In week four you began increasing your aerobic exercise by at least walking 30 minutes a day three days a week. Now its time to really get you in the weight loss phase. By increasing your aerobic exercise you began burning excess calories and resetting your metabolism. It’s a start in the right direction, but in the end you want to look great. In order to look great once you’ve shed those unwanted pounds you need lean sexy muscles. The worst thing that can happen when you start to lose weight is that you get that excess flab that just jiggles all around (ugh!). So, in order to combat this unsightly issue, you must perform some strength training.
The body changes as we age, and loss of muscle mass (cardiac muscle too) and coordination [process known as Sarcopenia] begins to accelerate in your 40’s. This means that weight loss becomes difficult unless you are actively doing something to retain muscle. It is never too late to start strength training whatever your age.
How does strength training help with weight loss?
If done consistently and correctly in conjunction with a balanced diet, then some of the body fat is reduced and some body fat is converted to muscle. It ensures that you retain muscle mass as you lose weight being that muscle burns more calories than fat, plus it helps to prevent or reverse the natural loss of muscle mass that comes with aging. While diet and aerobic exercise help you lose weight, strength training will help you lose the right weight “the fat” while retaining and increasing your body’s lean muscle mass.
Cardio or aerobic exercise is the most effective form of physical activity in terms of overall weight loss. However, strength training is for toning, defining and creating new muscle. It is known as resistance training, it is the process of converting fat into lean muscle mass. It also enhances your metabolism, decreases stress levels, increases mental clarity and boosts stamina. This includes any exercise which uses a form of resistance like weight bands, body weight or dumbbells. Doing 20-30 minutes of strength training workouts at least 3 times a week will give sufficient results. But if you want great results, then follow a strength training program that consists of 30 to 60 minute workouts at least three times a week.
The basics for weight training are simple, yet many people don’t know how to get started, they just randomly begin to lift weights with no structure or proper form. It is advisable that if you don’t have a personal trainer who can show you how to properly perform weight training exercises, then you should do a little research to find out how to properly perform any weight exercise you want to perform. You can join a gym (not necessary for great results), hire a personal trainer, view videos or books/magazines as long as you get an idea of how to perform the exercise correctly. Check the American Council on Exercise (ACE) for proper form for many exercises, they have descriptions and videos of various exercises.
Another source you can check for video demonstrations for many exercises is Passion4Profession they have some instructional video tutorials you can find on youtube that illustrate how to perform an exercise in an easy and simple way. You can also try visiting Fitness Blender for workout tutorials and weight loss programs.
The goal for strength training is not to make you look like a body builder, instead create lean muscles that burn more calories than fat. Most women will not bulk up when doing strength training unless they use muscle enhancing products like steroids. So to keep your workouts efficient, stick to lighter weights and more reps. If you do want to develop bigger muscles then you would do fewer reps but with heavier weights. If you haven’t found a workout routine for strength training by searching the web, Youtube, fitness magazines (Prevention is pretty good), the library, or a purchased DVD (Beachbody.com has good ones) then below is a basic strength training program adapted from “The Fat-Burning Workout: From Fat to Firm in 24 Days” by Joyce L. Vedral, Ph. D, that can get you started.
This program doubles as a cardio workout, therefore giving you maximum results in a shorter period of time. Take your time to learn the basic moves properly to avoid injury and be sure to consult your doctor before starting. Once you’ve become familiar with the routine, it can be completed in about 30 minutes. There are three core sections of the body to focus on when strength training which are the upper body, your core/mid section and your lower body. The upper body parts consists of your biceps, triceps, shoulders, chest and back. Your core will be combined with the lower body consisting of your buttocks, hamstrings, quadriceps(thighs) and calf muscles.
In this basic strength training program you will be alternating between upper body and lower body by exercising the upper body on one day and then the lower body and core on another day. You can use resistance bands, body weight, free weights/dumbbells and or weight machines/circuit training. Remember, that you should still be doing your aerobic exercise/walking in conjunction with adding in strength training. Here is how your workout schedule might look now:
- Monday - Upper body routine
- Tuesday - Walking 45 minutes (at the park or on treadmill)
- Wednesday - Lower body routine
- Thursday - Cardio DVD (Turbo Jam)
- Friday - Upper body routine
- Saturday - Walking 45 minutes (indoor track)
- Sunday- Rest or stretch routine
- Monday - Lower body routine
Make sure you consistently alternate between working out your upper body and your lower body (upper, lower, upper, lower etc..). Stick to this schedule and this routine for at least six weeks before you add additional exercises or change to a different strength training exercise. This is just enough time for your body to learn the moves and for you to get familiar with your routine. However, after about 6-12 weeks you want to confuse your muscles in order to avoid weight loss plateaus by switching up your exercises or adding an additional one. This is the ideal platform for continued muscle growth and weight loss.
If you are a novice when it comes to strength training and working out, there are some basic terminology that you should become familiar with. When I first started learning about lifting weights, I was confused about basic words like reps, sets, contractions, flexing etc.
Basic Exercise Terminology:
Burn: refers to the feeling that you will sometimes get in your working muscle as the lactic acid builds up in the muscle tissue. This happens when the blood does not have enough time to carry the acid away as you work. The burning sensation in your working muscle is a sign that you are working your muscle to the maximum. As the muscle gets used to the workout, you will experience less of a burning sensation.
Contraction: for a given muscle, you shorten the muscle fibers of that muscle by squeezing them together. For example when you stretch out your arm and then you bend it, then it contracts.
Exercise: is a given movement for a specific muscle, designed to cause that muscle to grow and become stronger.
Flex: for a given muscle you take the contraction further by giving it an extra willful squeeze by using that muscle more.
Progression: is the occasional adding of weight to specific exercises when the weights being used for those exercises are no longer enough of a challenge.
Repetition or Rep: is one complete movement of an exercise, from start to midpoint, to finish
Resistance: refers to the heaviness of the weight used in a given exercise. Example: 3 pound dumbells or 10 pound resistance bands.
Rest: is a pause between sets or exercises. The purpose of the rest is to allow the working muscle enough time to recuperate so that it can efficiently perform the work of the next set.
Routine: is the specific combination of exercises prescribed for a given body part. For example: Upper body routine consists of: 1 set bicep curls - 10 reps, 1 set tricep kickbacks - 10 reps, 1 set pushups - 10 reps and 1 set military press - 10 reps.
Set: is a specified number of repetitions of an exercise performed without a rest. Example: 8 reps of biceps curls is one set.
Stretch: for a given muscle you lengthen the muscle fibers by willfully extending that muscle a little further than its natural position.
Workout: includes all of the exercise routines for the specified body parts to be performed on a given day. Example: your lower body workout consists of routines for the thighs, buttocks, abdominals and calves.
Expressions for Different Exercise Techniques:
Aerobic: is a physical fitness activity that can be sustained by your body’s own natural supply of oxygen and that causes your pulse to reach a rate of between 70% and 85% of its capacity and stay there for twenty minutes or longer.
Anaerobic: is activity that is too demanding to be supported by the body’s natural oxygen supply, and so creates on oxygen deficit. When this happens the exerciser is forced to take a rest literally in order to catch his/her breath. For example, power lifting.
Intensity: is the degree of difficulty of the exercise program you are following. It can be increased by increasing the number of repetitions, increasing the load of the weight or reducing the rest periods allowed between sets and between exercises.
Muscle Isolation: is the method of exercising a body part independently of other body parts. In order to ensure maximum growth and development, shaping and strengthening a given body part, it is necessary to provide that body part with uninterrupted work.
Split Routine: is the technique of working only certain body parts on a given day. A routine can be spilt into two or three workout days. It allows muscles the required 72 hours rest before they are challenged again. Example: upper body routine on Monday, aerobic activity on Tuesday and lower body routine on Wednesday.
The Modified Pyramid System: involves the addition of weight and the reduction of repetitions for each set until the peak of the pyramid is reached. Then the set ends. The continual progression of weight allows the muscle to be challenged to work up to capacity, ensuring optimal development.
- Set 1: 12 reps at 3 pounds
- Set 2: 10 reps at 5 pounds
- Set 3: 8 reps at 8 or 10 pounds
The Pyramid System: involves the addition of weight and the reduction of repetitions with each set until a peak is achieved, then the reduction of weight and the addition of repetitions until the final set is identical to the initial one.
- Set 1: 12 reps at 3 pounds
- Set 2: 10 reps at 5 pounds
- Set 3: 8 reps at 8 pounds
- Set 4: 10 reps at 5 pounds
- Set 5: 12 reps at 3 pounds
To keep your workouts simple and doable, use free weights/dumbbells. If you’re already familiar with other equipment like resistance bands or circuit training equipment, then by all means use them. You can start with lighter weights if necessary or even use soup cans if you don’t have dumbbells. Just don’t let not having weights keep you from working out. You can get a good workout just using your own body weight and flexing your muscles during the contraction.
Recommended Weights for performing the basic strength training program:
- Set 1: 3 pounds
- Set 2: 5 pounds
- Set 3: 8 or 10 pounds
For this basic strength training program we will be using The Modified Pyramid Technique.
How to perform each routine using The Modified Pyramid Technique:
Set 1. Do 12 reps for all three exercises within the specified body part routine using 3 pound weights without resting. Once you’ve completed all three exercises for the specified body part, this is your first set. Then rest 10 to 15 seconds before going to next set.
Set 2. Do 10 reps for all three exercises within the specified body part routine using 5 pound weights. This is your second set. Then rest 10 to 15 seconds before going to next set.
Set 3. Do 8 reps for all three exercises within the specified body part routine using 8 or 10 pound weights. This is your third set. Then rest 10 to 15 seconds before going to your next body part routine, then repeat sets one, two and three.
Here is a crash course in basic strength training or resistance training:
Regular Upper Body Strength Training Workout includes Biceps, Chest, Shoulders, Upper back, Triceps. Perform the exercises in the given order.
Bicep Routine:
1. Standing alternate dumbbell curl - stand with feet shoulder width apart, weight in each hand, arms at sides, palms facing forward. Bend and lift one arm up to shoulder as you bring it down lift other arm to shoulder. This is one rep
2. Standing angled simultaneous dumbbell curl - stand with feet shoulder width apart, weight in each hand, arms at sides, left palm facing left and right palm facing right. Bend and lift both arms simultaneously towards shoulders then lower. This is one rep.
3. Standing alternate hammer curl - stand with feet shoulder width apart, weight in each hand, arms at sides, palms facing your body. Bend and lift one arm up to shoulder as you bring it down lift other arm to shoulder. This is one rep.
Chest Routine:
1. Incline dumbbell press(use flat surface if no incline available) - lie on bench with weight in each hand at chest level, palms facing upward, simultaneous extend arms up until elbows almost lock, then lower back to chest. This is one rep.
2. Incline dumbbell flye with a twist(use flat surface if no incline available) - lie on bench with weight in each hand, arms extended upward over your head, palms facing out and ends of dumbbells touching, slowly bend at the elbow and lower arms in a semi-circle like hugging a beach ball until reach full stretch, return to start position and flex chest muscle as ends of weights touch. This is one rep.
3. Cross-bench pullover - lie flat on bench or flat surface on your back with your head hanging over the edge, grasp one dumbbell with both hands extended above your head, lower arms slowly until can’t go further, then extend back to start position. This is one rep.
Shoulder Routine:
1. Standing side lateral - stand with feet together, dumbbell in each hand, arms down and in front with palms facing each other and weights touching. Raise arms outward and up to shoulder height then lower. This is one rep.
2. Standing front lateral - stand with feet together, dumbbell in each hand, arms down and in front with palms facing each other. Raise arms straight up to shoulder height without bending arms then lower again. This is one rep.
3. Pee-wee lateral - stand with feet together, dumbbell in each hand, arms behind your back weights touching knees slightly bent. Simultaneously raise both arms to ear height then lower to start position. This is one rep.
Triceps Routine:
1. One-arm overhead triceps extension - stand with feet together, with dumbbell in left hand raised overhead touching left ear, palm facing your body. Lower dumbbell behind your head as far as you can, then return to start position. This is one rep. Finish your set with left arm then switch to right arm.
2. One-arm triceps kickback - stand with feet together, weight in left hand at chest level and palm facing body, bend forward slightly at waist and knees. Extend left arm back and flex tricep, return to start. This is one rep. Finish your set with left arm then switch to right arm.
3. Flat cross-face triceps extension - lie on flat surface, arm fully extended with weight in left arm, palm facing in, slowly bend at elbow so weight touches your right neck/shoulder, return to start. This is one rep. Finish your set with left arm then switch to right arm.
Back Routine:
1. Reverse bent dumbbell row - stand with feet shoulder width apart, dumbbell in each hand about 6 inches away from the body, palms facing away from body, bend at knee and bend forward, raise both weights with bent arms until reach waist height, flex or squeeze your back muscles then return to start position. This is one rep.
2. Bent dumbbell shrug(dead lift) - stand with feet shoulder width apart, dumbbell in each hand, arms down, palms facing body, with slightly bent knees and torso bent, weights about knee high, lift straight up and shrug your shoulders back and down, return to start position. This is one rep.
3. Dumbbell upright row - stand with feet a natural width apart, hold one dumbbell with both hands, palms facing your body, arms extended downward, keep weight close to body then raise it up to chest height with elbows bent out, lower back down. This is one rep.
Regular Lower Body Strength Training Workout includes Thighs, Buttocks, Abdominals, Calves. Perform the exercises in the given order.
Thigh Routine:
1. Regular Squat - stand with feet natural width apart, weights in both hands with arms at your sides, palms facing your body. With your back straight, bend/squat as low as you can comfortably with proper form until you feel a stretch in your quads and glutes then return to standing position. This is one rep.
2. Lunge - stand with feet natural width apart, weights in both hands with arms at your sides, palms facing your body. Step forward with left leg about 2½ feet then bend your right leg until knee almost touches the floor or as far as possibly comfortable and you feel slight stretch in front thigh. Then stand and retract left leg back to start, this is one rep. Continue all three sets for left leg then repeat with right leg forward.
3. Sissy Squat - stand with feet natural width apart (no weights required), place one arm on a stable object like a stool, wall, or doorknob then raise up on your toes. Now lean back as far as possible with slight bend in knees without falling, feel the stretch and squeeze the buttocks. Return to start position. This is one rep.
Buttocks/Glutes Routine:
1. One-legged butt lift - using a chair or other sturdy object, you can either kneel on the floor or perform standing up. Hold the chair with your right arm for balance, then extend left leg back and up as high as possible while grasping and squeezing your left buttocks. Return to start position. This is one rep, then finish all three sets for left leg then repeat for right leg. 2. Lying butt lift(bridge-up) - lie flat on your back with knees bent, legs a natural width apart. Place hands just under your buttocks squeezing them tight, then raise your buttocks off floor as high as possible without your shoulders leaving the floor, then lower to start. This is one rep.
3. Feather kick-up - get on floor placing both hands and knees shoulder width apart (as if about to crawl) so you are propped up and your back is straight and parallel to the floor. Keeping your left leg bent, raise it to the ceiling and squeeze buttocks at the top, then lower back to start. This is one rep. Continue all three sets for left leg then repeat for right leg. You can add resistance to this exercise by placing and squeezing a weight between the bend in your leg.
Abdominals Routine:
1. Ab Crunch - lie on your back with knees bent and feet on the floor, both hands behind your neck and imagine you have an orange under your chin, then without arching your back lift your chest and shoulders off the floor and hold for 5 seconds. Keep your elbows out and back straight and return to start without relaxing when you touch the floor, but immediately go to next rep. To add resistance you can hold weights in both hands and cross them across your chest. If you have back problems you can prop your feet on the seat of a chair.
2. Leg raise - lie flat on back with arms behind neck and legs straight on floor. Simultaneously raise legs without bending knees then lower to start position. This is one rep. Alternative, raise left leg(count #1) then raise right leg(count #2), lower left leg(count #3) then lower right leg(count #4). Repeat until complete all three sets.
3. Reverse Crunch/leg-in - lie on back with arms at sides, bend knees, keep feet on floor and don’t arch your back. Squeeze legs together and raise until body is at 90 degrees and slightly lift butt off floor about 2 inches then lower back to floor. This is one rep. You can add resistance by doing a leg-in which you place a weight between your feet as you crunch your legs in.
As an alternative abdominal exercise in place of the crunch or reverse crunch, and opt for one that focuses on your obliques, you can substitute the foot-2-foot crunch.
Foot-2-Foot Crunch- lie on your back with knees bent and feet on the floor, arms at your sides and shoulders off the ground. Bend to the left and try to touch your heels, then bend to the right trying to touch your heels all while maintaining the crunch position. This is one rep.
Calves Routine: (simple but very effective)
1. Standing angled-out-toe calf raise - stand with feet a natural width apart, weights in both hands, palms facing your body. Point your toes outward away from your body then stand up on your toes as high as possible flexing your calves at the top then lower back down. This is one rep. Complete all three sets with your different weights.
2. Standing straight-toe calf raise - same as exercise #1 except your toes are facing forward. Complete all three sets
3. Standing angled-in-toe calf raise - same as exercise #1 except your toes are pointed inward (pigeon toed). Complete all three sets.
As this routine becomes easier you may add one more exercise to each routine(Progression). For the biceps, triceps, back and calves, you should do no more than four exercises in the routine. But, for the chest, shoulders, thighs, buttocks, and abdominals you can do up to five in the routine. This keeps your working out of that body part safe and effective so as not to overwork the muscle and do more harm than good.
Please refer to The Fat Burning Workout book for more advanced level workouts and exercise descriptions. You are encouraged to choose any three exercises you may find during your research for each body part and use instead of the above mentioned exercises. These are placed here to give you a working blueprint for effective strength training at home or at a gym. Some of the exercises are directly from The Fat Burning Workout, but some were modified based on some industry standards. Many of these exercises are fitness industry standards but they go by different names. If you don’t have three different weight sizes you can modify the sets using just one 10 pound weight for all three exercise and doing 10 reps per exercise.
Working out should become an essential part of your daily routine. You have to make time for your workouts and make them a priority. Because if you don’t then you will allow any minor distraction to become an excuse not to exercise. If the people in your life do not understand why you are so determined to workout everyday and eat healthier everyday, or why it is important for you, then they too will become a distraction and an excuse to skip your workouts. It is time to devote just one hour a day on improving your health because each day you complete a workout and add a new healthy habit, it gets you one step closer to a better body. You make time for everything else in your life, yet you constantly make excuses as to why you can’t exercise. You can, its just not a priority. This happens to be The New Year 2013, therefore your resolution should be simply to make working out and eating healthy a priority just by devoting one hour a day. The key to success is for you not to beat yourself up if you skip a day, but instead to pick up where you left off. Don’t let one or two minor setbacks become an excuse to ditch your entire program. You have to believe that you are worth and any sacrifices you think you are making by choosing exercising over other activities and know that this choice for better health will be well worth it.
Disclaimer: This article is meant only to provide information. It should not be substituted for expert medical advice. When starting any weight training exercise, no matter what size weight whether light or heavy you should check with your doctor first.
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Weekly Checklist
Drink 8 glasses of water every day
Eat a Hearty Healthy breakfast
Get movin’ by walking or aerobics
Eat an Apple or Pear everyday
Say no to your poison, ditch the junk food
Go a little nuts by eating a handful of nuts
Toss Up a Big Bowl of Salad
Take Your Vitamins
Pump It Up!!!
Assignment One
This week’s assignment is two-fold. First, in week one, assignment two you were to start a food journal so you can track what you eat daily. If you haven’t been keeping a food journal, then you will start one this week and continue until the end of the project cycle. The premise behind keeping a food journal is so you become more consciously aware of what you are eating. Therefore, you will be more aware of what you put in your mouth. Second, it also helps to cut down on unaccounted for calories that slip by you especially when snacking. Even though most of the week new habits do not focus on calorie counting, you should become aware of portion sizes and their calorie content. So, add to your food journal, the calorie count when available. Therefore, when the time comes for you to start cutting calories in order to lose more weight quickly, you will have a better chance.
Assignment Two
For this assignment, you will create a monthly workout calendar for your scheduled workouts. Leave room so you can jot down your actual workout for that day in case you skipped one or performed a different one than the one you scheduled. It can be as simple as marking on Monday: upper body, Tuesday: 45 minute walk, Wednesday: lower body etc. On a separate piece of paper or in a notebook you should list the actual exercises, weights and reps for each routine, so your workout flows smoothly. You want your workouts to be stress free so be prepared to know what to do. Always workout in proper shoes and lose clothing.
References
“The Lean - A Revolutionary and Simple 30 Day Plan for Healthy, Lasting Weight Loss” by Kathy Freston
“The Fat-Burning Workout: From Fat to Firm in 24 Days” by Joyce L. Vedral, Ph. D, pg 36-38
http://www.joycevedral.com
The American Council on Exercise
www.acefitness.org/exerciselibrary/default.aspx
Pasion4Profession
http://www.passion4profession.net/
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