A concept many women sometimes have difficulty understanding is that a smaller weight does not always indicate a fitter body. Muscle mass is more dense than fat tissue. This means two women of the same height, weight, skeletal structure and body type may look drastically different. The woman who carries more muscles mass on her body will likely look as though she weighs significantly less despite the fact that the women have an equal weight. This is because the muscle she carries on her body is approximately 20% more dense than fat. This means the women who has more of her body comprised of muscle will have a more slender appearance than the other women even though their weights are identical.
This article will provide information on evaluating your fitness level without relying on weight as the predominant form of feedback. However, we must stress that before starting any fitness program, you should consult your doctor to ensure your intended fitness program is healthy for you in your current state of fitness.
Throw the Scale AwayWeight can certainly be an excellent source of feedback for fitness levels and physical health but it should not be the only source of evaluating health. This is because sometimes a woman does not necessarily have to lose weight as much as she needs to shrink fat cells and increase muscle mass. These changes can improve your body fat percentage and may result in you being healthier even if you do weight more than you did before you began your weight loss journey.
Stepping on a scale during a weight loss program and seeing an increase in weight can be detrimental if the source of the increased weight is not carefully evaluated. Have you ever been excited to weigh yourself after a week of dieting because you think you are already seeing results only to be disappointed by an increase in weight or no weight loss at all? This happens to a lot of women and can be a source of discouragement for women who are not aware of other ways to evaluate their fitness program. Body measurements are one excellent way to evaluate progress. Take measurements in a variety of locations including, but not limited to, chest, waist, hips, thigh, calf, bicep and forearm. You can add additional measurements for any other location you prefer. A decrease in these measurements indicates the program is working even if the scale is not showing an overall weight loss just yet.
Buying a pair of jeans in a size or two smaller than your current size can also be used to evaluate your fitness program. Try on these jeans each week and note how well they fit. You should notice some improvement each week and can reward yourself with a new pair of shoes when you can finally fit into these jeans. Although you are now a size or two smaller in the size of your jeans, your weight may not have decreased noticeably. This is perfectly understandable especially if you have added muscle mass to your frame.
How Do I Gain Muscle Mass?Now that you understand the concept of not basing your fitness level on the amount of muscle mass you have, you might wonder just how you can achieve greater muscle mass. Muscle mass is gained through resistance training. This includes activities such as lifting weights and working out with resistance bands. The key to gaining muscle mass is to work each body part to the point of exhaustion. This means the weight you are lifting should be sufficient to cause the last few reps of each set to be taxing. This will likely result in muscle soreness the following day but this soreness is a good sign the muscles were worked sufficiently. Increasing muscle mass has a few added benefits including a more attractive appearance and an increased metabolism. Increased metabolism is significant because it can contribute to weight loss.
Try starting an exercise program where you work your biceps, triceps and shoulders on Monday your legs and abdominals on Wednesdays and your back and chest on Fridays. This will ensure adequate rest for each body part. As part of each routine you should do 2-3 exercises for each body part. On the first week of your program you should select a weight which you can lift for 10-12 reps, during the second week select a weight you can lift for 8-10 reps and during the third week select a weight you can lift for 6-8 reps. On the fourth week select a weight slightly higher than in the first week and attempt to complete 10-12 reps. Continue the pattern of increasing the weight and decreasing the number of reps for the next two weeks and then return to the higher rep level of the first week and again try to increase the weight slightly.
Taking Supplements to Improve Your HealthIncreasing muscle mass is an important part of a fitness program but the other factor in the equation is decreasing the size of fat cells. This can be accomplished by burning more calories than you are consuming. Lifting weights will help to increase your metabolism and make your body burn more calories but you can exacerbate this effect by taking herbal supplements such as Meltorin which will help you to suppress your appetite and increase your metabolism. To learn more about Meltorin, visit their website at: www.Meltorin.com and consult your doctor to determine if this type of supplement is right for you. However, as with any supplement it is important to note these products are meant to be used as part of a healthy program of proper nutrition and adequate exercise. The Food and Drug Administration echoes this sentiment by stating, "Any claims that you can lose weight effortlessly are false. The only proven way to lose weight is either to reduce the number of calories you eat or to increase the number of calories you burn off through exercise. Most experts recommend a combination of both."
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About the Author:| Disclaimer: This article is not meant to provide health advice and is for general information only. Always seek the insights of a qualified health professional before embarking on a health or fitness program. |
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