Get Moving Monday...

I actually wrote this post a week or so ago, knowing that I had alot coming up on the calendar.

Since I wrote it, I talked to my brother-in-law, who is a personal trainer in Florida. He said that most people can't lose weight because they aren't building muscle. Muscle is what keeps your body continually burning fat and calories, even while you're sleeping, sitting, and eating! He said that if people want to lose weight and keep it off, they need to build some muscle. He also said that MOST people lose weight the wrong way.

He told me (GREAT NEWS) that he was going to help me with this blog. In lap two (Starting February 2nd), he is going to post every week (in place of me) and talk about losing weight and proper weight training. He also wants to answer any of the questions that you have about lifting and losing weight, what to eat before and after exercising, etc. He is also available to set up a training schedule for you. He has trained quite a few people long-distance, via e-mail. Isn't this exciting? So, e-mail me with your questions to forward to him and he can start to prepare his posts. My e-mail: healthymahma@gmail.com

We all know that the more muscle you have, the faster your metabolism, and the faster your weight loss. Experts suggest adding two sessions of targeted weight training to your weekly fitness program through either free weights, resistance machines, or exercises using Therabands.

Here's an article I found at MayoClinic.com to help get us started building muscle and burning more calories:


Muscle mass naturally diminishes with age. "If you don't do anything to replace the lean muscle you lose, you'll increase the percentage of fat in your body," says Edward Laskowski, M.D., a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., and co-director of the Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine Center. "But strength training can help you preserve and enhance your muscle mass — at any age."

Strength training also helps you:
Develop strong bones.
By stressing your bones, strength training increases bone density and reduces the risk of osteoporosis.

Control your weight.
As you gain muscle, your body burns calories more efficiently — which can result in weight loss. The more toned your muscles, the easier it is to control your weight.

Reduce your risk of injury.
Building muscle protects your joints from injury. It also helps you maintain flexibility and balance — and remain independent as you age.

Boost your stamina.
As you grow stronger, you won't fatigue as easily.

Improve your sense of well-being.
Strength training can boost your self-confidence, improve your body image and reduce the risk of depression.

Get a better night's sleep.
People who commit to a regular strength training program are less likely to have insomnia.

Manage chronic conditions.
Strength training can reduce the signs and symptoms of many chronic conditions, including arthritis, back pain, depression, diabetes, obesity and osteoporosis.

Consider the options
Strength training can be done at home or in the gym. Consider the options:

Body weight.
You can do many exercises with little or no equipment — use your body weight instead. Try push-ups, pull-ups, abdominal crunches and leg squats.

Resistance tubing.
Resistance tubing is inexpensive, lightweight tubing that provides resistance when stretched. You can choose from many types of resistance tubes in nearly any sporting goods store.

Free weights.
Barbells and dumbbells are classic strength training tools. You can also try homemade weights, such as plastic soft drink bottles filled with water or sand.

Weight machines.
Most fitness centers offer various resistance machines. You can also invest in weight machines for use at home.