Part 2 of the article from Women's Health, April 2009
Target Your Trouble Spots
If you've ever tried to ditch the saddlebags and ended up a bra size smaller instead, you know that where you lose is as important as how much. As great as it might be to see the numbers on the scale go down, when you're on a strict cardio-only program your victory is likely to be empty. A recent study at the University of Alabama at Birmingham compared dieters who lifted three times a week with those who did aerobic exercise for the same amount of time. Both groups ate the same number of calories, and both lost the same amount--26 pounds-but the lifters lost pure chub, while about 8 percent of the aerobicizers' drop came from valuable muscle. Researchers have also found that lifting weights is better than cardio at whittling intra-abdominal fat-the Buddha-belly kind that's associated with diseases from diabetes to cancer.
Just don't rely exclusively on the scale to track your progress in the battle of the bulge. Because muscle is denser than fat, it squeezes the same amount of weight into less space. "Often, our clients' scales won't drop as fast, but they'll fit into smaller jeans," says Rachel Cosgrove, owner of Results Fitness in Santa Clarita, California. And it's the number on the tag inside your bootcuts you want to get lower, right?
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Great snippet, Laura. Having had two children and approaching the postpartum weightloss differently each time, I can testify to the value of weight traning over cardio for fat loss.
ReplyDeleteAfter my first child, I struggled for 18 months to get back to where I WANTED to be. (I ran, did the lovely elipticals, and occasionally haphazardly "lifted" weights.) Granted, I didn't look terrible, but the muscle definitely was hidden under a fluffy layer. After beginning CF, I IMMEDIATELY noticed the muscle becoming more defined and the fat diminishing. Adding the Zone diet into the mix sealed the deal for me.
Crossfitting during my second pregnancy proved amazingly productive. Weight loss afterward was so easy. I am in better shape now than I ever have been. I can attribute the tone, the endurance, and my satisfaction to sticking to weight training and Crossfit workouts.
Weight training is the way to go if one is looking for that toned and ultra-feminine body! (YOU are a testament to that one!) :)
Thanks so much for sharing your story, Christy! You are one VERY strong woman--I hope you can stop by our class some time.
ReplyDeleteI think that all is very true just in my limited exposure to this "new" way for me. Laura - I have gotten to 9 du in a row - trying for more tomorrow. I agree about the jeans fitting thing - so different. Also loved the idea that I dared to wear a string bikini today - that is huge for me (I actually left half of my suit at home and so was at the mercy of the Springs selection - and so strings it was - and it was OK. Another question - brace yourselves ladies if you are reading this. All the push ups I'm assuming are building up my chest muscles - upper chest muscles - but what about the lower - the ones that hold up the boobs? The shape is a little - well -different - currently -and I figure I need to start equalling out the attention they are getting on the top and bottom?:) Suggestions?
ReplyDelete100 pu
Congrats on the string bikini, Julie! Very exciting! And double unders--wow! I just cannot seem to get those down myself--and I have worked on them for over a year, off and on.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure about your lower chest muscle question. Here's what I do know. Yes, push ups are great for your chest, but that is not all. Have you noticed that your entire core area is engaged while doing push ups? I think that surprised me. I believe the balance should come as you continue. It is all connected--the other muscles should catch up. I'll ask around though and see if there is something else you should be doing.
Julie--
ReplyDeleteI asked Jason at CrossFit OKC about your question. His suggestion is to do weighted pull-overs. I search for video on Youtube and found this one. Not sure if the link will work in the comment section, but you'll get the idea.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IiHy6kjz3Yc&feature=channel
Kipping pull-ups would do the same thing, but I don't think you have been working on those...YET! The idea is to bring your arms to your torso while still straight--works the serratus anterior (finger like muscles at the top of the ribs).
As for the boob question--here is what he said..."There is no muscle that holds the boob up. That is more of a function of the elasticity of the skin in that area." Dang it! I hate that answer...but there it is.