terracotta
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[size=+1]Common Fitness Myths[/size]
Myth 1. If you want to get lean, you should focus all of your attention on cardio and/or do high reps/low weight.
Wrong as weight training will help you retain the muscle you currently have and help prevent your BMR (basal metabolic rate) from slowing down. You want to keep lifting the same weights in order to maintain your strength, so that you don't lose that muscle you worked so hard for. [Note - Sometimes higher reps/lower weight are used for specific purposes, eg. a depletion workout within a carb-cycling plan]
Myth 2. Abdominal muscle require daily training with high reps.
If you want well defined abdominals work them at most twice a week with weights. Cable crunches and weighted swiss ball crunches are great. To maximize the effectiveness of crunches, do NOT relax your abs through the negative portion of the lift, and pause at maximum contraction.
Myth 3. Getting a toned look involves using those little pink dumbbells.
Firstly, to see muscle tone, you have to have a good base to start with. Lifting weights can give you this base. There is NO fear of getting huge, as women don't have the testosterone levels of men. You can stop increasing weights when you are happy with the amount of muscle you have.
After you have the base, you will have to lower your bodyfat to see that muscle. This can be done with cardio and diet.
[size=+1]Common Pitfalls[/size]
1. Relying too much on the scale.
Bodyweight changes in response to food, sodium intake, and water intake. For females, there can also be a large increase in bodyweight due to water retention during the menstrual cycle. When you begin a weightlifting routine, within the first few months you may gain several pounds due to increased glycogen and water storage of the muscles. Muscle is more dense than fat, so 1 lb of muscle takes up space than 1 lb of fat. This means you can weigh more and still be leaner. Remember, it is fat loss that is important, not weight loss (as weight includes muscle).
I find the scale is a decent tool for those who have a lot of weight to lose, as they typically will lose fat faster than they can gain muscle. However, if you are closer to your optimal bodyweight, it will become more important to go by how your clothes fit, and how you look in the mirror. You can also take measurements with a measuring tape. I can tell I am losing fat by tracking my waist, butt, and thigh measurements.
2. Unrealistic Goals/Expectations
Set your short term goals realistically. For fat loss, you shouldn't expect to lose more than 1% of your bodyweight per week. For lean body mass gain, a newbie can gain about 1 lb per week. An intermediate lifter can gain about 2 lbs per month.
3. All or nothing approach
If you've went outside of your diet, or missed a training day, dust yourself off, and pick up where you left off. Try not to dwell on it. The quicker you get back on track, the better off you will be. 1 cookie eaten does not mean you have failed.
[size=+1]Female fitness links[/size]
HotNFit.com - Fitness, Weightlifting, Nutrition and Supplements. (my site)
Women's Weight Training
[size=+1]Articles on AM[/size]
26 gym hacks you probably don't use
Should women train like men?
Female fitness trainers
Female fitness and bodybuilding - any woman can!
Female body shapes: which are you?
Fat loss basics
Women at the gym
How useful is scale weight?
Women and weight training
Gender and Fat Loss
Myth 1. If you want to get lean, you should focus all of your attention on cardio and/or do high reps/low weight.
Wrong as weight training will help you retain the muscle you currently have and help prevent your BMR (basal metabolic rate) from slowing down. You want to keep lifting the same weights in order to maintain your strength, so that you don't lose that muscle you worked so hard for. [Note - Sometimes higher reps/lower weight are used for specific purposes, eg. a depletion workout within a carb-cycling plan]
Myth 2. Abdominal muscle require daily training with high reps.
If you want well defined abdominals work them at most twice a week with weights. Cable crunches and weighted swiss ball crunches are great. To maximize the effectiveness of crunches, do NOT relax your abs through the negative portion of the lift, and pause at maximum contraction.
Myth 3. Getting a toned look involves using those little pink dumbbells.
Firstly, to see muscle tone, you have to have a good base to start with. Lifting weights can give you this base. There is NO fear of getting huge, as women don't have the testosterone levels of men. You can stop increasing weights when you are happy with the amount of muscle you have.
After you have the base, you will have to lower your bodyfat to see that muscle. This can be done with cardio and diet.
[size=+1]Common Pitfalls[/size]
1. Relying too much on the scale.
Bodyweight changes in response to food, sodium intake, and water intake. For females, there can also be a large increase in bodyweight due to water retention during the menstrual cycle. When you begin a weightlifting routine, within the first few months you may gain several pounds due to increased glycogen and water storage of the muscles. Muscle is more dense than fat, so 1 lb of muscle takes up space than 1 lb of fat. This means you can weigh more and still be leaner. Remember, it is fat loss that is important, not weight loss (as weight includes muscle).
I find the scale is a decent tool for those who have a lot of weight to lose, as they typically will lose fat faster than they can gain muscle. However, if you are closer to your optimal bodyweight, it will become more important to go by how your clothes fit, and how you look in the mirror. You can also take measurements with a measuring tape. I can tell I am losing fat by tracking my waist, butt, and thigh measurements.
2. Unrealistic Goals/Expectations
Set your short term goals realistically. For fat loss, you shouldn't expect to lose more than 1% of your bodyweight per week. For lean body mass gain, a newbie can gain about 1 lb per week. An intermediate lifter can gain about 2 lbs per month.
3. All or nothing approach
If you've went outside of your diet, or missed a training day, dust yourself off, and pick up where you left off. Try not to dwell on it. The quicker you get back on track, the better off you will be. 1 cookie eaten does not mean you have failed.
[size=+1]Female fitness links[/size]
HotNFit.com - Fitness, Weightlifting, Nutrition and Supplements. (my site)
Women's Weight Training
[size=+1]Articles on AM[/size]
26 gym hacks you probably don't use
Should women train like men?
Female fitness trainers
Female fitness and bodybuilding - any woman can!
Female body shapes: which are you?
Fat loss basics
Women at the gym
How useful is scale weight?
Women and weight training
Gender and Fat Loss
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