Weightloss Nikki Style: Step 3 Assign 1 Stepping it up a Notch

Stepping it up a notch Step 3 Assignment 1

by Weight Loss Nikki Style on Monday, October 10, 2011 at 5:00am

Stepping it up a notch Step 3 Assignment 1

We have been working on making exercise a daily routine for about 2 weeks now. I am not sure about you, but I have integrated it so well that it I make time for it. If my schedule is not going to allow it, then I rearrange it! I don't care if it is 8pm I still get it in!

You should be doing about 30 min of cardio and 10 min of stretching 5 days a week at this point. Now it is time to add my all time favorite in...strength training!!! Oh how I love to strength train!!! There is something about lifting weights that makes me feel invincible:)

A few very important points about strength training:

1. It will increase the amount of calories you burn, why? A pound of fat burns zero calories at rest, a pound of muscle burns 50 at rest! Yes that means that if you add one pound of muscle to your body you have increased your calorie burning capacity by 50 calories, imagine if you added 5 pounds of muscle?? Essentially you have boosted your metabolism! ( you actually can eat more, but stay the same weight, or you could eat less and lose more weight )

2. Strength training helps your body get through the fact that it is forced into "starvation mode" when dieting. (I will explain starvation mode in tomorrows assignment)

3. Every time you strength train you are helping to prevent things like osteoporosis. Strength training is pivotal in the war against bone density. As you get older your muscles naturally start to break down, so muscle mass is lost, but if you strength train on a regular basis it can slow this process. The muscles pull on the bones and then the skeletal system is sent a signal to build stronger, denser bones, protecting you against osteoporosis.

The list could go on and on, I will tell you more about these later but for now lets get you started.

Don't be afraid, most women hear strength training and they picture Arnold Schwarzenegger! On the contrary, you are not going to look all muscled up..unless you want to use steroids that is! Our bodies are predisposed to look a certain way and let's face it, we are women. We naturally don't have rippling muscles and most of us who are reading these posts are not about to spend the 10 hours a day in the gym that it would take for us ladies to get them. So I don't want to hear the excuses of "I don't want to look all muscly" I have heard it before and I am here to tell you that it is only an excuse and I can see right through it!

Next, you don't need to go out and sign up for gym membership, or buy tons of different expensive equipment to get started. You can use something as simple as a can of soup. Anything that is weight bearing will work, another thing that is really great is exercise bands, you can buy them in Walmart for like 10 bucks, or a simple 2-5 pound weight will work. If you are a beginner then start with 1-2 pounds and you will eventually work your way up.

Assignment

Now you have your weights I am going to give you a simple series of arm exercises, now a couple things to remember are:

1. Never work out the same muscles two days in a row, they need a day of rest in between workouts when strength training.The day of rest is how they build themselves up and make themselves stronger.

2. Always stretch after working out!!!!!

3. Remember to breathe, you need to feed that muscle oxygen so it can perform to it's peak potential. Breathe in on the easy part of the exercise and exhale when you are engaging (the hard part of the exercise) the muscle.

4. Slow movements, and be sure to leave your joints soft. Never hyper extend them. You want them soft at all times and never go to the point where they lock.

5. Protect your back, keep your abs tight the entire time you are performing the action.

These are your assignments
Bicep Curl
Tricep Kickback
Lateral Shoulder Raises