Weight lifting - A Guy Thing or Weight Controller? by Laura S. Garrett, RD

If you avoid lifting weights because you are afraidtraining with weights will give you bulky muscles, youmight be surprised when you hear that it will not. Toobtain those "bulky" muscles, you literally have to spendhours in the gym. The level of strength training requiredfor general good health will not produce bulk in women.

The hormone balance for men and women are not the same.Thus, it takes a lot of effort to achieve the likes of afemale bodybuilder. To reap the known health benefitsassociated with strength training - such as increasedmetabolism, decreased risk of osteoporosis, and improvedmental health - it only takes about 30 minutes two tothree times per week.

For general fitness and conditioning, you need to includeone or two exercises that focus on each of the major musclegroups. Keep the weight light to moderate. The number ofrepetitions should range from 10 to 15 reps per exercise.The number of sets performed depends on the amount of timeyou have to spend. Research has shown that performingthree sets opposed to one set does not produce asignificant benefit - at least not enough to warrant theextra time spent performing the additional two sets.

If you are worried about weight gain as a side effect of weight lifting or weight training, you should know that regularlyincorporating strength training into your exercise regimenwill actually help you control your weight.

True, you willlikely gain a few pounds after you begin strengthtraining. However, it is important to keep in mind thatmuscle is more dense than fat. This means that while musclemay weigh more, it takes up less space.

As you lose fat and gain muscle, your weight may notdecrease. This is why it is so important not to focus onthe scale.

How do your clothes fit? A little looser? Howabout your appearance? Do you feel a little more confidentin how you look? Then forget what the scale says.

Youwill very likely drop a size or two with little to nochange in your weight.

Long term is where you will notice the real benefit ofstrength training for weight control. With age youtypically experience a decrease in the rate at which yourbody uses calories (metabolic rate).

By regularlyincorporating weight lifting / strength training, you offset the loss inmuscle tissue that typically occurs in the aging process.

Ultimately, you avoid age-related weight gain when youprevent muscle loss. Muscle tissue is metabolicallyactive, unlike fat tissue. This means that even at rest,muscle tissue is burning calories.

The message to take out of this? Incorporating strengthtraining exercises two to three times per week will promotea healthy weight, not a bulky physique.

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Written by Laura S. Garrett, RD, Registered Dietitian,Fitness Trainer, & Owner of www.NutrActive.com -Serving your Complete Nutrition & Active Lifestyle Needs

Contact via e-mail: Laura.RD@NutrActive.comWeight Loss/Fitness Programs & Diabetes SpecialistAlso Specializing in Vitamin/Mineral/Herb Supplementation

Subscribe to our free weekly ezines for tips on how to loseweight, tone muscle, prevent disease, & cook healthy:subscribe@nutractive.com

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