Archive for December 21st, 2009
Lift Those Weights Ladies!
Many women shy away from weight training because they are worried building muscle will make them get bigger. This is a common misconception among women. Because of this myth some women choose to focus their exercising routines entirely on cardio-vascular activity. The truth is that gaining muscle will actually help women lose fat.
Imagine that fat is like cotton; it weighs little, yet takes up a lot of space. Muscle is more like brick, it feels heavy, but takes up less space. As you begin weight training you may notice you gain a couple of pounds before you lose any. All that really matters is that you’re losing inches. The more inches of fat you lose the better you’ll fit into your clothes. And, the bottom line is you must lift weights to build muscle.
Today in our Weight Loss series, we will look at exercises to lose weight. The prescription for losing weight, according to ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine), begins with the frequency of exercise. If you are de-conditioned or have been inactive, it is best to check with your physician first. Start an exercise program slowly, and build up your endurance. The frequency of exercising is most days of the week, 5-7 days.
The next thing to consider is the intensity of your exercising. Low impact activities like aqua aerobics, cycling or walking is a good way to start. As you become more conditioned you can
increase your intensity. Starting out, your target heart rate should stay between 40-60%, then progress to 50-75% as you become more conditioned.
- TARGET HEART RATE…220- your age= Maximum Heart Rate
Here’s an example: Let’s say you are 40 years old. 220-40=180 beats per minute, 180 is your maximum heart rate. To get 40% of your maximum heart rate multiply by.4. In this case, 180 x .4 =72 beats per minute. 180 x .6= 108 beats per minute is 60% of your max heart rate. So an inactive 40 year old would start out targeting their heart rate 40-60% or between 72-108 beats per minute.
As this same 40 year old gets more conditioned, they can target their heart rate between 50-75%. 180 x .5= 90 beats per minute and 180 x .75= 135 beats per minute, so their range is between 90-135 beats per minute.
This is how we gauge intensity.
Finally, time or duration is our last factor when it comes to using exercises to lose weight. Start out with smaller increments of time, like 10 minutes at 40% of your max heart rate. Gradually, increase the amount of time. A good goal for aerobic activity is for at least 30 minutes. Listen to your body!! You will feel when it’s time to progress and when it’s time to back off.
Always remember to stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water before, during and after your exercise sessions.
Tomorrow, we will conclude our weight loss series by tying everything together, so we can make lasting lifestyle changes!