The Benefits of Pumping Iron

When you think of lifting weights, do you automatically assume you will bulk up?  Truth is, you will NOT bulk up.  You will tone, tighten, and burn fat.  There are so many benefits to lifting weights.  I am currently doing another round of Chalean Extreme for this very reason. 

It just so happened I got my new issue of Women's Health and found a great article by Adam Campbell about the benefits of strength training. So here we go....

1.  You'll lose 40% more FAT:   When you lift, your loss will be almost all fat where others who do only cardio and dieting lose muscle and fat.

2.  Your clothes will fit better:  Between the ages of 30-50, most people lose 10% muscle mass, which is most likely replaced by fat.  This in turn increases your waist size.  1 pound of fat takes up 18% more space than 1 pound of muscle. .

3.  You'll burn more calories:   Lifting increases the number of calories you burn while you are sedentary b/c after each workout your muscles need energy to repair their fibers.  Your metabolism will be revved for 39 hrs after doing a total-body workout. You will also burn a greater % of calories from fat compared with non-lifters.  By lifting, you will also iincrease the number of calories you burn during exercise.

4.  Your diet will improve:  Because of your hard work, your brain will stick to a diet plan.

5.  You'll handle stress better:  People who are more fit, have lower levels of stress hormones than those who are less fit.  Also, during a stressful situation, if you have more muscle, your blood pressure will return to normal faster than those with lesser muscle.

6.  You'll be happier:  Your mood improves with strength training.

7.  You'll build stronger bones:  As we age, we may lose bone density. There is an increase of 19% of hip bone density and bone growth with resistance training.

8.  You'll get into shape faster:  Circuit training with weights raises your heart rate 15 bpm higher than if you ran 60-70% of your max heart rate, which strengthens muscles and provides cardiovascular benefits.

9.  Your heart will be healthier:  By doing 3 strength workouts a week, you can reduce the risk of a stroke by 40% and a heart attack by 15%.

10.  You'll be way more productive:  Research shows you are 15% more productive on exercise days vs. non-exercise days.

11.  You'll live longer:  Total body strength is linked to lower risks of death from cardiovascular disease and cancer.  Being strong during middle age is associated with living to the age of 85 without developing a major disease.

12.  You'll be even smarter:  Muscles strengthen your body and mind.  You'll have better short- and long-term memory, improved verbal reasoning, and a longer attention span.

THESE ARE GREAT REASONS TO ADD IN AT LEAST 3 DAYS A WEEK OF STRENGTH TRAINING TO YOUR CARDIO WORKOUTS.   A WELL-ROUNDED EXERCISE PROGRAM INCLUDES 3-4 DAYS OF STRENGTH TRAINING/TONING; 5-6 DAYS OF CARDIO; 1 DAY OF STRETCHING/FLEXIBILITY.

You don't have to do tons of reps either.  You can simply lift heavier with fewer reps to get maximum benefits.  Toning and resistance bands are great too for sculpting.

Shop for Strength Training Equipment and Workouts Here

Are you doing strength training?  What questions do you have that I can help you with?  If you would like help designing a well-rounded exercise schedule, let me know.  Leave a comment below or contact me on my Facebook page

How Can a Workout Give YOU So Much Energy?

        So how can a workout give you so much energy?  If the music is pumping and the workout is so much fun, you will be amazed at how you feel during and after.  I am writing this tonight following a Turbo Fire workout.  The music in Turbo workouts is off the chain. It makes you want to just shake it!!  LOL
The workout was Fire 45, one of my favorites.  It has 3 HIIT workouts which are anaerobic drills to get your heart really pumping.  My all-time favorite part of the workout is the song, BOOM! I GOT YOUR BOYFRIEND!!  Talk about working up a sweat, burning calories, and releasing a ton of endorphins!! 
       I absolutely LOVE it, when Chalene Johnson tells you to JUMP HIGHER, KICK HIGHER...GET DOWN LOW....YOUR NOT TIRED!!  CAN YOU DO MORE???  Talk about motivation!!  It's like she knows that maybe you're not putting your all into it and when she says those trigger phrases, it puts a whole new perspective on your workout.  I find myself talking back to her saying "Yes, I can jump higher.  Watch me kick. I'm getting LOW!  NO, I'm not tired at all.  ABSOLUTELY, I can do more!!  That's where your mind is your motivator to make your workout at a LEVEL 10. 
      Tonight, I decided to add the workout gloves and I'm telling you this makes the workout so much different.  You burn MORE calories. You are working more muscles.  I could really feel it in my core tonight.  If you are looking to make your workout tougher, which you should, or just to switch things up a bit, I highly recommend these gloves.

The gloves weigh .75 lb each and can be ordered from www.beachbodycoach.com/nataliewelch

If you are having trouble find a workout that you can stick with, please let me help you.  You won't be consistent if you don't enjoy your workouts.  Workouts should be challenging, but you also have to find something about them that will motivate you to stick with it.  If you know me, you know Turbo workouts are my thing!  These are a dance-style cardio-kickboxing workouts. The music is FANTASTIC and Chalene Johnson is so motivational.  This style isn't for everyone, but there are so many different ones out there to try.  So if you are lacking energy and are tired of feeling BLAH, it's time to get movin'!!!

**************************************************************************************

On a side note...I am switching things up with my diet this week just to see the difference.  Instead of having Shakeology at lunch while I'm at work, I'm having it about 4:30 when I get home.  Then I'm drinking LOTS of water.  It seems to be really making a difference.  Not only am I having more energy, I can really tell it's flushing out my system and making me feel better overall.  Shakeology is absolutely AMAZING stuff!  If you are seriously interested in Shakeology, I have a few samples I can send out to people.  Just email me your address at nataliewelch@cebridge.net or go to my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/natalierwelch and send me a private message.







Tricks to Suppress your Appetite

Here are some simple tricks to help you slash calories by suppressing your appetite.

1.  Have PROTEIN in the AM-Protein keeps you fuller than other nutrients and takes your body more time to digest and absorb. But what you may not realize is that when you eat it also matters. A Purdue University study found that eating lean protein (such as Canadian bacon, egg whites, or low-fat yogurt) at breakfast keeps you satisfied longer than if you were to consume it at other times of the day. "Try to get at least one ounce (or 30 grams) of protein at breakfast," recommends Joan Salge Blake, R.D., a clinical associate professor of nutrition at Boston University.

2.  Chow on POTATOES-these starches actually have appetite-slaying superpowers. They contain a special type of starch that resists digestive enzymes. Because potatoes take a while to break down, they stay in your intestine longer, delaying the onset of hunger pangs, says Katherine Beals, Ph.D., R.D., a clinical associate professor of nutrition at the University of Utah. Have a baked potato with dinner (a medium spud is only about 100 calories) or better yet, try potato salad made with vinegar instead of fattening mayo; chilling cooked potatoes increases their hunger-busting abilities. Of course, potatoes cooked in a vat of oil (think French fries and chips) are still bad for your bottom line.

3.  Embrace a Little FAT-Trimming all the fat from your diet can backfire. Oleic acid, an unsaturated fat found in olive oil, nuts, and avocados, helps quash hunger, according to a study in the journal Cell Metabolism. During digestion, it's converted into a compound that indirectly triggers hunger-curbing signals to your brain. Just watch your portions, warns Sari Greaves, R.D., a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. Unsaturated fats should make up about 20 percent of your total calorie intake. Greaves suggests snacking on two tablespoons of natural peanut butter, an ounce of nuts, or a quarter of an avocado.

4.  Get SWEATY--Working out, at home or at a gym, not only burns calories but also helps you consume fewer of them. A study published in the American Journal of Physiology found that 60 minutes of high-intensity cardio can reduce appetite for up to two hours afterward. "Aerobic exercise lowers ghrelin levels and increases the amount of an appetite-suppressing hormone in your body," says study author David Stensel, Ph.D. To maximize the hunger-dampening effect, make your cardio workout more intense by adding intervals (short bursts of speed with periods of rest in between).

  **HIIT workouts, such as the ones in TurboFire and Insanity, are SUPER EFFECTIVE. 

    Ask me for more info on these programs or go to my website at www.beachbodycoach.com/nataliewelch to find out more!  

5.  Gobble Up GRAPEFRUIT--Grapefruit diets went out of style with Jane Fonda aerobic videos, but this citrus is staging a comeback. In a study at the Nutrition and Metabolic Research Center at the Scripps Clinic in San Diego, people who ate half a grapefruit with each meal lost an average of 3.6 pounds in three months. According to Ken Fujioka, M.D., the study's principal researcher, these yellow-orange orbs lower your postmeal levels of insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar and fat metabolism.

6.  GUM!!!--A University of Rhode Island study found that people who chewed gum for one hour in the morning consumed 67 fewer calories at lunch and didn't compensate by eating more later in the day. "One theory is that chewing stimulates nerves in the jaw that are connected to the brain region responsible for satiety," explains study author Kathleen Melanson, Ph.D., R.D., an associate professor of nutrition at the University of Rhode Island. So pop a piece of sugarless—chewing it can keep the munchies at bay and burn 11 calories an hour. (Hey, it's better than nothing!)

7.  Take a WHIFF-Sniff, Sniff!!--Smelling food can trick your brain into thinking you've eaten. One study found that people who inhaled a peppermint scent every two hours ate 2,700 fewer calories per week than they normally did—that's nearly a one-pound loss! Banana, green apple, and vanilla had similar effects in other studies. And the more often you sniff these aromas, the more weight you'll lose, says Alan Hirsch, M.D., neurological director of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago. Stash some vanilla-scented candles in your snack drawer or cupboards. And if you tend to eat when stressed, hold your left nostril closed and sniff through the right one to activate the side of your brain where emotions are processed. It could help reduce your anxiety and your appetite.

Taken from http://www.womenshealthmag.com/