Put a bit of muscle into your routine

Fine-tune weight loss with resistance training

​This year has been your year to make changes-at the start of the year you decided you were ready to follow through with those new year resolutions to create a new and fabulous you.

​It's been a long, hard road at times and temptations have presented themselves, with surprise parties, birthdays, work functions and life events.

​But throughout you have remained strong and focussed and even when you had a slip and let your hair down you jumped right back on the wagon the next day as you know that permanent health and body changes do not come easily-if you want the results you have to be prepared to put in the hard yards.

​This means no quick fix fad diets but healthy whole foods with sensible portion sizes and regular, sustainable exercise and, most of all, consistency.
 
​You've noticed recently all your hard work is starting to pay off and you are seeing the results on the scales and in your clothes and others are starting to notice as well.

​This has had a positive impact on your self-esteem but the real reward is you are also feeling more energetic and ready to tackle life and all it has to offer.

​This is all very exciting and you are now determined to keep going, , to achieve your final results and new year goals - to develop shape and definition and be ready for the summer season and holidays.

​As a trainer, this is where I always encourage the use of increased resistance and weight training, to start to fine-tune a clients results.

​Have you ever heard the expression "train like a man to look like a woman"?

​Well, this expression does work: I have seen many woman make major changes in their bodies by training with weights.

​Sometimes in the studio I hear woman say they don't want to get over sized muscles and therefore they only stick to cardio fitness and high energy aerobic types of fitness training.

​This is a fallacy - woman are not capable of producing enough testosterone to develop masculine muscles.

​I've been training for a number of years with weights and believe me, I look feminine and toned.

​Resistance training can incorporate a combination of different weights and training techniques ranging from body weight, resistance bands and free weights such as kettlebells, dumbbells, barbells or pin weights.

​Training styles can incorporate functional movement patterns such as squats and lunges to isolation exercises such as bicep curls and tricep dips, depending on your goals and commitments.

​This assistance of a trainer can be helpful to a novice who wants to take the next step in their fitness journey and is feeling overwhelmed about using weights.

​From a health perspective, weights training for women can also assist with maintaining and improving bone density.

​This is especially important for women who may be susceptible to osteoporosis.

​There are also many other benefits to using weights as it improves your metabolism, circulation, and heart health, posture, and helps to reduce the risk of diabetes.

​There is nothing more rewarding in life than achieving your goals and seeing the end results and in the health and fitness industry I always love it when I see the end results of my clients blood, sweat and tears.

​Persistence plus hard work equals results.