Here are a few pictures that I have used over the last two years as inspiration! Guess what you cannot get this by diet or cardio alone! These women LIFT! I wanted this, therefore I started to weight train. Then I realized weight training does sooo much more than get me to my goal body!
I could go on for hours regarding the reasons I LOVE to lift! Here is a shortened version, lol. By the way, for those who missed my FB brag, I benched my PR of 200 pounds Saturday. So exciting to out lift half the guys at the gym 😉 but here are a few more serious reasons...
1. Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat. More muscle = higher resting metabolism. More muscle and less fat means that you’ll burn more calories at work, on the couch, and while you’re sleeping. Muscle tone helps you get lean, look lean, and stay lean.
2. Lifting weights builds muscle and burns fat simultaneously — that equates to a lean, sexy body. This is one of the major reasons why most people strength train, and the big motivating factor behind my crazy, obsessed fit lifestyle. My goal is not skinny, it is FIT! Please do not insult me by calling me skinny! I work hard to be lean and muscular. News flash ...when people say "toned" that is muscular. It is ok for women to be muscular. 😊
3. Strengthens joints, ligaments, and tendons. This is critical for injury prevention. It’ll also improve sports performance and boost all-around full body strength. I get so frustrated when people say "I am to old, or fat or injured" I used to say "I need to do cardio before I start lifting to get some fat off first"--WRONG! You are not too old or too weak or too fat or too anything. Start small and work your way up. Good form is a MUST!
4. It burns a ton of calories and boosts BMR. A high-intensity weight lifting session can burn up to 500 calories per hour. Weight lifting has also been scientifically proven to boost BMR (basal metabolic rate) for up to 24 hours post-workout. What does that mean? Not only are you burning calories in the gym, but also afterward when you’re on the couch relaxing. The more intense the workout, the more calories you’ll burn post-workout via boosted metabolism.
5. Prevents the metabolic decline that comes with age. Weight lifting can reverse the natural decline in your metabolism, which begins around age 30. Keeping your metabolism elevated for as long as possible will help keep you in top shape and let you eat like a teenager.
6. Bone strength. Weight training does more than strengthen your muscles, it also strengthens your bones. Regular weight lifting increases bone density, which reduces the risk of fracture and osteoporosis.
KEY FOR WOMEN: Osteoporosis is MUCH MORE common in women than in men, primarily due to the hormonal cycle (and probably because women don’t weight train like they should!). In fact, women are four times more likely than men to develop and suffer from osteoporosis, and can lose up to 20% of their bone mass during the first five-seven years following menopause. This can be reduced with weight training three times a week!
7. Improves posture. A stronger back, shoulders, neck, and core can help you stand up straight and look confident. Plus you’ll look taller. Better posture also preserves the spine and reduces lower back pain and injury. This has been a huge lifesaver for me. I was taking Advil DAILY for my back pain, before I started weight training. I have not taken anything for back pain in almost a year! So exciting!! Indulge often in deadlifts, back extensions and rows!
8. Lowers blood pressure. Lower blood pressure helps reduce coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other heart conditions. That all equals a longer, healthier life.
9. Improves balance and coordination. Lift standing on a flipped-over Bosu ball to add emphasis on balance and coordination.
10. Improves cardiovascular health. Weight lifting is a great way to get the heart pumping and improve its strength. It also serves to increase HDL cholesterol (the good type), and lower your RHR (resting heart rate). A lower RHR means that the heart doesn’t have to work as hard on a day-to-day basis, which ultimately allows it to keep pumping blood for many more years later in life…
11. Releases endorphins. Exercise and weight-training release endorphins–neurotransmitters that prevent pain, improve mood, and enhance pleasure (the same endorphins are released when you eat spicy food, or experience pain, excitement, or orgasm). Endorphins are released during long, continuous workouts, when the intensity is moderate to high and breathing is difficult.
12. Another huge reason I love lifting is it Reduces Stress and improves mood. Weight lifting is one of the best ways to naturally improve mood. It reduces stress, anxiety, and depression, and creates a sense of happiness (see endorphins above). If you’re ever depressed or stressed, weight lifting will literally make you feel 1000x better.
13. You’ll look and feel younger, trimmer and sexier. A healthy body is a young, sexy body that you can be proud of. Nothing boosts self-confidence like a body you’re psyched to show off — the only way to do that is through diet, cardio and diligent weight-training.
Morale of the story...LIFT! I will post one of my FAVORITE killer butt workouts later today!! Have. Great Monday!
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