Exercise

I think for myself and women in general when we think of diet and exercise we think of salads and cardio. We are almost afraid of picking up the weights. Lifting weights is for men right? If we add some weights to our exercise routine we will end up looking like this right?

Do you think she got that way by accident?
How about her?

Both of these women worked very hard to get their bodies in shape, and both used weights.

When you do a lot of cardio, and especially if you are on a diet where you're not eating enough, your body will start to store fat and use your lean muscle. That's why it's very important to get some strength training into your routine. Even 5 or 10 pound dumbells is enough.

If you are reaching a plateau or can't quite lose that last 5 pounds, start weight training and you will see a huge difference. Not only will it help you lose that extra weight, but it will increase your endurance for your cardio routine. Just make sure you are eating plenty of protein so your body isn't trying to take from your lean muscle.

I was very surprised that I actually enjoy lifting weights. I absolutely hate cardio so weight days are my favorite. But only after a few days of weights I am able to run for over an hour with no problems. The body is amazing isn't it?