Why Women Should Start Lifting Heavy Things (01/08 )

Aloha readers! 

As a personal trainer and fitness enthusiast myself, I occasionally get asked questions related to health and fitness, particularly weight lifting.

When I first started working out, my goal was to lose weight - and all I did was cardio (running, more specifically). I was able to lose weight, but the weight loss plateaued pretty quickly. That's what I started exploring exercises that involved weights like dumbbells, barbells, and resistance machines. I fell in love FAST. The results were starting to show after a couple of months, and my friends and family began to notice the positive changes in my appearance and attitude. 

      

Besides the change in appearance and attitude, there are so many other benefits that should encourage us women to debunk the myth that lifting weights will make us manly or bulky. So how can lifting heavy things (or weights in general) benefit the female population, you ask? 

1. Build stronger, lean muscles. If you're trying to lose weight, burning excess fat stored is important, but building lean muscle mass is also very important for overall health. Many people think muscle weights more than fact. However, 1 pound of fat weighs exactly the same as 1 pound of muscle. In fact, muscle is about 18% more dense than fat, which is the reason why one pound of muscle occupies less volume/space than one pound of fat. Lean muscle also burns more calories at rest compared to it's counterpart - another great benefit to lift weights! 

(http://bamboocorefitness.com/one-pound-of-fat-versus-one-pound-of-muscle-clearing-up-the-misconception/)

2. Feel more confident in your own skin. Contrary to what people believe - that women lifting weights  will make them bulky and look manly - resistance training in a routine manner, paired with a nutritious diet, can help build sexy curves! 

(http://www.sheknows.com/health-and-wellness/articles/838251/6-ways-to-boost-your-body-confidence)

3. Improve bone density. Bone mineral content is a rising issue in aging women. Bone density peaks in the late teens and early 20's for females, and can start breaking down as early as the age 30. Resistance training can help maintain and potentially improve bone density, decreasing the risk of osteoporosis. Resistance training can also help strengthen joint functions, tendon and ligament strength. 

4. Improve your stamina. Improved stamina helps you work longer without feeling tired as quickly. Building stamina also improves your overall fitness level. 

5. Improved sense of well-being. Doing something routinely to be physically active can help boost feel good hormones in your body, causing you to feel a self-confidence boost, and improve your overall mood and body image. 

6. Prevent and/or control chronic diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, depression, and obesity. 

7. Prevent the slowing down of your metabolism. Metabolism can start decreasing slowly by the age 30. Weight lifting and building lean muscle can help maintain and potentially increase your metabolism. 

8. Handle your stress better. Stress is something we all deal with at different levels on a daily basis. Exercise, such as weight training, can help decrease the production of stress hormones. On top of that, the release of serotonin, a feel good hormone, can help you feel happier and more relaxed after a sweat session. 

Hopefully these are some good reasons to get you off your feet and ready to pick up the dumbbells for the first time! Please comment below if any of the above tips in particular worked for you! I'd love to hear your stories :) 

Cheers!

xoxo

Workout of the Day: Back and Bi's (10/27)

Aloha!

Today was my first day back at the gym after a couple weeks off due to the chaotic amount of work that had to be done during midterm weeks D= 

It was a hard workout to get through today because of my mentality, as it felt like half the time I wasn't really there :( On top of that, my heart rate monitor was acting up, and refused to tell me that I do have a heart beat. It either needs a good proper cleaning and battery change, or maybe it's just time for a new one! 

But tomorrow, tomorrow is a new day. And tomorrow, it will be better :) 

Not to mention that I got my LED Better socks to keep me warm AND show off during my squats :D 

Today's workout was very close to what my basic back and bicep workouts look like, but I also threw in those "should wing raisers". I wrote that when I was half asleep, so excuse the silly name. It's the exercise where you have your arms on your side in an L shape, and you lift the weights with upper delts and shoulder muscles. Ohhh I'm going to feel the burn tomorrow! 

This seemed appropriate since 1: I don't like the treadmill, and 2: the machines were all full for the next 2 hours when I got to the gym, so today was no cardio/elliptical day for me :P 

Legs and abs tomorrow! And maybe a little it of shoulder work, depending on how they feel! 

Until then! 

Cheers! 

xoxo

Workout of the Day: 01/24 (Bicep Bananza)

Couple weeks back, I remember blogging about how I had the intentions of putting extra focus on one muscle group each month. Evidently that hasn't happened, but my biceps are definitely one of the prioritized areas for me. Why? Because it's probably what I flex the most in all my pictures (guilty!). 

Tip: It's easy to just go through the motions during 

bicep workouts. To really maximize the workout, 

focus on squeezing your biceps (or muscles in general) 

for a couple seconds when you're contracting 

your muscles (tummies in!) 

Here's a little progress update on my baby biceps 

(approx. september 2013 and now) 

Happy Friday! 

Cheers :) 

xoxo

Workout of the Day: 01/14 + What's in my Gym Bag

What feels even better/ just as great than stepping back into the gym on the first day, is going back the day right after. It marks the beginning of a new stretch, and it shows that I am fully committed.

Today's workout was a chest, tricep, and shoulder circuit - again, inspired by Fitness Barbie Lauren Gleisberg.

Shoulder press - 10 pounds/db 

Bench press - 15 pounds/db

Tricep extension - 20 lbs/arm 

Incline flyes - 10 lbs/db 

Side lateral punches - 8 lbs/db

I've never been a big fan of circuits, mostly because every gym is designed differently and it's so hard to do some of them. ie. One of today's circuit required jump rope, which I cannot do INSIDE my school gym (I must step outside to ensure I don't whip anyone in the face). So when I see circuits on the training plan, the first that comes to mind is - improvise.

Today's workout was great, except for a few things.

1. Someone has apparently stolen the ONLY set of 12 pound hexagonal dumbbells available in the facility - I am forced to either up my sets to 15 or dumb it down to 10 :\

2. I find that I have trouble getting my heart rate up during certain exercises - it never really goes over 140. When I hit the 150's and 160's occasionally, I know that I've been pushing myself.

3. On the very last rep of my last set of shoulder punches, I turned my neck at the wrong angle and I strained my neck - it still hurt's a bit to turn my head! Due to that, I wasn't able to finish the last part of the circuit.

What's In my Gym Bag? 

1. Nike Running Shoes
2. Polar FT4 Heart Rate monitor watch and heart rate monitor strap
3. Headband and bobby pins
4. Headphones
5. Lock
6. Student ID (required for entrance to facility)
7. My phone for some beats!!!!

All of those items you see there (+ my workout clothes) all fit into the tiny little bag underneath it, and it surprisingly all fits into my new lululemon bag, which I also use as a school bag! So really, there's a whooooole lot more of junk that's in my "gym bag/school bag".

Here's a little progress on my arms:

My left arm always looks more toned than the right! 

Wednesdays are always busy busy school days, so I'm going to give myself a rest day and focus on my studies for the evening!

Cheers!
xoxo

New Year, New Me!

Hello fellow readers!
I'm very very sorry for the lack of updates the past couple weeks - I needed time off to spend with my friends and family, and I also needed time to myself to think about things.

The past few weeks I haven't done much weight lifting, and my diet hasn't been consistent. I felt like I've basically fallen off track. But every time I encounter these "falling off track's", I learn more about myself, what I really want (my goals), and what I need to do to reach those goals.

1. New goals of the year
When I think about what I want to accomplish in 2014, a lot of things run through my mind. After a couple weeks of having time to myself, I've realized that there are many things I would like to change and improve on - in terms of my health, my diet, my lifestyle, and a few things about my own personality traits.
I would like to work on my patience levels, and express my gratitude for many things on by writing it down or sharing it on the web with you guys.
Here's a recap of other NRY I posted last time:

2. Continuing to work hard in school
I am very happy with my results from last semester. It feels so good to know that all the hard work has finally started to pay off. I'm finally getting one step closer to being accepted into my program to become a registered dietitian :D
The holidays have made me kinda lazy, but I'm excited to start school again. School is what keeps me on track! I have a set schedule, I know where I have to be at what time, and I can allocate my other activities such as workout sessions, family dinners, and studying time around class times.

3. I have decided to follow some bodybuilding.com workouts for the next few weeks to kick start the new year workout sessions. I enjoy planning my own workouts, but I feel that I'm lacking some surprise elements in them. Hopefully changing up my workout plans ever so often will keep things exciting for me :)

4. Being more active on my blog
I remember when the school year first started, I had a set day where I would blog once a week. Slowly along the way I started slipping and didn't post on the day I wanted to and it became once every couple weeks. This year, I am going to make it my goal to post my workout routine on my blog EVERY TIME. Since I'm aiming to workout 3 times a week, expect to see a few posts every week ! :)

I'll post some "progress" pics in a couple days to show you guys and myself where I am right now. There probably isn't much progress anymore from all this crazy non-sense holiday eating.

Cheers!
xoxo

Selina :)

Weekly Article: Which Should I do First: Cardio or Weights?

Which Should I do First: Cardio or Weights? 

When it comes to exercise, females tend to be under the illusion that lifting weights will make them grow bulky muscles, and that cardio is the only way to lose weight. However, that is not the case. 

Females naturally do not have the same testosterone levels as men do, so it’s almost near impossible to build huge muscles like the ones you see on male bodybuilders. That means when you consistently lift weights and eat a clean and balanced diet, you will build lean muscle on your body and work your way towards getting those curves that almost all ladies desire.  

Moving off the treadmill and towards the dumbbell rack can actually do you more benefit that you may have realized. Weight lifting bears many benefits. Building lean muscle to achieve those sexy looking curves, increasing bone strength and density, and increasing your metabolism are just a few of the many benefits. Lean muscle helps raise your metabolism and burns more calories than fat while resting.

For the female audience who’s main goal is weight loss, the treadmill is a good option to start with. Unfortunately, simply sticking to the treadmill may not allow you to achieve weight loss in the long run. When your body becomes familiar and comfortable with your workout routine, your body and the numbers on the scale start to a plateau.

On the other hand, for the female audience who are trying to achieve the sexy curves look, the answer is obvious - lift those weights! Consistently lifting weights will help your body strengthen it’s muscles while slowly burning fat stores for energy.  

So the answer is both! Do both! When you combine a mixture of weight lifting and cardio, you can maximize the results of your workouts! Utilize the treadmill or elliptical to burn calories, but also use the dumbbells and barbells to strengthen your muscles.

When you’ve got less body fat to keep your muscles from hiding, you will then appear more toned with the right curves at the right places! Combine that with a motivation, dedication, and a healthy balanced diet, and you will be on your way to the new, sexier you in a matter of months! 

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