A Beginner’s Guide to Weightlifting Equipment A Guide to Myogenic and Neurogenic Muscle Tone 4 Myths About Weight Training for Women A Guide to the Role of Protein in the Diet of Women Who Lift Weights Do Women Need to Strength Train Differently to Men? Strength Training Can Lead to Healthy Bones Here’s How 2Inspirenutrition.com October 2019 FREE
How Strength Training Could Improve Your Daily Life Why Women Shouldn’t Just Stick to Light Weights Should Women Take Any Supplements for Weight Lifting? A Guide to Compound Exercises for Women How Women Can Start Lifting Weights When They’ve Never Done It Before
INSIDE THIS MONTH”S ISSUE A Guide to Myogenic and Neurogenic Muscle Tone - pg. 3 4 Myths About Weight Training for Women pg. 5 A Beginner’s Guide to Weightlifting Equipment - pg. 7 Do Women Need to Strength Train Differently to Men? - pg. 10 Strength Training Can Lead to Healthy Bones Here’s How - pg. 11 How Strength Training Could Improve Your Daily Life - pg. 13 Why Women Shouldn’t Just Stick to Light Weights - pg. 15 Should Women Take Any Supplements for Weight Lifting? - pg. 17 A Guide to Compound Exercises for Women pg. 19 How Women Can Start Lifting Weights When They’ve Never Done It Before - pg. 21 A Guide to the Role of Protein in the Diet of Women Who Lift Weights - pg. 22
This is a very special issue of 2Inspire. In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, we’ve devoted the bulk of the issue to those very special exercise and fitness concerns facing women. In the U.S. alone, more than 41,000 women are expected to die of breast cancer in 2019. It’s a disease that impacts us all, and something we all need to work together to fight. One thing that can help lower a woman’s risk of getting breast cancer is exercise. That’s why we’ve focused most of this issue on some of the questions we’ve heard from female readers, questions like whether women should take special supplements while lifting weights and what role protein plays in a woman’s woman diet when she’s lifting. We’ll also cover the differences between weight training for men and women, myths that women hear all the time about weight training, and talk about how women who have never lifted weights can get started. To that end, we’re also going to talk about how women should challenge their muscles with heavier weights and we’ll introduce you to compound exercises. Of course, we’ve also got some topics here that men need to read, too. This includes an educational discussion about the differences between types of muscle tone, an introductory guide to weight lifting equipment that’s good for all beginners, and a discussion about the importance of weight training for your bones. Are you ready to get fit? Start reading and get inspired to begin your fitness journey! Dennis M. Postema Publisher & Founding Editor P.S. If you’re not subscribed to 2Inspire yet, what are you waiting for? Visit 2inspirenutrition.com and sign up for a monthly subscription so you can be 2Inspired for words!
www.2inspirenutrition.com info@2inspirenutrition.com 1 (844) 815- BFIT
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The content in 2Inspire Magazine is made available on the terms and conditions that the publisher, editors, contributors and relatied parties; shall have no responsibility for any action or omission by any other contributor, consultant, editor or related party; disclaim any and all liability and responsibility to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident or any other cause; are not responsible in any way for the actions or results taken by any person, organization or any party on basis of reading information, or contributions in this publication, website or related product.
A Guide to Myogenic and Neurogenic Muscle Tone
Ladies, before getting into how to tone muscles, we need to discuss the two different types of muscle tone and how they differ from each other. Have you ever noticed how the shape, hardness and size of your bicep changes when flexed like when trying to lift something? That change is your muscle going from one tone to another. 3
Neurogenic When you flex your arm muscle, it firms up, hardens and grows just a little. That change when you use it is the neurogenic tone coming through. It is only seen when the muscle is actually in use. Myogenic However most of time the bicep is not flexed because it is not being used. This is its myogenic tone. And because myogenic tone is what people see most of the time, this is the toning most women want to improve.
heavy weights for fear of bulking up. Don’t worry, it is not going to happen regardless of how much weight you lift or how many times you lift it. Men bulk up because of the amount of testosterone in their body. Women have far less – about 8 to 10 times less. The bulky female bodybuilders you see are most likely using steroids to boost their testosterone level. So go over to the “men’s” plate rack, grab some weight and get to it!
you can do more than 6 repetitions, then you are not using enough weight. Conversely, if you can’t do at least 3 reps, then you are using too much weight. Concentrate on compound exercises as they give you the most return for time invested. If using a barbell, try deadlifts and full squats. If using dumbbells try weighted lunges and squats.
If you don’t know how to do any of these compound exercises, just But before doing that, Google them and all kinds one question you should of videos will come up be asking yourself right about now is “How much and show you how to do it weight should I be lifting?” right. Nobody can give you an Contrary to what you have been told, doing lots accurate answer because Once you start lifting heavier weights, you’ll start each woman is different. of reps with those little to see the muscles you are But I can tell you when 2-pound dumbbells (in working starting to tone pink no less) are not going you’ll know you have up. Now when you look in enough. to give you the sculpted the mirror, your muscles at sexy body you are looking rest will look firmer, more To get the proper toning for. effect, you should be able defined and maybe just a to lift 3 to 6 repetitions per tad larger, but it won’t be However, it is not your bulky by any stretch of the set at a specific weight. fault; most likely you imagination. And you should be able have been told or read that you don’t want to lift to do a couple of sets. If 4
4 Myths About Weight Training for Women
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Many women decide to stick with cardio programs because of myths they have heard about weight training for women. Other women weight train but are disappointed with their results because of what they believed to be true only to find out it was not. Let’s explore four myths that prevent people from achieving their fitness results.
Myth #1 “I don’t’ want to bulk up.” This truly is a myth in that it is impossible for women to get bulky regardless of how much weight lifting they do. It just isn’t going to happen. Why? Because to do so, requires a level of testosterone that is far above what women normally have – eight to 10 times more. Even women bodybuilders have a hard time bulking up and many resort to taking steroids or testosterone supplements. Put that fear to rest and start lifting. Myth #2 “I don’t want to lift a lot of weight.” As counter-intuitive as it may seem, weight lifting doesn’t necessarily mean lifting weight. Actually it should be called resistance training as it can be done with anything that imposes an increasing demand on
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your muscles. Instead of weights, some people use resistance bands, which are just as effective and come in varying levels of resistance. The beauty of them is you can take them with you without adding much weight to your luggage – an important consideration when traveling by air today. Myth #3 “I just want to tone up.” Toning up in a specific area is the same as spotreducing which is a myth in itself. It isn’t impossible. What is possible though is to burn off some fat all over your body through cardio training and increasing the muscle size in that area slightly with strength training that targets those particular muscles, therefore making you look as if you just toned up. Myth #4 “I want to turn fat into muscle.”
Because muscle cells and fat cells are completely different, it is impossible to convert one into the other. What can happen, as noted in the previous myth, is that you do both cardio and weight lifting, you will burn fat and add a little muscle at the same time making it look like you indeed did turn fat into muscle. The other is also not true -if you stop exercising muscle will turn to fat. Here, you are losing muscle mass (from non-use) and adding fat from eating more calories than you are burning. Now, get out and start strength training. Whether you use free weights, weight machines or resistance bands, the point is to mix in at least two days (nonconsecutively) into your workout schedule to get the body you desire or the body back that you once had.
A Beginner’s Guide to Weightlifting Equipment When you’re getting started with weightlifting, it’s important to find equipment that supports your training program and goals. So we’re going to talk about a couple different options that you can look into, and then we’ll take a look at some considerations when setting up your home gym.
strength training, you’re going to feel your muscles the next day. So if you’ve never lifted any weights and you’re feeling hesitant about it, try a few bodyweight days first. You can then move on and add light dumbbells and barbells.
you can buy them in singles. Generally speaking, the smallest weight kettlebell is about 18 pounds.
You can use kettlebells for everything from shoulder presses to deadlifts or “good mornings” which is a hamstring and gluteal movement we’ll explain Kettlebells shortly. Anything you’d do with a dumbbell or a barBodyweight Is Great The Kettlebell looks like a bell, you can likely do with bowling ball with a handle. a kettlebell. The downside First and foremost, let’s It’s a weighted ball that to these is that holding start by saying that body- comes in a variety of difonto a kettlebell can be weight strength training is ferent weights. You’ll often tricky for some movea great place to start. You find them in kilograms, ments, but it’s also easier perform 50 body weight however you can also find for others. Check them “good mornings” or 50 them in pounds as well. out at your local sporting bodyweight squats and They’re often sold in sets goods store and see how you’ve never done any so you can buy a range, or they feel in your hands. 7
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Dumbbells
Weights
Dumbbells are small weights. They fit in your hand and go from about three pounds to seventyfive. Like a kettlebell, they’re good for a wide variety of movements including the shoulder press and deadlift. You can even use them for tricky Olympic weightlifting movements like the snatch or the clean and jerk.
Once you have a barbell, you’ll probably want to have some weights to go with it. Weights start at 1.25 pounds and go up to 45. You may find variations on this, but that’s generally what you’ll find in a sporting goods store. You may also find weights in kilograms. That’s fine as long as you’re able to do the conversions. One kilogram is equal to 2.2 pounds. You’ll also want to make sure that the weights you buy fit on your barbell.
women’s weighs 35. The thickness of the bar is a little bigger for men as well.
This really doesn’t matter unless you’re competing. If you find a good barbell and it happens to be 45 pounds, that’s fine. If it feels good in your hands, that’s more important. Women with smaller They’re compact and easy hands may prefer the to store in your home gym 35-pound bar. It should (as are kettlebells). You can be noted that if you find a purchase them in packs lighter bar, that’s fine too. or singles depending As long as you know the on what your needs are. weight of your barbell, Generally, you should buy you can do the math as two of each weight. So for you add weights. It really example, if you want to doesn’t matter if you’re buy a 25-pound dumbbell, starting with a 15-pound you should buy two – one barbell or a 45-pound for each hand. This will be barbell. necessary for many movements. The ends of the barbell are thicker than the middle Barbell and there should be a cuff to stop the weights from A barbell is a long bar sliding across the bar. You’ll that is about seven feet also want to purchase long. In Olympic weightweight plates and clips lifting there are different keep the weights from barbells for men and for falling off of the barbell. women. The men’s weighs about 45 pounds and the
Rack A rack is a stand that you can use to bring your barbell up from the ground. Some movements are easier to perform if your barbell is at chest level. For example, if you’re going to do a back squat then you’ll want the barbell at chest or shoulder level. For the back squat, you get under the barbell with it on your shoulders behind your neck. You then step back and away from the rack and squat. When the movement is completed
you’ll step back to the rack and put the barbell back on it by lowering your body and lightly dropping the bar back in the rack. A rack can also be used for bench press and a number of other movements. When buying a rack, strength and stability are critically important. It needs to have a wide enough base that there’s no risk of the rack tipping over. Bench A bench is exactly what it sounds like. You’ll most often use a bench for a bench press movement. However, there may be other uses for a bench. At this point it’s important to point out that you can find this type of weightlifting equipment in a number of places. You can of 9
course find a set at your local sporting goods store. You can join a gym and use their equipment. Women tend to avoid this option because the free weight area in a gym is often filled with men. It may feel uncomfortable, competitive, and unwelcoming to women. If this is the case and you want to work out at the gym, then consider finding a few other women to work out with. There’s strength, and confidence,
in numbers. You can also buy used gear. Any used sports equipment store will undoubtedly have a good supply of weights. The key here is to make sure that the equipment that you buy works together. Remember that some barbells may be smaller and may not fit the weights you buy. Olympic weightlifting equipment should all work together, so that’s an easy standard to look for.
Do Women Need to Strength Train Differently to Men? Popular opinion outside strength training circles would say yes. Most people would wonder why would a woman train the same as a man, when she doesn’t want to have the muscles of a man.
that, it takes lifting heavy weight and recovering adequately.
Lifting 5 to 10 pound dumbbells 20 times per set and doing set after set, after … well you get the picture, doesn’t build Because of the physiological muscle. This kind of training difference between the does have its place in that two genders, females will it builds endurance, but if not build as much muscle a woman’s goal is to get as men even though they toned and shapely, this is are training the same. not the training method Women have 10 times less to get there. It takes an testosterone than men entirely different amount and it is this hormone that of effort and muscle to lift causes men to bulk up. And a weight 20 times per set add in the fact that women for two or more sets then it build muscle at half the does a significantly heavier rate of men and it is easy to weight 3 to 6 times to failure see women have nothing (unable to lift one more to worry about strength time). training the same as men. So just what should a Men and women have training program look like? very different goals in most Basically exercises that cases; men want to get big work the abs and target muscles and that inverted the hamstrings, gluteal and “V” look while most women low back using compound prefer to get toned and muscle exercises. Three shapely. However, both good examples of these are goals are achieved by lunges, deadlifts and bench building muscle and to do presses – all done using 10
weights. These exercises work both the upper and lower body. Because of muscle distribution differences between men and women, the later may have to tailor their strength training program to include more isolation exercises that target specific muscles, especially the upper body. Pressing movements using heavy dumbbells tend to do a good job of isolating the shoulders. Typically, women have smaller muscles upper body and larger lower body; muscle structure in men seems to be more equally divided. As far as basic training principles, women train the same as men. However, a women’s strength training program will have to be slightly tailored to make up the difference in muscle distribution. Now go lift to your heart’s content to get the sexy lean body others only dream about!
Strength Training Can Lead to Healthy Bones Here’s How
When looking to improve your overall fitness, adding strength training to your workouts can be an effective measure. Strength training not only burns calories more efficiently, increases lean muscles, boosts mood, reduces body fat, and improves sleep, it also improves the health of your bones.
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With an estimated 8 million women suffering from osteoporosis in the United States, this bone health boosting benefit of strength training is one all women should take full advantage of.
Regular strength training improves the overall health of your bones by triggering the following 2 key benefits: Increase in Bone Strength Just as muscles get stronger and bigger when exercised regularly due to the stress placed on them, bones also grow stronger when you regularly place demands on them. Basically, stress forms in bones during physical activity thus forcing the bones to toughen up so as to be in a better position to handle the stress being dealt to them. This strengthening of the bones happens through a simple process where physical activity provides the mechanical stimuli or “loading” important for improving bone strength and health. While any form of physical activity
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can trigger this process, research suggests that strength training has a greater site specific effect than aerobic exercise. So, the greater the impacts of your strength training sessions, the stronger your bones become. Buildup of Bone Density
thus resulting in the increased bone density. Hip, wrist, and spine bones enjoy the most increase in bone density since most strength training routines target these bones. This increase in bone density in turn helps protect against risk of osteoporosis.
If you’re a young woman, The general makeup of strength training’s bone bones causes them to strengthening benefit adapt in response to the is one you should not stresses placed upon it. So, pass on. This is because if you’re highly inactive, you’ll eventually become you bones weaken a post-menopausal over time and become woman where you’ll start more susceptible to to gradually lose bone thinning and fracturing. density. With years of Alternatively, if you strength training behind put your bones under you, your bone density will moderate pressure by be so high that the overall engaging in strength loss of bone density you training routines, the experience with time will bones respond by building deliver minimal negative more density. consequences. Postmenopausal women can The stress place on the also benefit from strength bones nudges bonetraining since it increases forming cells into action bone density.
How Strength Training Could Improve Your Daily Life
Over the years, researchers have made compelling arguments on the benefits of weight lifting for people of all ages and gender. Yet, the number of women who do strength training remains quite low. Only one fifth of females do 13
any form of resistance training two or more times a week. Those who exercise regularly mostly concentrate on cardiovascular workouts and spend less time using resistance to challenge their bodies.
The truth is weight training can be intimidating for women. Perhaps you’ve even picked up a barbell or done some dumbbell curls and got a taste of just how hard resistance training can be. Maybe you’ve also heard the
horror stories such as how lifting weights leads to joint degeneration, makes women bulk up in unfeminine ways, and that once you bulk up you can’t stop lifting because all that muscle will turn into fat. All these are misconceptions that keep too many women from experiencing the benefits of resistance training. It’s time to put all that fear aside and discover how strength training could improve your daily life. You’ll Be a Stronger Woman Whether women choose to lift weights or perform body weight exercises, any form of resistance training leads to increased strength. Researchers have found that moderate strength training can increase strength levels in females by 30 to 50 percent. Needless to say, having more strength will make you less dependent on others for assistance with daily living. With more strength, chores will become easier and tasks such as lifting groceries, kids, and laundry will no longer push you to the 14
limit. Strength Training Will Help You Stay Lean and Bring Out Your Curves For women, cardio is considered the holy grail of fat loss. However, it’s important to build lean mass because muscle helps to burn additional calories all day long and while you’re sleeping. Research reports published by Wayne Westcott from the South Shore YMCA in Quincy, Massachusetts concluded that females who do strength training at least 2 to 3 times a week for 2 months gain 2 pounds of muscle and lose 3.5 pounds of fat. As muscle increases, so does your resting metabolism, allowing you to burn calories all day long even when not exercising. The fear of developing bulging muscles due to resistance training turns off many women. But unlike men, women don’t gain size from strength training. The reason for this is that compared to men, women have 10-30 times less of hormones
that stimulate muscular growth. That said, however, lifting weights or doing other forms of resistance training improves muscle tone in women and that’s the single most effective way to feel confident about personal appearance. Conclusion The following are other ways in which strength training will improve your daily life. • Decreased risk of back pain • Improved posture • Better quality of sleep • Less stress and depression Strength training offers many other benefits for both men and women other than those listed above. With this form of exercise, you can reach all your fitness goals and even at a faster rate than performing cardio exercises alone. By including weight lifting or bodyweight resistance exercises in your workout routines, you’ll be well on your way to improving your daily quality of life.
Why Women Shouldn’t Just Stick to Light Weights One common misconception is that women should stick to lifting lightweight dumbbells and leave the heavy lifting to the men. One reason this misconception manages to prevail is that many people still believe a woman will “bulk up” like a man is she lifts the same heavy weights. Nothing could be further from the truth.
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The reason men are able to bulk up is due to the high level of testosterone in their systems. Women have eight to 10 times less than men; if men had the same amount as women, they would not bulk up either regardless of how much they lifted. By women lifting heavier weights, it naturally encourages the release of testosterone and the growth hormone, both of which are required to build lean muscle and burn fat. However, building lean muscle in women means toning and firming existing muscle and adding just a touch of mass. Lifting Strategies for Women We know a women’s weight lifting routine should involve lifting
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weight, but different amounts, reps and sets will produce different results. By lifting heavy weight one to five reps, you’ll build strength. But lift moderately heavy for six to 15 reps and you’ll build shape and definition. Lift lighter weights for more than 15 reps per set and you’ll build endurance which is something you also want if training for a triathlon or other endurance event. If you are new to weight lifting, start out lifting lighter weight for lots of repetitions. Not only will it help you build endurance, but it will give you a better feel on how to properly do the weighted exercise, before you start getting to the heavy weight. Once comfortable, start adding weight and cutting back on the number of reps.
Technique is Critical In the last paragraph we mentioned learning how to do exercises correctly by first using light weights. The value of knowing how to do it right not only works the muscles intended to be worked from that exercise the right way, but by lifting correctly, you reduce the chance of a debilitating injury that could put you down for days, weeks or even end your lifting career. If you want to get that sexy, lean, toned body that you have always dreamed about, then walk over to the “men’s” weight area and start lifting. You have nothing to lose but body fat and everything to gain in muscle toning and definition.
Should Women Take Any Supplements for Weight Lifting? Men who are into weight lifting often take various supplements to help increase the size of their muscles. Ironically, many of these same supplements work well for women who lift weights, but not for the same reasons as men. Here are five supplements that you should be taking to get the most benefit from your weight lifting efforts. 17
Whey Protein Powder
Creatine
Because muscles need the amino acids found in protein to repair themselves and tone, taking protein powder containing the right amino acids – the branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) - is an easy way to get what you need in the right amounts. One scoop of powder contains about 20 grams of protein, and because it is quick digesting, when taken before and after a workout it gives you the protein boost your body needs both before and after a workout.
This supplement improves endurance. So regardless if you run, cycle or lift weights, it will help you perform longer then you could have without it. Taking 2 to 5 grams before and after a workout will also help improve brain function and lower the bad cholesterol LDL, along with helping you push through your weight lifting workouts. Arginine
Proven to improve blood flow through the creation of nitric acid, it dilates blood vessels thus Branched-Chain Amino allowing more blood, Acids and consequently more oxygen, to get to your As mentioned above muscles. More oxygen BCAAs help muscles repair increases the amount of themselves and grow energy you have to do lean muscle mass. But your strength training these BCAAs in particular workouts. not only can be used by the body as fuel, but also In one study in 2008, they to trick the brain to not found female athlete sensing fatigue as quickly. participants that took The delay is not enough to arginine had lower body be dangerous, but enough fat percentages and to allow you to work increased lean muscle out a little longer. Take 3 mass. But as a woman, to 5 grams at breakfast don’t think that you will and again pre and postput on muscle mass like a workout. man. It just won’t happen, but it can add toning and 18
definition from just a little more mass. Take 3 to 5 grams before breakfast and then again 30 minutes before working out and before going to bed. Beta-Alanine With enough of this supplement present, the body can use it to create carnosine. Not only does carnosine help improve muscle mass, strength and endurance, but one study showed that when beta-alanine was taken in conjunction with creatine, participants showed a larger drop in body fat than participants taking only creatine. Two to 3 grams taken before and after workouts should be enough to get the full effect. If you notice, most of these supplements are taken before and after a workout, so an easy way to get them all in at once is to put the supplements in powder form in your whey protein shake. Regardless of how you get them, each one will do its part to help you get the lean sexy body you desire.
A Guide to Compound Exercises for Women
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To get that sexy fit body you dream about having, you have to work your muscles. Lifting a little 2-pound dumbbell for 100 repetitions isn’t going to get you the results you want. But the gyms are filled with women doing just that, for fear they will bulk up if they lift anything heavier.
Actually to get the toned body you want, you will have to bulk up – just not to the level most think about when talking about bulking. As a woman, it just isn’t going to happen. So how do you get the beautifully sculpted body? By training with heavy weights and doing compound exercises that bring a lot of muscle mass into play. Compound Exercises Before we discuss how to do it, let’s first discuss what they are. Typically, they are exercises that engage more than one type of muscle. For example, dumbbell lunges. Lunges alone work just the lower body, but when adding in dumbbells, now
you are also working the upper body too. Start by holding a dumbbell in each hand arms hanging naturally. With your right foot, step forward while bending your left knee at the same time. As you step forward, raise the dumbbells until they are level with your shoulders. Next, push back with your forward leg and lower the dumbbells until you are back in the starting position. Now repeat using your left leg forward. Complete 10 lunges with each leg per set. Another weighted compound exercise is squats with dumbbells. Start standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and holding a dumbbell in each hand outstretched over your head. Bring the dumbbells down with outstretched arms until they are level with your shoulders; keep your elbows out to the sides.
At the same time, squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor. As you come back up, raise the dumbbells back to directly over your head; Repeat for 12 to 15 repetitions per set. Intensity One question commonly asked is how much weight is enough. Because everyone is different, there isn’t one answer, however it is easy to calculate what is right for you. Your intensity – the rate at which you train - should end with you not being able to do another repetition in that set. To lift with more intensity, or to challenge your muscles even more, increase the weight and drop the number of reps. It is the intensity (heavy weights/low reps) that builds a lean fit body. Searching the internet for the phrase “Compound Exercises for Women” will being up several more compound exercises that can be done using weights. Just adjust the weight and reps to get the desired intensity.
How Women Can Start Lifting Weights When They’ve Never Done It Before Before getting to the “how” of lifting weights, let’s first talk about the “why”. If you have never lifted weights before, why would you want to start now? Many women do it for one or more of these reasons:
how many times you will do each of them. You could set up two plans that work different muscle groups. Either alternate plans each session or do one plan for a week and then switch to the other one.
• Increase their self-confidence • Build (or rebuild) a sexy lean body they have always wanted (or once had) • Work toward a fitness goal • Reduce stress • Lead by example by being a role model for younger women and girls • Trying this as everything else tried has failed to yield desired results • To prevent future problems with osteopenia and osteoporosis
Use a weight that allows you to do at least 1 set of 6 repetitions of each exercise. In future workouts, try increasing the number of reps. Once you can do 3 or 4 sets of each exercise for 10 reps per set, add weight and drop back to 6 reps per set. You should still be able to maintain the same number of sets. If not, drop back on those too and continue to work your way back up. This way you’ll continue to get stronger.
When first starting out, have an exercise routine, called a circuit, as to the types of exercises you will do and 21
One question commonly asked is how many times someone new to lifting should work out. For most people, the answer is three non-consecutive times per week if using the same routine. If alternating routines and both do not work the same muscle groups, workouts could be done on two-consecutive days. Another commonly asked question is how long someone should rest between exercises or circuits. The answer is for as long as you need, but no more. In the beginning you’ll be using lighter weights and probably not require as much rest as you will later when lifting heavy weights.
In the beginning, you’ll see Expect to get sore after the results fast. Just know that your results will taper off, first session or two. Once but you will still be making your muscles get used to being worked, you won’t get progress toward that sexy, as sore or maybe not sore at toned body you are looking for. Lift safe, lift smart and all. enjoy your workouts!
A Guide to the Role of Protein in the Diet of Women Who Lift Weights
Regardless of whether you are a man or women, protein is an important macronutrient in your diet for many reasons. However, for the scope of this article, we’ll talk about why it is important for women who lift weights. We all know that men and women differ in many ways. But what many do 22
not know is how the diet between the two sexes is so different. While men prefer to chew on a good steak, women would much rather have something sugary, like chocolate, ice cream or pastry. Women just don’t seem to crave protein the way men do and while we all need our carbohydrates and healthy fats, not having
enough protein is problematic for women. Protein is the building blocks of the body. For the non-weight lifter, getting enough is usually easy by just eating a regular diet. But weight lifters need more than an average amount if they want to build muscle.
When lifting heavy weights, micro tears occur within a muscle. During the recovery phase of your training, the muscle repairs itself if it has enough protein to do so. How does it do this? Through the use of amino acids. Of the 20 amino acids your body uses, nine are considered essential because our body cannot manufacture them the way it does for the other 11. The only way to get these nine is by eating complete protein or a combination of proteins that together are complete. For example, separate, beans and rice are each incomplete because they are missing an amino acid or two that would make them complete. But when eaten together what one dish is missing the other has and visa-versa making them together a complete protein. Other complete protein sources include: • Fish • Dairy products • Eggs • Quinoa • And the grains qui23
noa and buckwheat
pair and build muscle you are actually losing muscle mass.
In general nuts and seeds, legumes, most grains and vegetables my themselves Boost your immune sysare incomplete. tem Other Health Benefits
Gyms can be germy places. Even if people Besides the importance of clean the equipment they having adequate protein use when done, germs to repair and build musstill exist if they do not do cles, there are other advan- a good job. But by eating tages to eating enough whey protein as in a proprotein that can help you tein shake, it helps boost in the gym. your immune system by providing glutathione Losing weight known to improve immune systems. Being sick Because protein has a less means you can work high thermic effect, 20% out more. to 35% of protein calories consumed are used just to How much protein is break down the protein. enough? For exercising So the number of calories adults, 1.7 to 1.8 grams per of the protein you eat kilogram of body weight is are not the same as the adequate for those lifting number your body has to weight. To put that into use as it already has used perspective, a 120-pound some in digestion. woman would need about 7.2 ounces of protein. Preserving muscle mass Don’t let a lack of protein If you don’t get enough derail your weight lifting carbohydrates and fats in efforts. Lifting weights your diet, your body will breaks down muscle; protake the protein in muscle tein builds it back up so and use that for energy you are even more toned meaning not only do you than before. not have enough to re-
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