Quite some time ago, I decided I wanted to be a healthy person. This involved, among other things, eating right and getting enough exercise. Limiting foods high in saturated fat and sugar, which is most of our processed foods, is a good start.
I like to walk, play tennis, ride horses, cross country ski and hike. I need a body that will support these interests. Because of this, I have found myself always looking for different workout plans for women that will keep me strong and healthy. Following are a few practices that helped add the strength I want and, as an added benefit, some curves in just the right places.
Add weights to your workout. If you are not using weights now, start. If you are using weights don't be afraid of using heavier weights. Do not worry about getting too bulky. Women do not have high enough testosterone levels in their system to form the bulging muscles of a male body builder.
Challenge yourself. You may find you are stronger than you thought. Pick up 10 or even 15 pound weights and try it out. You will find your body transforming to a smaller, trimmer and curvier you.
Don't get concerned if you gain some weight. Muscle takes up less space in your body than fat does. You may weigh more but you will look smaller.
Evaluate your cardio plan. Like many of us I have spent long hours on aerobic machines moving from the treadmill to the elliptical to the Nordic track. It is all good but I did not notice a big difference in my body. Again, I started looking at those workout plans for women. What I found was that we tend to plateau in a regular cardio workout so that, for example, when we began we would burn 100 calories in an hour now we are burning only 80. In other words you need to increase the time on the machine to get the same benefit.
Actually, the answer is not to work longer but to work harder in short bursts. I like this plan because my total cardio workout takes 20 minutes. I start with a 2 minute warm-up, then alternate between working 30 seconds as hard as I can with 90 seconds at a much easier pace. I found this really works and it is very challenging.
These are just a few changes that I made that really worked. By adding weight lifting and a more efficient cardio plan I find myself working smarter not harder.
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