| So ladies, what can weight training do for you? | | | | Now, let's analyze this statement. People begin |
| Weight training will give you near-perfect | | | | resistance training program in order to rid the |
| symmetry and put curves and definition in all the | | | | body of fat, not to gain it. Muscle can't turn into |
| right places. Muscle is firm and toned, not soft and | | | | fat any more than fat can turn to muscle. Muscle |
| mushy. Muscle gives you strength, health, vitality | | | | (metabolically active) and fat (metabolically |
| and a beautiful body. Also, weight training will | | | | inactive) are two completely different tissues |
| decrease your chance of injuries in everyday life | | | | responsible for their own functions. Just as your |
| and recreational activities. Weight training improves | | | | heart and liver are two different organs |
| work, sleep, endurance, sex and many other | | | | performing completely different functions, the |
| areas of your life. | | | | same goes for muscle and fat. Now I ask you, |
| Myth #1: Women Must Train Differently Then Men | | | | can your heart turn into your liver, or vise versa? |
| BUSTED: Training for ladies shouldn't differ that | | | | If there were any truth to the above statement |
| much from men's training. Women have the same | | | | there would be a lot of people out there with |
| number of muscles and they contact in the same | | | | great muscle potential, if you catch my drift. |
| fashion. The only difference between men and | | | | An explanation to the above myth is that some |
| women are hormones. | | | | bodybuilders do gain extra weight off-season in |
| Men naturally have higher levels of testosterone, a | | | | preparation for the up coming competitive season. |
| muscle-building hormone, while women are | | | | Many veterans of bodybuilding gain weight when |
| constantly fighting the estrogen issue, a fat | | | | they get older or retire, how does that differ |
| storing hormone. Now I'm not saying that just | | | | from the average American? |
| because you are female and have higher levels of | | | | There is a biological reason for the weight gain. |
| estrogen you are doomed to gain weight. What | | | | The metabolism slows down as we age, meaning |
| I'm saying is that we can use what you have to | | | | the body needs fewer calories per day to |
| your advantage. | | | | maintain itself. The downfall is that most people, |
| Regular weight training will build lean body mass. | | | | including bodybuilders, don't reduce their caloric |
| The more body lean body mass you acquire, the | | | | intake to compensate for this slowdown and the |
| higher you raise your metabolism. An increased | | | | end result is fat gain. |
| metabolism results in more calories burned per | | | | Another explanation is that bodybuilders, in hard |
| minute. Sounds interesting? Read on.... | | | | training, develop enormous appetites and need the |
| Myth #2: Muscle Weighs More Than Fat | | | | extra calories for muscle growth and repair. If the |
| BUSTED: A statement I hear a lot is that muscle | | | | intake stays the same when training volume is |
| weighs more than fat. The fact of the matter is | | | | reduced or ceased, the unburned calories get |
| that a pound of muscle and a pound of fat weigh | | | | stored as fat; again, this is no different than the |
| the same, a pound. A pound of muscle is more | | | | average American. |
| dense and takes up less space than a pound of | | | | Stop Making Excuses |
| fat does. | | | | Simply put, stop making excuses. Not exercising is |
| Muscle allows you to eat more food without | | | | far more harmful to your body, image, and health |
| getting fat because muscle is the only body | | | | than working out. Exercising and nutrition is a |
| material that is metabolically active. Once you put | | | | learned lifestyle, if you are not consistent with it |
| muscle on your body you will burn an additional | | | | you will decrease muscle and increase fat, but |
| twenty to thirty calories an hour. Bodybuilders | | | | muscle definitely will never turn into fat. |
| actually burn fifty to seventy-five additional | | | | Karen Sessions has been in the fitness industry |
| calories per hour. | | | | since 1988. She is a nationally qualified bodybuilder |
| Myth #3: Muscle Turns to Fat | | | | and holds two personal training certifications. She |
| BUSTED: A misconception that I hear many | | | | has written 6 ebooks on fitness and has helped |
| women saying is that they don't want to workout | | | | hundreds of clients transform their bodies. |
| because if they stop the muscle will turn to fat. | | | | |