Why Weight

Women - Learn the Secret to Getting a Lean, Sexy Body and It's Not Cardio

By Mindi Bear


Are you one of the thousands of women out there who want a lean, sexy body with beautiful sculpted muscles but no matter how much cardio or dieting you did, you never achieved your goals? Well guess what? A lean, sexy physique isn't built with cardio or dieting!

The secret is lifting heavy weights! "But I don't want big muscles like a man." I can hear you saying this right now. Ladies, you will not gain an abundant amount of muscle, you don't have the chemical make-up to achieve strong muscularity. Big muscles are gained with a high level of testosterone. Women only have 1/16th the testosterone of a man, therefore it will be virtually impossible to look like a man unless you are taking anabolic steroids. What you will experience is tighter and more defined muscles, and an overall lean, athletic look.

Want another reason to lift weights? It boosts your metabolism! Studies have shown an increase in resting metabolic rate (BMR) for up to 48 hours after a weights workout. Cardio only boosts your metabolism for 1-2 hours post-workout. It takes a lot of energy to lift weights and build muscle, your body is constantly needing a steady stream of nutrients to re-build and repair your muscles. So you get to eat more frequently, and lose body fat in the process because of elevated metabolism!

Increased muscle mass has an infinite list of benefits. You will stand taller, have better posture, have fewer injuries, increase your circulation, prevent osteoporosis, and increase bone mass to name a few. Everyone can benefit from lifting weights, and it's never too late to start! Studies performed on elderly men and women who began a weightlifting program had increased muscle mass, decreased body fat, fewer injuries and fewer broken bones due to osteoporosis.

With all of these benefits, how can you NOT workout with weights?

So what is a good program to start with? A full-body routine performed three times a week. Pick one exercise per body part, focusing on compound (multi-joint) exercises. Choose a weight that is challenging for you complete 10 reps, this will be a trial and error process. Do 3 sets per exercise. Ideally, do 8-10 exercises per routine. After your body has adapted to a full-body workout, it's time to shake things up and do a split routine, consisting of a upper-body workout and a lower-body workout.

But first, you gotta START lifting those weights. Expect to see changes within 4-6 weeks. And ladies, DON'T weigh yourself! Muscle is more dense than fat, and you may not see your weight decrease because you are building muscle while you are losing body fat. Instead, measure your progress by how your clothes fit, and how much you are increasing your strength in the gym.
Now it's time to get started and get that lean, sexy body!

Mindi has been a fitness enthusiast for over 10 years. After learning how to build lean muscle with weightlifting, her goal is to motivate other women to abandon the cardio equipment in favor of the weigh troom to build that lean, sexy physique that so many women desire.
Get more fitness advice at Women's Fitness Mag

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posted by Cheryl Levesque @ 8:57 AM