Attention Fitness Challengers!
Do you struggle with maintaining your ideal body weight?
If you feel like you are fighting a losing battle with the scale you may want to start building some lean muscle!
Why more lean muscle?
Because it boosts your metabolic rate!
How to build lean muscle?
Resistance Training
Resistance training builds long lean sexy muscles which helps you to maintain your perfect weight effortlessly. If you feel like you are constantly struggling to get down to your ideal weight, but fighting the scale feels like a losing battle, then you may want to consider building some lean muscle with resistance training.
Did you know that the more lean muscle you have the higher your metabolic rate?
For every 1 lb. of muscle your body burns 35-75 calories a day. Therefore, if I gained 8 lbs. of muscle, I would be burning 280-600 more calories a day.
How does lean body mass do that?
Your metabolic rate increased and therefore burning more calories a day and while you sleep making it easier to maintain your healthy shape! It also allows us to obtain more nutrient into my body since we can eat more calories without the weight gain. More nutrient means more health, more beauty, more energy!
How long does it take to gain a pound of muscle?
On average, it takes men 2 weeks to gain a pound of muscle and for women it takes about 4 weeks. This is because women have higher estrogen and lower testosterone levels than men. So, yes ladies, this means it takes women longer to gain a pound of muscle than it does for men. Perhaps this is another reason why men can drop weight so much faster than us! I personally want to increase my lean muscle by 8 lbs. which means that will take me about 8 months! Ahh…. patience is a virtue! 😉
How to build lean muscle
I personally enjoy the long lean muscles I receive from pilates, power yoga, pole fitness, and body balancing. I do have some light free weights, but personally I prefer the following resistance training equipment:
- My own body weight
- Resistance bands
- Swiss Ball
- Medicine Ball
- Pole
Won’t I get bulky and masculine muscles?
A common concern with resistance training and women is the fear of bulking up. I have noticed that plyometrics and heavy resistance has affected the appearance of my physique. I did years of bike riding and did have some dense leg muscles, then as a gymnast I was one dense firecracker. I find that when I really make sure I am balancing my workouts with cardio and flexibility training that bulking up is not a concern!
Side note:
It can be easy to get caught up in aesthetics and how our bodies look. However, I want to encourage you to put more emphasis on how it FEELS rather than looks. I’d far rather have full range of motion of my joints and body, muscular control, balance, energy, endurance, and a daily flow of endorphins pumping through my veins than a body that just looks good, but doesn’t feel free and fantastic or has aches and pains. True health radiates from the inside out and your body will look as gorgeous as it feels in no time!
Enjoy your body!
Lori
P.S. Still working out with me? Here’s what I did today
Today’s Workout
60 min yoga
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