We will start off with just some cardio listing to get into the subject a bit closer (you can chose your favorite cardio exercise too!). Swimming, running, riding bicycle, dome of the modern kick box cardio and those million cardio machines in gym – you can chose the one which feels the warmest for your hearth (and health!). Well, the fat loss for women is a bit easier for than it is for man. It is easier because woman don’t have so much testosterone circulating which aids in muscle building and bulking up.
But it is harder because of the characteristics and lifestyle of women (no offense) – you know, you meet your so loved sex-and-the-city type friends, you go to cafe and take a piece of cake or something that way. Don’t get upset because of it but this is true – and it is just OK. I will list down some tips and tricks to help you out, to help you tighten your muscles and get rid of some fat.
Cardio
Well, sorry, I listed down only the high-speed-sweating cardios, but there is more, if you don’t like the sweating and running things – pilates. I will write more about pilates in some further article, because pilates are really helpful for a lot of women. But if you like cardio – go for it!
There is more than only cardio and many of you could find this amusing, but you can lose weight by training with weights! This burns fat as good as cardio because of those women body characteristics I mentioned before! That’s not magic – that is your magical body! Weight training boosts up your metabolism therefore you can burn fat more effectively AND tone up your muscles! Forget about that running-starving things, that is oldschool and with no scientific foundation at all! But try not to stuck up on one specific cardio exercise, even if you like pilates as your moms perfume in childhood – try to run or swim from time to time, in that way you won’t stuck up in a boring routine, this will help you stay motivated.
Intensity – well this is really hard to say because we all are different, we can’t do the same things but remember that your body doesn’t burn fat when you start running, it needs 15-20 minutes to run down that stacked up energy. So you can do some aerobics and warm up for some 15-20 minutes and then go straight to your cardio. At the beginning try to do as much as you can but afterwards you should perform your cardio routine for about 40 minutes a week. That would be perfect!
Exercising
Warmup – some stretching and some cardio just to get your blood flowing and get your body ready to perform the workout (AND of course avoid injuries). Do from 12-20 reps with 3 sets each. Just remember to do everything slowly and concentrated.
Legs and butt:
- Squats, this exercise will help to develop your legs in general, strengthen them a bit.
- The next exercise you should perform is stiff legged deadlift, but be careful with this one – once done improperly – you can really hurt your back as you go!
- Lunges, the top exercise for butt, this exercise helps you to form and strengthen your butt.
- Calf raises (standing or seated – your choice) just to help your legs to handle that high heels.
- And lastly -Hip abduction/adduction – exercises for the inner and outer pars of your quads.
Arms:
- Biceps – bicep curls with light weight (0.5-2 kg would be enough)
- Triceps extensions same weight as biceps
ABS:
- Crunches – this is so simple! The most popular exercise for abs training, but not the most effective. The main thing here is concentration! Do them slowly and very concentrated. Concentrate on your abs, not your back or neck.
- Hanging Leg Raise – Raise knees toward your shoulders by flexing your waist. This is a nice stretch too. Do not swing, go slowly and concentrated!
- Dumbell side bend – don’t forget to train your obliques too. Stand straight with your feet at shoulder width. Hold a dumbbell in your right hand with your palms in. Place your left hand on your waist. Keep your back straight. Bend to the right as far as you can, then bend to the left as far as possible. After finishing your desired reps, change the weight to your other hand and repeat. Bend at your waist only, not at your hips or knees!
- Bicycle – This exercise will add the wholeness to your abs workout by adding some stress to all of the abs muscles.
Diet
I don’t really want to push my own designed diet on you, there are some basic thing that you should or shouldn’t do.
- Eat small – eat for some 5 times a day, this will guarantee that your body will use as much food as it can and stack up almost no fat
- Watch what you eat. Beware of low-fat or fat-free products. Typically, these products are loaded with carbohydrates and while you are not getting the fat, you may be getting way too many calories from simple carbohydrates
- Avoid simple sugars and eat complex carbohydrates in moderation to reduce insulin output and prevent blood sugar fluctuations. Insulin is the main hormone responsible for storing body fat, and high insulin levels prevent the burning of stored body fat for energy.
- High-carbohydrate diets are not the optimal way to lose fat while preserving lean muscle. Rely on complex, high-fiber carbohydrates such as oatmeal, lentils and brown rice. Avoid breads, pasta, white rice and other highly processed, low-fiber carbohydrate sources, as well as sweets.
- As a guide, reduce carbohydrate intake to 0.8 to 1.2 grams per pound of body weight. For example, a 150-pound person would eat between 120 and 180 grams per day of carbohydrates (150 x 0.8 = 120 / 150 x 1.2 = 180).
- Increase the amount of lean protein you consume daily to increase your metabolic rate, increase anabolic hormones and prevent muscle loss during dieting. Lean muscle mass is the active tissue that burns calories and maintains metabolic rate.
- The goal is to preserve the active tissue we want while encouraging the body to reduce the tissue (fat) we don’t want. Eat high-quality, low-fat protein sources like skinless chicken, lean red meat and seafood during your weight loss program. High-quality protein supplements may be used when the diet does not yield enough daily protein.
Motivation
I don’t know why I’m writing about motivation last but this is the most important thing! You need to focus on the body you want to achieve, you must concentrate to reach your goals, never give up!
- Once you have become familiar with your body and what kind of activity you prefer, if you find yourself still bored, perhaps ask a friend, co-worker or family member if they want to join you occasionally for a short work out. It doesn’t have to be someone you already know, it can be a just-for-cardio or just-for-exercise friend, an on-line diet buddy, or a like-minded running partner.
- When the urge to get up and go leaves us glued to the couch or the computer desk, introducing the fear factor into the equation doesn’t always work, but is worth taking a look at. Alone, just the benefits of a regular, long-term exercise program and healthy diet are endless. Reported benefits include increased overall energy, better mental focus, more self-esteem, a better sense of control over your life, reduced chance of a heart attack, less chance of osteoporosis, breast cancer, lung cancer, cervical cancers, overall increases in strength and stamina.
- Read! Read! And Read some more! There are magazines, websites, books, and endless other sources of information, so there is no excuse not to be a know-it-all when it comes to exercise and fitness! Learning new ways to burn those calories, or new exercises will help keep your workouts fresh and keep your body from becoming efficient (too good) at a certain exercise, thus making it less effective than it once was.
Remember that you are doing all of this for you and only you! Just get into the routine and this will become a part of your life, an important part! You will feel better and you will be more healthy… and yes you will be a lot more sexy and self confident too!
