Weight training is an excellent way to lose weight and gain muscle! Here are some tips that will help you with your weight loss goals.
I train many women, and I frequently get asked the question, if I weight train will I bulk up? The concern for them is that they do not want to “bulk up” on top of their current weight.
When you weight train and your goal is to lose weight, consider lifting weight relatively light (weight that takes a little effort with good form) with repetitions between 15 to 20. You can also increase the number of sets you do, to assist in raising your heart-rate.
For your convenience I have included an affiliate link. You can read my full disclosure policy here. There are many products such as a Fitbit that can track your exercise and heart-rate, which is important when your primary goal is to lose weight.
Circuit training can also be useful for losing weight. Circuit training is when you move from one exercise to another, without rest to keep your heart-rate elevated. You want to keep your heart-rate in your fat burning zones. For example, you are doing a chest press, row and sit-ups. You are using low weight and the high REPS suggestion from above. You do the chest press 1st, then row, then the sit-ups, without pausing. You will repeat this series of exercises 2 or 3 more times, without pauses, and until you experience muscle failure. Use a Fitbit or something similar, to track your heart-rate, making sure you are in your fat burning zones, while you are circuit training.
What is your fat burning zone?
Take 220 and subtract your age. Example: 220-40=180 (this is my max heart-rate)
Then get your max heart rate and multiply it by .60 Example: 180*.60=108 (this is my low end of my fat burning zone)
Again take your max heart rate and multiply it by .75 Example: 180*.75=135 (this is my high end of my fat burning zone)
It is my opinion that it’s more important to be a strong and lean woman than being skinny. You want to maintain a healthy body weight and BMI. The above-suggested sets and REPS is how I currently weight train. I find that it keeps my body looking and feeling great!
