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The
following are articles taken from our bimonthly newsletter, The
Buzz. If you would like to subscribe to the electronic or hard
copy version, please e-mail
us.
Part six, and the last in this series, the
following is a continuation of the journal of Kim Reese,our stalwart
board member and reluctant exerciser.
With
our journal series we bring you the challenges and accomplishments
of an average woman: someone who, like all of us, balances a life
full of work, play, friends, family and occasional struggle.
We
hope you find inspiration in Kim’s daily endeavors, and perhaps
decide to try something new and challenging yourself!
So
it's February and I've "successfully completed" my mission . .
.to do my journal. I've been sitting back and asking myself questions
about the experience, from the viewpoint of a person who has not
always been active.
Sometimes
it’s been a struggle. Sometimes it’s been easy. Sometimes I notice
myself rolling my eyes when I’m standing in the living room popping
in my Tae Bo tape or getting ready to walk out the door for a
walk, but SOMETIMES I notice myself smiling. Go figure!
What
did I learn? I’ve learned that the point of power for me is always
in the present moment, which means that waking up and telling
myself that I’ll get my body moving “tomorrow” doesn’t work for
me. That “tomorrow” never seems to come . . .or it’ll come two
weeks down the road.
I’ve
learned that absolutely 100% of the time, once I make the commitment
to get up and do something physical, I enjoy myself. That was
a shocking realization for me. I feel so much better physically
and emotionally!
Exercising,
especially walking, has turned into a form of meditation for me
on many occasions. It relaxes the thoughts that go on in my head,
which can be a scary place sometimes . . .believe me! I’ve also
learned (and this is an awesome lesson for me) that I don’t need
to be perfect. I’ll just leave it at that.
To
go from a complete slug to not-so-much-a-slug is a pretty fantastic
thing. I feel like I am so typical of many women. It’s been a
fun process.
In
the words of Yoda (was it Yoda who said this?) MAY THE FORCE BE
WITH YOU . . .those of you who want to make a change. If I can
do it, it can be done. Trust me on this one!!
| WEIGHT
TRAINING: NO, YOU WON'T GET "TOO BIG!" |
At
the height of my fitness obsession of a couple of years ago, I
ran into a friend who hadn’t seen me in a while. She commented
that I was in good shape, and asked me what I was doing.
I
told her about my routine, which included 30-45 minutes of cardio
three or four times a week, and an hour or so of weight training
three times a week. The first thing she said was, “Be careful
with the weights -- you don’t want to get too big!”
I
laughed to myself and decided it wasn’t the time to launch into
a lecture on female physiology. Besides, I don’t have a problem
with “getting big.” Muscles aren’t just for men!
However,
after hearing the same fear expressed by woman after woman, year
after year, I realized that women are still getting the wrong
message about lifting weights.
Weight
training is a valuable tool for keeping your body fit, healthy
and strong; unfortunately many women are missing out on the benefits
because of misguided fears.
If
you are a woman, and you choose to lift weights as part of your
fitness program, you will not develop an Arnold Schwarzenegger
body. (Unless you want to, of course. . .) Let me tell you why.
In
order for a woman to become muscular to the degree of a competitive
body builder, for example, three factors come into play.
1.
Genetics -- Women who get huge have genetics on their side.
Just like some of us have brown eyes and some have blue, some
women build muscle more easily than others.
If
you’re comparing yourself to men, pay attention: testosterone
is the main hormone responsible for muscle growth in men and women.
Women produce around 0.1 mg of testosterone a day, compared to
the 5-10 mg produced by men. This alone makes it unlikely that
a woman can build as much muscle as a man through casual strength
training.
Even
if you do tend to build muscle easily, there are still more factors
to consider.
2.
Diet -- Body builders, especially when in competition, eat
very strict diets consisting of high levels of protein, very little
fat, and carbohydrates somewhere in between. You won’t often see
a body builder in a restaurant, and you will NEVER see one eating
fast food, unless they are in the off-season. In addition, body
builders must eat almost constantly to fuel their bodies.
Most
body builders supplement their diets as well, with substances
(sometimes legal, sometimes illegal) designed to increase muscle
mass and burn fat.
3.
Discipline and commitment -- Body builders spend hours
a day, week in, week out for years, training with heavy weights
to achieve the level of muscle mass they need to compete. Body
building is a full time job.
So
now that you understand the near impossibility of casual weight
training turning you into the Incredible Hulk, let’s talk about
the benefits of lifting weights.
1.
Increasing muscle mass accelerates metabolism. As we age,
muscle mass decreases and our metabolism slows down. That’s why
we can’t eat the same junk we used to any more. When we increase
our muscle mass, our body burns more calories, even at rest. We
have more energy, burn fat, and gain strength all at the same
time.
2.
Weight training helps increase bone density. With the threat
of osteoporosis looming in our futures, weight-bearing exercise
is a crucial addtion to our routines.
3.
Weight training can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular
disease. The American Heart Association published a scientific
advisory in September 1999, which said that for healthy adults,
and some cardiac patients, “mild-to-moderate resistance training
can provide an effective method for improving muscular strength
and endurance, preventing and managing a variety of chronic medical
conditions, modifying coronary risk factors, and enhancing psychosocial
well-being.”
Don’t
let fear keep you from the weight room. Find a qualified professional
to show you the ropes; most gyms have certified trainers on staff,
or you can look in the phone book or on the Web.
Check
with your doctor if you haven’t been on an exercise program, and
don’t forget to include cardio in your workout. Cardio and strength
training should complement each other.
Soon
you will start to see and feel changes in your body: strength,
energy, power. And
when those muscles start to develop, be proud of them! We wouldn’t
have them if we weren’t meant to use them!
By
Lisa Braithwaite, Director, Body Electric
We will be holding an orientation meeting on March 28 at 6:00
p.m. for anyone interested in volunteering with Body Electric.
E-mail lisa@bodyelectric-sb.org
or call 682-8080 for more information.
Read
more articles in the Buzz Archives...
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