So, it's week #8!! Hope y'all have adopted a few new habits throughout the last 7 weeks... We've hit on resistance training a little already, but this week we are going to really get things moving with your lean body mass development.

Resistance training can be scary for women, because they fear they'll bulk. This really is not the case. Here are a few reasons to build some muscle:

Muscle gains will not create bulk in women because we simply do not have the testosterone levels needed to do so. Resistance training creates curves and definition without the size for us girls!
Muscle lowers body fat. When you add muscle, you increase the body's ability (even at rest) to burn calories. For each pound of muscle that you gain, you will burn 35-50 additional calories per day... over time, that really adds up and burns up that fat!
Resistance training is the best way to avoid osteoporosis, by improving bone density. Weight baring exercise and resistance training will improve the health of your bones.
Improves posture and reduces risk of injury... improves joint and connective tissue strength. Also, improves posture, as it strengthens core and back, as well as the connective tissue and muscle that aide in holding the body upright.
Better mood, reduced stress and anxiety... the endorphins produced from exercise can alter the mood like nothing else. The mind is stimulated through exercise, thus allowing endorphins to release... endorphins are the neurotransmitters that prevent pain, improve mood, and fight depression.

Wow! So, clearly you NEED to build some muscle! Hopefully you've begun using the list of exercises I gave you in week #6. Keep using them, but start adding more weight/resistance this week. Add 5-10 lbs to each leg exercise; 3-5 lbs to each upper body exercise; bump up the time or reps on the exercises that use body weight; and add some high intensity intervals into your routine, if you haven't done that yet. Here's a list of HIIT exercises you can add at the end of your sets to get your heart rate soaring and your body burning additional calories:

burpees
mountain climbers
jumping rope
jumping jacks
running in place or on the treadmill
running steps
skaters
plank jacks

Here's a leg, back and shoulder workout for you to try, based upon the list I gave you above and in Week #6:

Circuit 1 - do each in order 1,2,3 and then repeat for 3 sets:

15 squats (with weights)
15 rows on each side (weights)
10 burpees

Circuit 2 - do each in order 1,2,3 and then repeat for 3 sets:

15 stationary lunges on each side (weights)
plank with alternating rows (combined two exercises from week #6 list) - 10/side (weights)
30 seconds mountain climbers

Circuit 3 - do each in order 1,2,3 and then repeat for 3 sets: