If you’re a woman and you like to work out, you’ve probably heard this admonition, right? “Don’t lift heavy weights unless you want to bulk up.” However, nothing could be further from the truth. A personal trainer DC-based fitness expert tells us exactly what DOES happen when women lift weights — and why it’s absolutely not possible for women to bulk up when they do lift heavy weights.

Why is it impossible for women to build up muscles like men in spite of lifting heavy weights?

One reason is that the levels of testosterone hormone in men and women are not the same. The only difference is that women have only 15 to 20 times less the amount of testosterone hormone than men. But this difference is enough to keep women from building the kind of bulky muscles that men can. That is why it is absolutely fine if women lift heavy weights assuming that their health and physical strength supports this.

What DOES happen when women lift heavy weights?

Women do have a small amount of testosterone in their bodies, so when they lift weights, they tone, rather than develop bulky muscle. Because they don’t have a lot of testosterone, they’ll gain the muscle without the mass.

* The more the repetitions the more the muscle bulk, but most women limit themselves to few reps.

When guys get into weightlifting, they will often do lots of reps at high weights. Women in general do considerably less, which builds strength but not “volume.”

* Heavy weights develop strength, not size.

Women get strength and not bulk muscle by lifting weights. Women get muscle strength and neurological improvement because while lifting weights the nervous system is stressed as much as the muscles, but there is no increase in the size.

* There are several benefits which women derive from lifting heavy weights.

Now that all your doubts regarding weightlifting and bulk in women have been clarified, you have every reason to take up lifting heavy weights, provided your health and physical conditions allow it.

You are losing out on the benefits of heavy weight lifting if you are avoiding it because lifting weights has several positive effects on women. Not only does it help in strengthening your muscles but it also ensures that connective tissues and bones become stronger. It also provides several benefits in the long run, especially prevents diseases that come with age.

Josef Brandenburg is an award winning DC based personal fitness trainer. His clients count on him to help them get the bodies they want in the time that they actually have and without being hungry or eating nasty food. Click here to find out more about his 7-Day Free Trial.

Everyone wants to burn fat fast. If you have ever been on a diet or workout regimen, you know how hard that can be.

The two most important aspects of weight loss? Diet and exercise, of course! While everyone knows this, you may not know about some easy changes you can make to get more from your routine.

Get your body going and drop those extra pounds with these helpful tips.

Burn Fat Fast with Diet

Everyone knows what to eat for good health: fruits and vegetables, whole grains, protein, etc. The following tips will help your body become better at burning fat.

1. Make sure to eat plenty of fiber.

Fiber helps with fat burning, as well as promoting good general health. You should get about 25 grams of fiber each day ? the average American only gets 10 grams.

Eating plenty of whole wheat pastas, breads, and cereals, fruits and vegetables, and nuts can help you get the fiber you need. They are easy to add into your meals, and they can help you see results sooner.

2. Choose a better bedtime snack.

Certain foods keep your body from burning fat. Eating foods like white breads and pastas, fruit, juice, and others that are loaded with simple carbs may actually cause your body to increase its fat deposits while you sleep. If you feel hungry before bed, eat a vegetable.

3. Eat less, eat more.

Small meals spread throughout the day keeps hunger pangs at bay. Another simple change: eat your vegetables before your heavier main course.

This can help fill you up so you are less tempted to eat too much of the less healthy foods.

4. Size matters.

Most of us are woefully lacking in portion control. But this simple skill can help keep you from eating until you are stuffed. By using a smaller plate or eating more slowly, you can prevent overeating.

5. Eat, then exercise.

To maximize your workouts, eat a snack 90 minutes before you start. This snack should be high in protein and low in carbohydrates. Adding this to your routine can help you burn more calories and burn fat fast. Make sure not to eat it any sooner than an hour and a half before you exercise, though, because it can decrease the effects of your workout.

The best diet in the world can’t help you burn fat fast and maintain your weight loss. Exercise is absolutely essential and provides many benefits for your health.

6. Inhale and exhale with your nose.

This helps regulate your heart rate better so you can exercise longer. This means more calories burned! Practice this and soon you’ll notice a difference in your workouts.

7. Adding intervals helps increase efficiency.

If you are a walker, try adding periods of more intense activity. Speed up for two minutes, and then walk more slowly for three. As you progress, add more periods of brisk walking and make them last longer.

This is also a great way to break into running. You will burn a lot more calories and burn fat faster.

8. Do your weight training first.

Your body takes about 15-20 minutes to warm up. If you do your weights first, by the time you do your cardio, your body is primed to go. You’ll burn more calories. Don’t forget to do some stretching before you start the weight training.

9. Make it different!

Doing the same routine day after day is a good way to keep your body from burning fat fast.

Make sure your body gets cardio, flexibility, and strength training. Have you ever stuck with an exercise routine until you feel like you’re working but your body isn’t responding? This is because it is so efficient at performing the moves, it doesn’t need to burn many calories.

Constantly challenge your body by throwing it new and interesting activities. If it’s too easy, it’s not working!

10. Get more from your cardio with weights.

Adding weights to your routine helps you burn more calories and build stronger muscles. Even adding some bicep curls while you’re on your treadmill can help you see results sooner.

If you want to burn fat fast, it takes both diet and exercise. Little changes like the ones above can help you reap big benefits.

Check out leading weight loss programs like the outstanding combat the fat. Another good option is warp speed fat loss to experience a new way to trim fat.

Work out a time schedule to do your weight lifting routines and eat right if you want to be successful in this effort to gain muscle. Weight lifting should be approached the same way as athletes approach their routines.

Muscle growth happens as you lift a weight, resulting in the micro fibrils in your muscles tearing apart and then slowly grow back. These fibers grow back thicker and stronger after each damaging weight lifting routine, but need a lot of time and nutrients to enable successful re-growth. Two to three days of recovery will be sufficient time to allow this process to complete.

After a resting period of up to 72 hours, you can repeat the tearing process again. This ongoing process will stimulate muscles into growing quite a lot larger. Keep in mind that the healing period is vital otherwise you simply keep on ripping muscles apart and they do not heal, causing yourself great pain and discomfort. This is why a sensible routine makes a lot of sense as it avoids over-exercising by accident.

To give each part of your body time to heal, you should exercise each muscle group only every three to four days. Choose a group of muscles that sit close to each other like stomach muscles, legs and shoulders as your main three areas and workout each area every three days only. This way you do a full body workout once week with enough recovery time in between.

After only a couple of weeks your body will react very well to these daily weight lifting sessions, but you may tire as well, so keep one day a week where you do not see the inside of a gym at all. Resting days build up energy for the next week and prevent that dreaded burn out feeling.

Muscles adapt to strain quickly and may need a new challenge quite soon or they will simply stop growing. This is called striking a plateau, and may be very disheartening. To stop this from happening, mix up your exercise routines frequently putting different strains on different muscle groups than the week before. Ask about grips as they may change the smallest of muscles into larger ones by making tiny adjustments.

As your muscles develop, they will get a lot stronger, thus you will have to increase the total weight you lift with every session. Slowly but surely your body will adapt again to the heavier lifting, so stay ahead and keep increasing the weights before they become to easy to lift. Lifting weights that are too easy to pick up will have no benefit at all as you simply irritate the muscles by avoiding maximum stress on them.

Your diet is as important as the weights you lift as your body will need the right food at the appropriate times to assist the muscles to re-grow. Eat a fair amount of protein as these are the basic building materials for new muscle. To avoid getting tired, you must include enough carbohydrates as well, as this food group fuels the energy levels of the body enabling you to keep up with the weight lifting regime.

Were you looking for weight lifting routines to gain size and muscle mass? Then visit Jace P. Andersen at DoubleYourMuscle.com to learn how to design your own muscle workouts now!

 

The majority of  people that I talk to concerning health and fitness talk about “getting in shape”.  But I do not think they realize that their words are in fact counterproductive to their aspirations of burning fat. You hear a lot of people lamenting about being out of shape and saying things like, I need to get in shape and burn fat or, I need to get in shape and burn fat. What you don’t hear them saying is, I need to get in shape, burn fat, and stay that way.

They may well want to stay in shape, but their mindset is focused on getting in shape.  This makes you further prone to the fad diets and most recent exercise gimmick on the market.  You are so focused on getting in shape that you will try just about anything in spite of how ridiculous or tough to follow it may seem, because you are completely focused on the short term goal.

A easy change in the “quick fix” mindset to one of long term achievement will steer you along the right path. You will be less enticed by the late night TV hard sell, and more pin-pointed on doing the correct things most of the time.  Wouldn’t you agree that life long health and fitness is what’s most important?

Certainly making an environment in your body that allows you to burn fat fast is key to this goal. A individual who is in shape in their 50s and 60s is a lot more impressive to me than somebody who is lean and fit in their 20s and 30s. That is because the dedication to balancing the proper exercise plan and a sensible nutrition plan for the rest of your life is rare to find. It’s a rare mindset.

If you truly want to change your physique and your health for good, you need to make it a lifestyle, a habit. As a consequence that begins in your mind.  That is what the individuals who are slender for life do. In fact, if I think about all of the people I personally know that are in fantastic shape and have been for a while, I began to figure out that they have their minds on staying in shape.

They think about it day and night, not obsessively, but with each thing they do…they subconsciously think is this going to positively or negatively impact my long term health and fitness?.  Am I performing everything I reasonably can to burn fat and live a healthy lifestyle?. 

The good news is that research shows you can develop simple habits like those involved in eating and exercising suitably in under a month…sometimes even sooner. In addition with the form of exercise and diet information I suggest to my Fat Burning Furnace students, you do not need to give up your life’s pursuits so that you are working out every day,  nor do you require to follow a wild diet you can’t sensibly make a lifestyle out of.

Furthermore after a few months of practicing these methods, I’ve found that your body will begin telling you it wants to keep exercising and eating properly…you just will not feel right with out it.  Why?  Because your body naturally wants to be healthy and lean.

As a result I urge you to forgo the “get in shape” mindset, and instead embrace the idea of staying in shape and creating that fat burning furnace that is so essential to life long health and fitness.

Envision yourself in the body of your dreams, now, tomorrow, and 5, 10, 20 or more years from now.  What would you be doing then, in your lean, strong, and healthy body?  Chances are, you will not be trying to “get in shape”.  Instead, you will be burning fat 24/7, and enjoying life as you should…full of vitality and enthusiasm.

There actually are people who wonder whether alcohol negatively affects their muscle building activities. Yes, alcohol definitely affects your work out in a negative way.

Protein is vital for building muscles, and therefore should not be interfered with. Unfortunately, alcohol impairs protein synthesis. Alcohol consumptions has been shown to slow down the protein synthesis by which amino acids are joined together to create complete proteins by 20%.

Another factor in muscle building is the level of testosterone in the body. Have you ever noticed that women do not build the same amount of muscle mass as men? This is because of low levels of testosterone, women have 15-20 times less testosterone than men do. What does that have to do with alcohol? Alcohol decreases the amount of testosterone in the body and increases levels of estrogen.

When yo drink alcohol your kidneys retain large amounts of water so they can process the toxin. Yes, the body recognizes alcohol as a toxin. The body can become dehydrated when this happens.

Nerves control and contract muscles by producing stimuli from electrolyte minerals dissolved in water. Water is very beneficial to you and your body during work outs and exercise. Not only will it keep you hydrated, but you will find that water will help lubricate your joints and reduce the risk of injury during your exercise workouts.

Drinking alcohol robs your body of key vitamins. Alcohol depletes Vitamins B, C and A; in addition to calcium and phosphorous. If you consider the most important vitamins to develop healthy muscles are B and C, that is just one more reason that drinking alcohol while building muscle is such a big deal.

Building muscle is done by depleting fat and increasing muscle mass. Alcohol works against this effort. Alcohol works against this effort. Alcohol contains empty calories, which means that they have no nutritional value. It also has twice as many calories as carbohydrates and protein.

While we are on the subject of calorie it is important to note that the calories taken in while drinking are the first ones burnt. This means that all other fat stores will remain and not be used for energy until alcohol calories are all burned. Not a good combination for a person wanting to build muscle mass and lose fat.

Alcohol affects on bodybuilding have been examined, but you also have to consider how alcohol affects the rest of the body. If you are trying to gain muscle mass, and are considering using products to help you, you need to be aware of the dangers of such products. Before you buy any product you need to research the pros AND the cons of that product. If you suffer from any of these, it will prove difficult to build muscle. Is it really worth the cost?

You can find here a lot of free bodybuilding workouts, articles and programs. Find a lot of information about bodybuilding supplement industry to reveal the honest truth about building muscle, maximizing strength and dissolving away unwanted bodyfat. Visit us if you want to read more Bodybuilding Articles

If you ever spend any amount of time in front of the TV after midnight, you are bound to see some infomercials. A good portion of those are probably promoting ab related products. You’ll see machines, pills, fad diets, and workouts that promise to give you that six pack of your dreams. While there is no shortage of theories, do any of them really work?

The vast majority of these fads do not last very long, they are exposed for what they are and people move on to the next breakthrough invention. If most of these fail, is there any way to get flat abs?

The truth is, the best way to get a six pack is with a time tested approach. You might not want to hear this, but the best way to achieve this goal is through a healthy diet and exercise. There really aren’t any legitimate shortcuts to getting the body of your dreams. If you do find a way to drop a few pounds quickly, the weight will probably come back just as quickly.

What types of exercises should you do now that you have to exercise? It is best to just get on the ground and start doing thousands of crunches or are there more effective ways to lose the fat? Will this give you the six pack of your dreams? Actually it won’t do much at first. A layer of fat covers up your ab muscles. Once you get rid of the fat, you will see your abs. How is it possible to lose the fat?

Many people have the misconception that they need to routinely undergo hours worth of jogging on their treadmill. However, this is a common misconception as well. Interval and weight training are the best way to burn fat quickly. Weight training burns calories when you are working out and when you are resting.

Your muscles will be like incinerators for calories once they begin to develop more. As a result of this, you will be able to burn fat much more rapidly. To add to weight training workouts, it is a good idea to mix in short bursts of sprinting workouts.

You should eat healthier in addition to doing the right exercises. You won’t be successful in life if you don’t stand up and do your duty. Getting different results in your life requires you to take different actions. You need to change what you’re eating to obtain a six pack. You should eat foods which are healthy and drink a whole bunch of water. If you eat good food, that is going to return great results for you.

Gaining yourself a six pack is not an impossible task. You won’t have a six-pack when you get up in the morning; understand that this is not an easy process. Know that it can be done if you stick with it. Depending on how much fat you need to lose, this can be a lengthy process.

Don’t waste your time, effort and cash on B.S. “Miracle Programs” that don’t deliver results! Learn the honest truth revealed by a real Body Building expert and finally start noticing the gains you deserve. Visit us if you want to read more Bodybuilding Articles

A large number of people observe the steady increase in fat around their midsection as they start to age.  This is because your metabolism starts to slow down when you age and fat tends to shift to the abdominal people.  But people young and old, both men and women, have to deal with an unsightly belly.  Excess belly fat is not only ugly to look at, but it is also a major health risk.  A large amount of fat in your body’s abdominal area can lead to some serious health issues since many important organs lie in that area.  But with the right fitness plan and abdominal exercises, these problems can be eliminated.

Within this article, you will read about a few abdominal exercises and equipment that you can utilize at various workout facilities and gyms.  There is a wide range of equipment available and each machine targets a specific set of abdominal muscles. A machine that I am very fond of is called the Abs Rocket trainer. But there are many more ab machines out there.  So take a look at these pieces of equipment to see which ones will likely give you the best results.

1. The bicycle maneuver.  The bicycle exercise functions by having you lie flat on your back while you keep your knees bent at a 45 degree angle with your chest.  Reach your elbow up to the opposite knee then switch elbows and do the same thing.  Your legs should be pedeling just like you are riding a bicycle, while your elbows move in a similar motion, alternating and crossing to the opposite knee.  This exercise will tone the sides of your abs and you should see your waistline shrink if you perform this exercise often. There is also a situp machine that will help you perform this exercise more effectively.

2. The balance ball.  The exercise ball is good alternative for doing your standard ab crunches.  It utilizes the same type of motion as a typical crunch or sit up, but with better results.  Even just sitting on the ball works your abs because they have to use muscles for balance and support.  Keep your feet apart, rest your back on the ball, and raise and lower your trunk.  You should be able to feel your abs working with just a few movements!

3. The Roman chair.  This piece of exercise equipment requires you to hang with your back straight and forearms rested parallel on the sit up machine.  You simple raise your knees upward to your chest them bring them back down again.  It may sound simple enough, but this exercise is difficult for most people since it greatly works the lower abs.

There are many more abdominal exercises and equipment so make sure you try as many as possible to see which ones are the best for you.  Workout on different fitness machines so that your entire ab region can be strengthened.  Adding abdominal exercises to a lifestyle with healthy eating and cardio aerobics will guarantee a smaller mid-section!

A great deal of people discover a “tire” of fat around their mid-section as they start to age.  This is because your metabolism starts to slow down when you age and fat tends to shift to the abdominal people.  But people young and old, both men and women, have to deal with an unsightly belly.  Unfortunately excess belly fat is more than attractive; it is actually bad for your health.  Since many important organs lie in your body’s abdominal cavity, too much fat in that area can lead to serious health problems like heart disease and diabetes.  But with the right fitness plan and abdominal exercises, these problems can be eliminated.

Within this article, you will read about a few abdominal exercises and equipment that you can utilize at various workout facilities and gyms.  There is a wide range of equipment available and each machine targets a specific set of abdominal muscles. A machine that I am very fond of is called the Ab Rocket trainer.   But there are other reliable abdominal workout machines that work quite well.  So take a look at these pieces of equipment to see which ones will likely give you the best results.

1. The bicycle maneuver.  The bicycle exercise functions by having you lie flat on your back while you keep your knees bent at a 45 degree angle with your chest.  Reach your elbow up to the opposite knee then switch elbows and do the same thing.  Your legs should be making a pedaling motion as if you were on a bicycle, while your elbows are doing a similar motion, only crossing to the opposite knee.  This exercise will tone the sides of your abs and you should see your waistline shrink if you perform this exercise often. There is also a situp machine that will help you perform this exercise more effectively.

2. The fitness ball.  This a good alternative to floor crunches.  It applies the same movement as your typical ab crunch, but the results will be much better.  Even just sitting on the ball works your abs because they have to use muscles for balance and support.  Keep your feet apart, rest your back on the ball, and raise and lower your trunk.  You should be able to feel your abs working with just a few movements!

3. The Roman chair.  This piece of exercise equipment requires you to hang with your back straight and forearms rested parallel on the sit up machine.  You simple raise your knees upward to your chest them bring them back down again.  It may sound simple enough, but this exercise is difficult for most people since it greatly works the lower abs.

There are many more abdominal exercises and equipment so make sure you try as many as possible to see which ones are the best for you.  Utilize a number of different ab machines so that you can get a total abdominal workout.  Adding abdominal exercises to a lifestyle with healthy eating and cardio aerobics will guarantee a smaller mid-section!

To build muscle mass and reduce fat weight trainers use bodybuilding supplements. Another reason for taking them is to enhance the user’s performance while also facilitating recovery from the duress of exercise and training.

Some supplements are necessary to insure that you body receives the right amount of nutrition when you are increasing your activity due a training program. Lack of these can cause you to not have the energy necessary to do the strenuous exercises involved in bodybuilding.

To grow muscle, you require protein supplements like, for example, creatine and whey protein. Taking vitamin and mineral supplement during training will be sure that your body does not lose them in the process. The food eaten by us is converted into energy by vitamins and minerals. Vitamins also help with muscle building and burning fat.

Protein supplements that will help you with building muscle along with your training program include creatine, amino acids, testosterone boosters, and whey protein. These proteins are essential for building muscle and help with muscle soreness.

There are ways to help you burn excess fat like carb blockers, supplements that burn fat and appetite suppressants. Antioxidants such as green tea are good for a natural energy boost. There are plenty of energy boosting products and supplements available now to increase your amounts of energy and endurance as you work out.

First of all, you have to eat a balanced diet that is good for your health. Supplements are necessary because it is difficult to get sufficient nutrients from our overprocessed, over-cooked food choices. Supplements are necessary because it is difficult to get sufficient nutrients from our overprocessed, over-cooked food choices.

It takes much more than vitamins and minerals to build strong, healthy muscles. Hard work and commitment are required in order to build up lean muscles and reduce fat deposits. If you do not ingest a supplement with your diet and training, you will have a very hard time building muscle.

Bodybuilding is not a good time to begin using steroids. You will build muscle at record speed; but you will sacrifice your health and well being. It is hard for the tendons and ligaments to keep up with the muscles which are fast in growing, which creates body builders who use steroids to be more susceptible to injury.

They also cause extreme aggressiveness, affect liver and other essential functions in the body. There is not a magic pill that can make you build muscle and lose weight without a lot of hard work and dedication. These products can also be dangerous.

Never lose sight of the fact that supplements only work when your diet and your training program are optimal. They are the basis of any muscle building program and no amount of supplementation with the latest and greatest products will make up for bad eating habits or improper training.

We shot the lid off of the body building and supplement industry to reveal the honest and unbiased truth about building muscle, gaining strength and melting away undesirable bodyfat. Visit us if you want to read more Bodybuilding Articles

Perhaps you have been through this type of thing before where by you have decided to improve your health and fitness and in the beginning you felt really motivated. Maybe you watched an inspiring film that prompted you to take action, perhaps a friend of yours you hadn’t seen for a while turned up having lost a lot of weight or having gained significant muscle mass or perhaps you were just fed up of feeling lethargic and unfit. Whatever the reason you started exercising and continued to do so for a few weeks.

However after a while your motivation decreased, you got busy at work, you got tired of making the effort or the results weren’t as good as you’d hoped for and you unconsciously quit your healthy exercise lifestyle. If that all sounds familiar then here are a few easy ways to help regain and sustain your motivation for a healthier lifestyle: 

Try setting an enjoyable goal. For example, consider planning out a mountain biking/kayaking/hiking trip in an amazing area of the earth like the the Canadian Rockies, The Andes or The Alps. You really do have an exciting motivating thing to aim for now with this trip. You will need to be in good physical health in order to enjoy your trip to the fullest. If your trip is in 5 montsh time then you can plan a realistic schedule with your fitness goals in mind.

Optin to take part in a local area event. I bet there are plenty of local events that you can get involved with simply have a look on line. Choose one of these events as a target to shoot for. Tell a close friend about your plans so they can encourage you in your training and come to watch you on the day. 

Take up a sport or hobby, this doesn’t have to be an ultra serious thing just a light hearted game of soccer or hockey at the weekends but it gives you an easy and enjoyable way to monitor your fitness levels. The first few sessions you will feel the strain but over the course of a few weeks you will get noticeably better.

Visualise. Although this may sound a little strange at first, find a few minutes every day to draw a picture in your imagination of exactly how you want your life to be. Carrying this out trigger powerful signals to be sent to your sub conscious mind that are about your everyday decisions and day to day actions. Repeat this daily and continuously and your behaviour will naturally amend itself and start to push you towards your goals automatically and easily. Many top athletes use techniques such as this simply becuase it brings great results.

Get your pet dog, friends and family involved. You are less likely to get bored and give up the more people that are involved. You are a great deal less likely to be lazy and be inactive at home if your mates are phoning and texting you to get you to go to join them.

Learn more. Be curious find out about building lean muscle mass, find out how to get a 6 pack, find out how to shed pounds, find out what muscle building nutrition you need for lean muscle building and so on. By growing your knowledge you are quite probably going to improve the rate that your fitness levels will increase which will then serve to increase your motivation more.

Don’t compare yourself to others. I don’t care who exactly you are there is aways going to be people fitter, sexier, more muscular or whatever than you are. Acknowledge this fact and realise that we all travel through this life process each from our own different perspectives. Only make comparisons with your self and your own progress by taking measurements such as bodyfat percentage but the most important thing is that you feel good about what your doing and yourself this is a much better indicator of your improvement in health.

So, with those tips in mind go hit the gym and do whatever it is that you enjoy doing to keep fit, build lean muscle mass or whatever else you want to do, you can do it, just keep it fun.