Why Weight Training?

As a Personal Trainer I have to consistently advertise my business. Many prospective clients who answer my ads hit me with one hundred questions on the phone, via e-mail, and in person. One of the most common questions I get, after I tell them what our sessions will consist of, is–why weight training? Usually when I mention weight training I get silence on the phone, a trembling voice, or a horrific and terrifying look. Many people, especially women, are scared of the whole weight training idea. They have this vision of becoming a massive ugly monster in their minds because of all the old days and old ways backwards thinking of weight training. That image of weight training needs to take a hike and the new image of weight training needs to come out and spread throughout the world. Weight training can change your life forever. With weight training you can attain any type of body shape you want. You can get very lean and toned, mildly lean and muscular, or ripped with big muscles. Most of the time the key to the size of the muscles you will get is in your food consumption. Professional bodybuilders lift heavy weights most of the time, but their muscles would never get huge without the large amounts of food they consume. If you have been working out for a while with no results and you want to get some lean muscle, lose the gut and the rest of the excess body fat, then this article will help. You will learn to lift weights, perform cardiovascular exercises, and eat healthier. You will not eat to get huge muscles, just eat for a lean and fat free muscular look. If you have been lifting weights for a while, then read on to help you remember why you started in the first place and also you will know what to tell others when they ask you about weight training.

Question and Answer

Question: Some people who have tried resistance training (lifting weights) to lose weight have actually gained more weight. Why?

Answer: The reason for this is not that muscle weighs more than fat but rather muscle is more dense (takes up less space) than fat. People who start to lift weights will gain some weight in the beginning. This is healthy weight. It is muscle, which will in turn burn fat. Many people get worried when the scales rise and lose patience. Losing patience will only slow the fat burning process. Soon after that weight is gained, the fat will burn away. A medium is found!

Positive Benefits of weight training + cardiovascular training combos:

• Helps regulate blood pressure and cholesterol.
• Helps prevent heart disease and strengthen immune system.
• If you want to go jogging with others, you do not have worry about stopping because you are out of shape.
• Going clothes shopping is easier since you have a wider variety of clothing to choose from now.
• You do not feel worried about a tight shirt showing off the huge rolls protruding from your stomach.
• Helps strengthen bones, heart, and lungs.
• You feel you have overcome something, which has plagued you for years.
• You have more self-confidence now than you ever dreamed of having.
• Your body is more versatile to take part in almost any chosen sport.
• Helps in prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.
• Shortness of breath does not occur just from conversation with someone.
• You can feel there is less stress on your knees without all that excess weight.
• Going up and down small flights of steps does not make you lose your breath.
• Your feet do not take such a beating anymore.
• Helps improve and strengthen your body for all sports.
• You sleep better because you are not inhaling large amounts of food before you lie down at night.
  * The following are some workout routines and healthy eating habits for those of you who have been lifting weights for a while without any results.

Total body weight training routines (3 sets/12-15 reps) to choose from:

1. 10 minute warm-up - Push-ups, pull-ups, dips, barbell curls, barbell military presses, crunches, standing side bends, hyper-extensions, lunges with no weight, butt blaster (kickback) machine, standing calf raises, 10 minute cool-down
   
2. 10 minute warm-up - Bench presses, lat pull downs, triceps rope press downs, machine biceps curls, machine shoulder presses, abs/obliques machines, low back machine, leg presses, leg extensions, leg curls, seated calf raises, 10 minute cool-down
   
3. 10 minute warm-up - Dumbbell chest presses, one arm dumbbell rows, two arm dumbbell overhead triceps extensions, standing dumbbell curls, dumbbell lateral shoulder raises, decline bench straight/side crunches, pelvic lifts for low back, barbell squats, stiff legged dead lifts, calf machine, 10 minute cool-down
   
4. 10 minute warm-up - Machine chest presses, machine chest flyes, lat pull downs, low row machine, dumbbell hammer curls, dumbbell triceps kickbacks, military presses, and front/side dumbbell lateral raises, hanging knee raises to front/side, hyperextensions, dumbbell lunges, leg extensions, leg curls, standing calf raises, 10 minute cool-down

* Always use proper form and do not hesitate to ask for help or a spot in the gym.
Your weekly workout routines (Goal = to broaden shoulders, get V-shaped back, shed fat, tone legs, and narrow your waist):
Monday - weights + treadmill 20 min
Tuesday - bike inside or out or elliptical 45 min
Wednesday - weights + treadmill 20 min
Thursday - bike inside or out or elliptical 45 min
Friday - weights + treadmill 20 min
Saturday - bike inside or out or elliptical 45 min
Sunday - rest day
* Make sure you get at least eight hours of sleep per night.

Healthy foods to choose from:

Carbs–sweet potatoes, red potatoes, wild rice, brown rice, multi grain bread, oatmeal
Veggies– asparagus, broccoli, spinach, cucumbers, green peppers, spinach salad, zucchini squash (the greener the better)
Fruit–strawberries, raspberries, cantaloupe, apples, pears, blueberries, and grapefruit
Protein– cottage cheese, turkey breast, chicken breast, unsalted almonds, white fish, salmon, can of tuna, lean red meat (i.e., London Broil), egg whites, and 1% milk

Your weekly meal plan (meals 2-3 hours apart):
Meal 1 - medium carb protein shake with water
Meal 2 - handful of oatmeal in water and four egg whites
Meal 3 - turkey sandwich (multi grain bread) with veggies or grilled chicken salad with handful of carbs
Meal 4 - handful of almonds and fruit or handful of cottage cheese with fruit
Meal 5 - protein with veggies no carbs
Meal 6 - apple or pear

• Use low carb protein bars for times in which you cannot prepare a meal.
• Never miss meals.
• Drink only water, no beer, soda, wine, or juice.
• Have only one, anything goes, cheat meal per week.
• Take a multi vitamin/mineral daily.

About the author:
David Gluhareff, CFT, lost over one hundred pounds from 1995-96 and became a Certified Fitness Trainer with the International Sports Sciences Association. David then built a fifty thousand dollar a year business, in a small town in Virginia, by the time he was twenty-five years old. To contact David Gluhareff, CFT (ISSA), go to www.trainwithdave.com.