Strength training & Nutrition: If you don't eat, you will be eaten..

The 80s sweat band era along with the amazing colors, sounds and "burnt calories" was cool, for a while, better than nothing, but lacking...

The "real cool" though, according the the latest data and research, now more evident than ever, is the importance of strength & resistance based training. Especially for women.

Let's just get straight into the most common training misperceptions:

- We measure the effectiveness of a workout by tracking "calories burnt" on the smart watch.

- We neglect eating, especially after workouts, assuming that if we do, we will have to "reburn" those consumed calories again before it stores as fat.

- When we do eat, we assume "diet foods" or protein shakes are sufficient as a meal.

- High heart rates = better workout.

- In order to lose the fat, I must eat less and train more.

- Weights or strength training will make me "bulky"

Ok, we cringe every-time we hear the last one.....

In reality, if you ever want to do extra work or you have the option to choose, strength training should be your #1 priority, especially for women!

No, you won't bulk up! You don't train, eat or sleep nearly well enough to get that right.

The same mindset that pushed many of us into thinking that the treadmill or 60min cardio workout will "tone" us down , has also conditioned us into thinking that THIN is healthy and fit..T

This could not be further from the truth and often withholds us from lifting those weights, which is paramount to optimal wellness!

The skinny/thin "Kate Hudson" body type at most times is in actual fact unhealthy and deprived of fuel and nutrients putting you at risk, especially as we age. The better modern day term for this perceived "perfect image" is called "skinny fat"

Skinny fat also known as normal-weight obesity, refers to having a normal body weight, but a high body fat percentage and low muscle mass, which can lead to similar health risks as obesity.  We assume this "looks good" , hence why we want to keep hopping onto that bike or treadmill, yet, we should be looking into the opposite direction, that's if we don't want our bones to look like chalk....

This is where shift to adding strength & resistance into your training regime comes in.

Strength or Resistance training becomes even more important for women over the age of 30 onwards. Whether it's ramping up your metabolism, building lean muscle, supporting joint health and bone density or the one line we are all in search of ....BURNING FAT (hah..), adding resistance is key.

If we go back into the "80s sweat band" mindset, assuming that we focus on cardio only( because we think that high heart rates & long durations burn fat..)and at the same time assume we have to eat less to manage calorie intake , what is actually happening inside our bodies?

1- By doing cardio only, we are breaking down lean muscle mass. This tricks us into thinking that we are "thinner" which is presumably "better", yet refer back to skinny fat above, which is borderline dangerous if taken too far.

2- By avoiding proper and enough food, we can't replenish glycogen stores. Essentially, your body searches for fuel elsewhere aka muscle tissue, leading to further breakdowns.

It is important to think of your body as a MACHINE that has several moving parts in order for it to fulfill its function.

If not more important, is for you to consider what you are feeding the machine.

If you don't feed it, it will start eating itself (cringe..).

(Now don't go feeding it KFC or your favorite pizza three times per week! Refer back to our blog on nutrition for more specifics on a proper eating plan. )

The point of this post, is to encourage you not to shy away from strength training and especially making sure that you are eating enough good wholesome nutrients during the day.

This post is also not to say that cardio has no value, in fact it has massive potential and should be incorporated into any regime with good variance and programming. That being said, the emphasis on proper strength training should be at the forefront, coached with proper form and adequate loading based off of personal capacity.

We found this super smart chat with Dr Sims who has published over 100 studies on the value of strength training for women below, check it out!

See you soon!

https://www.melrobbins.com/podcasts/episode-275