your focus from losing “weight” to shedding “body fat” . The more lean muscle you have , the better fat burner you will become.
Here are some suggestions for you to keep in mind as you move towards your fat loss goals:
3 Key Points:
- Fail! I want you to lift until you start to lose form. For instance if you are doing an overhead press movement with 10 lbs and you can easily perform 8-10 reps it’s time to move up! Grab a set of 12 lbs weights to challenge your muscles as when they are challenged , they grow.
- Intensity. Up your intensity! You don’t need to be in the gym for 2 hours. Work hard, minimize rest, get your heart rate up and focus. You would be surprised what you can accomplish in 20-30 minutes.
- Circuit Training. This is a great way to get in multiple exercises where you are moving quickly between stations with minimal rest.
You can find great videos of a variety of strength exercises on my youtube channel right here!
Enjoy!
Kathryn
