Back to Lifting

I haven't posted in a while because the class I had to start the blog for had ended, but I guess I can still share some relevant information. Not only did I take time off from posting I also took some time off from lifting. I definitely took a little too much time off, but it brings up a good point. In any training program your body needs a certain amount of rest to recover from your workouts. Now usually this occurs by lifting different muscles on different days, but you can't forget that even when focusing on one muscle there are many others that are helping. Therefore, your body may need more rest then you think. A popular method is to do a certain lifting program for an 8 week cycle then take a full week off. So the entire cycle consists of 8 weeks on 1 week off then 8 weeks back on. Many people think they will lose strength if they skip a week, however, this is a common misconception. Many people actually feel stronger and perform better after a full week off.

Beach Season Continued

As for losing weight fast there are very safe ways. If you've ever looked into the South Beach diet it says you can lose over ten pounds in the first two weeks just by eliminating carbs. This is just a quick solution to get ready for the beach however and should not be practiced regularly. The healthiest diet is one that balances all of the food groups.

On a side note the assignment that this blog was created for is due today, but I will continue to post and update this blog so keep checking back. Thanks for all your comments and I hope they continue.

Beach Season

Well it's almost beach season but don't panic. There is still a month until the really warm weather hits so get to the gym now. One month is plenty of time to shed those last 10 pounds. All you need to do is control your diet by reducing carb intake, get to the gym at least three times a week, and get in as much cardio as you can. Here's a great site for beach workouts .

Great Blog for Weightlifting News

Check out this newly updated blog for weightlifting news . This blog contains great information on all aspects ofweightlifting including a section devoted to weightlifting for different sports, a forum, and software you can use to track your workouts. As I mentioned in an earlier post tracking your workouts is one of the most important aspects to training, so check out this blog NOW!!

Women's Fitness

There is a common misconception that women should not lift weights because they don't want to develop big, bulky muscles. This couldn't be farther from the truth since weightlifting burns more calories then cardio and when combined the make for the best combo. Any beginners exercises are good for men or women, remember to include exercises for all parts of the body. Many people forget to do lower body which is important for overall strength. The important thing for women to remember is what their goal is, for most women it is to be toned and thin therefore you should do less weight and more repetitions instead of high weight and low reps which is used to gain strength. Check out this site for information on women's health and fitness .

Ideal Weight

Figuring out your ideal weight is a very complicated process. Basically, if you are healthy and comfortable with your weight that is your ideal weight, but most people want an exact range. Recently, people have started using Body Mass Index (BMI), which uses height and weight to caculate how much body fat a person should have. Here is a site to calculate your own BMI . Using BMI has come under much speculation, however, because it does not take into account muscle, which as most people know weighs more than fat. Therefore, if you look the way you want, feel good, and are healthy your ideal weight is whatever you want it to be. A tip for those trying to lose weight is to not focus on the number but simply on how you look and feel. Weightlifting is shown to improve a persons look and feelings in as little as one week.

Lifting with a Partner

Lifting with a partner is another important aspect to any training program. Not only does this allow you to have a spotter for safety reasons but also helps with motivation. Think about how many times you feel lazy or end up not going to the gym, now imagine if you had a lifting partner who called you up and really wanted to get to the gym or showed up at your door to pick you up, you would definitely feel bad letting them down. This has been proven to help motivate people to get to the gym. Also, if you have someone lifting with you your competitive nature is more likely to kick in and you are more likely to push yourself while you lift. I know from experience when I lift with my friends and they do more reps than I do I get back on the bench and try to push out just as many or more. So if you are still having trouble getting into a regular routine find a friend who wants to go to the gym and try working out together.

Quick Fix: Plastic Surgery

Plastic surgery is definately a quick fix for any lazy person who doesn't want to workout all the time. However, working out is part of a lifestyle that can be any part of staying healthy. Therefore, plastic surgery may be a quick fix, however, not living a healthy lifestyle will prevent you from truly obtaining the body you want. If being overweight affects your health plastic surgery can be a jump start to a healthy lifestyle and you should start working out after the surgery to prevent any serious problems. A common misconception is that just because you are skinny you are healthy, but in fact many thin people can have internal heart problems. Studies show that regularly working out can prevent serious cardiovascular problems, as well as, mental problems such as stress and depression. Check out this website on plastic surgery to answer any further questions . Here is a website that discusses weightlifting and health problems .