strawberry1972's Journal, 28 March 2008

I read this interesting article that talked about extra muscle mass inceasing your resting metabolism. AKA more muscle, more calories burned. However, if you do weight training or pretty vigourous running etc. your body will need rest in order to recoup.  

Thanks-I only weight train every other day, and I don't lift anything over 10 pounds. I don't want to look like she-rah the he-she girl-lolololol...I just want definition, and I am already seeing results in my upper arms. They are looking nice and shapely. As far as the running-I am addicted. I run every other day and on my off days, I usually do a workout video, or train on the bike or elliptical at the gym.:) I MIGHT take one day off a week....may even be today-we will see. 

Folks at my gym keep telling me that overtraining on weights for women is a myth - unless you push it way too hard. On the other hand I find myself being drawn to the threadmill / epiliptical / etc. more and more. To a point where I do not have suficient time left for weights, haha. Maybe I should alternate weight training days with cardio days.. 

Here's what I do: I alternate days so I don't get as tired. I will go 40 minutes in a cardio session (I can break that up into 20 minutes on the elliptical and 20 minutes on the bike or even 20 minutes on the treadmill-whatever works), BUT-I will usually only do the first 20 minutes. Break-do my weights so I am not too tired, and then I finish the next 20 minute cardio session to complete the workout. That's day one. Day two will be a sixty to 70 minute cardio session. Today, I did 60 minutes running on the treadmill, and then I did another 20 minutes on the bike. So today was a breakthrough for me because I did 80 minutes of cardio....usually I will only do about 70 tops. Try this method. Also, another idea is to circuit train. I will go from weight to weight with only maybe a few second break in between in order to keep my heart rate up. This keeps you in the fat burning state. Although you may find that circuit training is very tough at first, it is ultimately, VERY rewarding! It helped me BIG TIME with my plateau I was on for a few months. That and keeping a food journal was beneficial... Hope these tips helped:) 

Yes, they do. I would probably want a little more weight and I cannot do more that 40 minutes Cardio yet. I'll work something out according to those guidelines and will let you know. The food journal is a real saviour. I went out for dinner last night and have probably been done in by one particular dish..