I'll have to send this to my niece. Thanks, Yvonne!
And speaking of female family: my experience has been with the females in my family that they can't comprehend lifting weights. It seems too "masculine" of an exercise. Are any of you this way? If so, try to fight that belief. The truth is, back in the 80's men put on their gloves and lifted weights and women put on their leg warmers and did aerobic videos and somehow we got it in all our heads that men did one thing and women another.
But as time has gone on, we now know we need both. So now you'll see men doing aerobic exercises and women lifting weights and if they are smart they are doing BOTH. We need BOTH!
And don't go thinking you're gonna have to become Arnold Swartenegger in his "Terminator" days--lifting tons of weight! Last summer I was lifting 2 dumbbells--each about the weight of a grocery bag of food--and I was seeing the scale drop quickly with weight! The truth is, the body responds to "work" and when you lift weight it thinks it's working.
And make it fun! Put on some good music (I like disco music for indoor aerobic exercises and just enjoy having the radio on for weight lifting.) Have a water bottle nearby. Warm up for 5 minutes before you lift anything (jumping jacks, run in place, etc.)
The first time you lift, DO NOT pick up a heavy weight--that's the fun of it, you don't need anything all that heavy to start with! You only need a five pound set of dumbbells to get started---just enough that it feels like a little bit of a challenge, but not all that heavy. You need only do 10 repititions of the the main weight lifting exercises that targets the main muscles (you can find these on-line). It will seem too easy. But trust me, you'll be sore the next day--especially if you've been a couch potatoe for a while!
Don't overdue it at first. If you start feeling tired later in the week, like you have no energy, you are probably overdoing it. Gradual is the key. After about three or four weeks, you'll notice that lifting weights begins to GIVE you energy after each workout! That extra energy feels so GOOOOOOD!!! And that's the rule from then on--that it will give you energy!
So if you're like my sisters, and somewhere deep inside you feel that lifting weights is "for men and not women"--fight that thought! Lift those weights and look at yourself in the mirror while you do it and think, "I'm an Amazon Woman!!! Step aside Zena, Warrior Princess and make room for (insert your name) the Super Amazon Woman!!!" It really is an empowering feeling to see yourself lifting heavy things---don't ask me why, but it is! Maybe it reflects life and our human desire to overcome the heavy obstacles in it? I don't know, but it's empowering! Try it and see!
(The following sermon came from a couch potatoe who is trying to get back in the game---that would be me!! I've just recently started back lifting weights (and yes, just like a beginner I'm having to start off with light weights). So maybe you'll want to join me? And trust me, it really makes a HUGE difference in how fast you lose! I was amazed last summer how well it worked.)
Edited by: GENTLEVIKING at: 8/8/2012 (10:37)
T E R R Y Co-Leader: Vegan Fitness and Nutrition
***Life has no remote. Get up and change it yourself!
***"I can do all things through Christ!" Phillipians 4:13
***"Superhero Challenge"--Halloween 2013
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