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In her first contribution to the Cygen Labs blog, Dawn shares with us her feelings on the myths and stereotypes surrounding women in the weight room, and how you can REALLY kick up your fat loss efforts in the gym.
Are you afraid to lift weights because you don’t want to get too big or bulky? Do you think you will lose your flexibility? Will you look like those "women" in bodybuilding magazines? Are you too "old" to begin a weight training program? NO WAY!! Let me get rid of some beliefs that women find hard to shake, and why weight training is something you need to start today.
Cardio is NOT the answer. It is now being studied that it is much more beneficial for women to lift weights, than to do cardio alone. I know, we have been told for so long, that the way to lose weight is to do endless hours of cardio, and the weight room is for the guys. If I was to tell you that you could cut your workout time in half, and within months, lose bodyfat, and inches, while gaining strength, would I have your attention?
I am 51 years old. I have lifted weights for more than 20 years, and have a bodyfat range of around 19%. It is due to clean eating, and intense weight lifting. I am 5'1", at 108 lbs, and have squatted up to 185 lbs, and done sets of leg presses using 360 lbs. I ask you, do I look bulky or too muscular to you? In my 20's I lived for cardio, was 15 lbs heavier, and chubby! A substitute instructor in my aerobics class one day had a body I would die for, so I stayed after to ask for tips. What she told me, was amazing! She said she NEVER did cardio! I didn't believe her then, but decided that what I had been doing, obviously wasn't working, so I started to lift weights. Within 6 months, I lost a total of 15 lbs of fat, felt great, and had never been leaner! Years later, I went on to become a certified personal trainer. I wanted to spread the word to women….stop doing cardio only, and stop cutting calories! A woman's place is in the weight room! Now when I do cardio, it is in the form of intervals, and only 2 x weekly.
As a 50th birthday present to myself, I entered a figure competition, and received 2 trophies. I was competing with girls 25 years younger than me! I also recently did my first Kettlebell competition, and received a medal. So, open your mind and erase your old misconceptions about women and weights, because the weight room is where we belong!
The most important thing you can do to lose body fat is eat a clean diet, and do anaerobic exercise. What we used to think, based on studies done in the 80's was to do cardio for as long as possible. Right?...Not anymore! Current studies done by exercise physiologists tells us that it is proven that you can burn up to 25% more calories from fat, AFTER an intense session of weight training, than DURING cardio. The afterburn is what is most significant, and can last for up to 36 hours! Since our ultimate goal is to burn calories from fat stores, this is the most efficient way to change the composition of your body. Nothing is more appealing, to men and women alike, than a curvy, lean physique on a woman.
The idea is to raise your resting metabolism. Metabolism is determined by how much muscle you have on your body, incorporated with a few other factors. Researchers have shown that we have the ability, to "trick" our genes into behaving differently, mainly, by lifting weights, and building muscle. By increasing your fat to muscle ratio, you can change your body from flabby and weak, to a lean, strong, fat burning machine!
Stay tuned for part 2 of Dawn’s blog entry where she takes us through a 4 step process of how you too can change your views on the weight room forever, and take your feminine physique to the next level.
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