This week's challenge is RESISTANCE TRAINING! If you are currently performing resistance exercises each week, yay! you are on the right track! If not, you will definitely want to after reading my blog this week!
Side Plank: stack your top shoulder over your bottom shoulder, stack your top hip over the bottom hip, and stack ankles, as well. Make sure you keep your bottom shoulder directly over your elbow. Squeeze the core and make sure to keep the hip lifted off the floor.
Fact: resistance training will make you LEAN and it will make you look great! The key: you have to alter your diet to create a calorie deficit and add resistance training to keep muscle. With diet, the equation is simple, it's calories in vs. calories out. If you eat more calories than you burn, you will GAIN weight. If you eat less calories than you burn, you will LOSE weight. In regards to building and/or keeping muscle, it requires resistance training! To build muscle, you must add heavy resistance, and then increase the resistance slowly + feed the muscle by increasing your protein intake and modifying your diet.
So, why do we need all this muscle? Nothing else you do can increase your metabolism like lean mass (muscle) will. More muscle also means more energy - all day long. Muscle mass supports healthy posture, balance, functional movement, and gives you a sculpted appearance. As we age it's important to know that weak muscles compromise joints, which affects balance and coordination.
My recommendation for adding strength training into your regimen is to add 3-4 days each week. Focus on basic exercises that are easy to do. DO THEM :) And slowly add more resistance each week to push the muscle to grow. Here's a list of exercises you can add into your plan to hit all the muscle groups each week:
- Squats
- Push-ups
- Bicep curls
- Tricep dips
- Rows
- Plank
- Side plank (pic above)
- Walking lunge (stationary if you have knee issues)
- Dead Lifts
- Flyes
- Overhead Press
- Frontal Raise
- Lateral Raise
- Glute Lifts
- Bicycles
Get through this list of exercises at least once per week and watch those muscles grow! If you workout 3 times per week, break this list into 5 exercises per day. If you prefer to group the exercises by muscle groups, try doing Monday: Legs and Back; Wednesday: Chest and Shoulders; Friday: Arms, Glutes and Abs. You can do this however you prefer, just DO IT!
We will continue to build on this basic plan over the coming weeks! I know you will be glad you started when you start seeing the curves and definition that adding muscle gives your physique!
Good luck this week!
XO,
Meg