Lifting weights is for men who want to bulk up, right? That’s why I was hesitant to start lifting heavy weights. I thought weight lifting would make me look like a muscle-bound linebacker.
Fortunately, after a few weeks working out with a professional trainer, I learned otherwise. Muscle is metabolically active. This means that it burns calories, even when you are resting.
That means the more muscle you have, the more fat you will burn. When I first started lifting weights, I was on a low-carb diet. My clothes started feeling looser, but my weight was unchanged.
That’s because muscle is more dense. It weighs more, but takes up less space.
I’m not a trainer, but here are some of my recommended weight training exercises to help women build muscle, lose fat and not end up looking like a linebacker!
Best Weight training exercises for women
There are two exercises which (in my opinion) form the foundation of the ideal women’s workout. First up is squats, which can add some great curves to your backside once you get a few months of workouts under your belt.
A second exercise that works as a nice compliment to squats is deadlifts. These work the back of your legs, your back, butt and also your arms. As far as a full body exercise goes, this is one of the best.
Muscle is heavier and denser than fat. The less muscle you have, the slower you burn calories. The more muscle you have the higher your metabolism. With a careful routine using proper form, women can lift weights to look lean, not bulky!
Working out in Style in Buckhead
I still remember the horror of my first workout. I guess I wasn’t paying attention during the tour, because when the instructor told me to “dress comfortably” for my first workout, I took her literally. Without a care int he world, I strolled into the gym in an old t-shirt and a pair of shorts stained with paint. To my horror every other woman in the place seemed to be wearing the most luxurious high end workout gear. Although I caught a lot of weird looks and felt like a hobo, I toughed it through the workout and then went home to sob uncontrollably.
Don’t make the same mistake I did!!! Buckhead is a trendy part of Atlanta. Looks matter. One place I find myself going back to often is the Athleta Store in Lenox Square.
They offer a great range of high end women’s workout wear that looks great and keeps you feeling cool. They are also a pillar of the local fitness community: aside from their great products, they offer free yoga and kickboxing classes once a week.
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