Take this lovely lady from my DM below:

We were talking about one of my programs and she was asking me a few questions about cardio (thinking my programs are mainly cardio). Valid assumption, I do talk about cardio a LOT! But I also firmly believe a good fitness program must include cardio and resistance/strength/weight training. OK, but what’s the difference between resistance, strength, and weight training?

RESISTANCE TRAINING VS WEIGHT TRAINING VS STRENGTH TRAINING

All 3 of these names (resistance, strength, and weight training) refer to one type of training – a form of exercise that involves working against a force or resistance where the goal is to improve muscular strength, endurance, and tone.

I usually use the term resistance training and don’t use the term strength training or weight training that much. I do it mainly because I noticed that a lot of fitness trainers prefer to differentiate between strength and weight training on one end and resistance training on the other end. For them, we have strength/weight training that involves using weights to build strength. And then we have resistance training which is a broader term that means training with any resistance whether it’s with weights, weighted machines, or with just your own body weight.

So with time, I feel like people started associating both strength and weight training with heavy weight lifting. And since I mainly recommend bodyweight or lightweight resistance training, I tend to use the resistance training term.

WHY I MAINLY RECOMMEND BODYWEIGHT AND LIGHTWEIGHT RESISTANCE TRAINING AND NOT HEAVYWEIGHT LIFTING

You may be wondering now why I mainly recommend bodyweight and lightweight resistance training to my clients. Is there something wrong with doing heavyweight lifting? No, not at all!

I think heavyweight-lifting has amazing health benefits and I used to lift heavy weights myself. I loved the way it made me feel, I was the strongest I ever was when I lifted heavy. But, unfortunately, (and you may think this is very superficial and vain) I didn’t like it how it made me look. I know, I know, we shouldn’t train just for looks (and I’m not!) but I’d be lying if I said looks didn’t matter to me. And if you were completely honest, you’d probably say both health and looks matter. ;)

RELATED POST: HOW TO GET LEAN AND NOT BULKY – THE ULTIMATE FEMALE GUIDE

MY EXPERIENCE WITH HEAVYWEIGHT LIFTING

When I started lifting heavy and wanted to tone up and become lean and strong. And initially loved my physical transformation. I was getting stronger, my muscle tone improved, and I had abs for the first time in my life! I felt awesome!

But then as I started lifting heavier and heavier, I noticed my clothes did not fit me anymore. My pants and my tops became too tight and I just felt bigger and bulkier.

I know this sounds controversial in today’s climate. And if they saw my photos from back then, a lot of people would tell me I didn’t look bulky… But, I felt too bulky for my own liking. What’s bulky and what’s not is highly subjective and personal. What may feel bulky to me, may not feel bulky to you and vice versa. And that’s OK.

But what’s not OK, in my opinion, is the pressure and even bullying and ridicule a lot of women experience when they say “I don’t want to lift heavy.” I’ve been there myself and I know how horrible it is.

I WAS TOLD WOMEN CAN NOT GET BULKY

When I told my PT I wanted to stop lifting heavy (this was before I became a PT myself), he told me I was “being silly and imagining things”. He told me “women cannot get bulky” and pressured me to keep lifting heavier and heavier “you need to get bigger before you get leaner”.

If you are lifting heavy and you love it, I support you 100%. Do what you love, girl! And if you are someone who tried lifting heavy but you ended up getting the results you were not happy about, please know that’s valid too.

There are a lot of women who feel like it and I don’t think we deserve to be judged for it. So if you are someone who feels pressured by the fitness industry to lift heavy even though you feel like this doesn’t align with your goals, I want you to know you are not alone.

There are ways to do resistance/strength training without heavy weights. You can still get stronger and have the benefits of strength training without lifting heavy. And if that’s what you want, you are in the right place!

RELATED POST: DO SQUATS MAKE YOUR LEGS BIGGER OR SMALLER

HOW TO DO RESISTANCE TRAINING WITHOUT LIFTING HEAVY WEIGHTS

In the past 10 years, I noticed that there is a lot of pressure in the fitness community on women to lift heavy weights. I’m not saying lifting weights is bad or anything like that! On the contrary, I know very well how many health benefits lifting weights has – it strengthens your bones, helps with weight management, it can reduce the signs and symptoms of some serious chronic conditions, such as arthritis, back pain, obesity, heart disease, depression and diabetes, it improves your cognitive abilities etc. So if you like lifting weights and you’re happy with all of the aspects of it, go for it!

But, in case you are rethinking weights, you should know that lifting heavy weights or working on weighted gym machines is not the only weight to do resistance training and experience all of these amazing health benefits I’ve mentioned.

FREE 7-DAY RESISTANCE TRAINING PLAN FOR GETTING LEAN AND NOT BULKY

If you are someone who bulks up easily or if you just prefer lower-impact resistance training, I created a free 7-day resistance training plan (Lean Legs Challenge) that will help you get lean and toned without getting bulky.

This is a full body resistance training plan. It consists of mostly bodyweight workouts but if you want to make it slightly more challenging, you can use equipment like ankle weights, resistance bands and small dumbbells. This style of training is closest to floor pilates. It’s low impact and it’s a great option for women who prefer a more lean and toned look.

I love this type of mostly bodyweight resistance training because:

• it’s low impact (easier on joints, won’t leave you completely exhausted),
• it’s effective – bodyweight workouts improve muscle endurance, builds strength, improves flexibility, etc.
• doesn’t cause unwanted bulkiness,
• gives you that lean and toned look – slim and toned legs and arms, perky butt, snatched waist, flatter tummy

This 7-day workout plan is completely free and can be found on my app. All you need to do is to download the app on App Store or Google Play and create an account.

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Lean Legs Challenge Inline

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JOIN THE CHALLENGE

I hope you enjoy my 7-day workout plan and as always, if you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below.

Love Rachael xx

SOURCES:

• Strength Training Benefits – https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/strength-training/art-20046670
• Bodyweight Training Benefits – https://www.health.harvard.edu/exercise-and-fitness/the-advantages-of-body-weight-exercise

The post What’s the Difference Between Resistance, Strength, and Weight Training? appeared first on Rachael Attard.

If you answered YES any of these questions, please keep on reading.

WHY I RECOMMEND LOW IMPACT WORKOUTS FOR WOMEN

As a certified PT and a 35 y/o woman who has tried every type of training out there, I know exactly how it feels to spend hours in the gym and do tons of HIIT without getting the results you want. I also know how it feels to constantly feel tired and drained from your workouts when you’re supposed to feel great and energised.

And as I get older, I also want to make sure I’m prioritising my health. I’m doing everything I can to stay active and healthy while also maintaining my physique.

So what are we women supposed to do if we want to feel good both on the inside and on the outside without having to spend hours in the gym? How should we train?

For me, the answer to this is focusing on mostly low impact workouts. I’m a huge advocate for low impact workouts. I’m going to share with you all of my favorite low impact workouts plus their pros and cons.

Since a lot of women in their 30s and 40s are asking me about bone health and low impact resistance training, I’m also going to share scientific studies and trusted medical sources I found on this topic for every type of low impact training mentioned in this blog. Contrary to the popular belief in the fitness community, heavy weight lifting is not the only thing you can do for your bone health. :)

Even if you realise doing mainly low-impact workouts may not be the best option for you, I hope this blog post, helps you make the right choice for yourself. :)

WHAT IS LOW IMPACT TRAINING?

Low impact training is any form of exercise that is gentler on your joints and that puts less stress on your body in general (doesn’t increase your cortisol – stress hormone levels). Since low impact exercises are generally easier on the body this makes them a great option for women of various fitness levels and ages.

I also recommend this type of training to women who prefer a leaner and slimmer look without any unwanted bulkiness.

WHO SHOULD DO LOW IMPACT WORKOUTS?

Low impact training is a great option for women looking to:

• reduce tiredness and fatigue they feel while doing mostly high-impact workouts (heavy weight lifting, running, HIIT, etc.) – this is 100% me!
• exercise without putting excessive strain on their joints
• reduce cortisol levels (cortisol is a hormone that raises when we are under stress) – again, 100% me!
• increase their bone mass and are unable to do high-impact workouts due to having low bone mass
• lean out and reduce unwanted muscle bulk – a lot of women prefer a leaner and slimmer look, myself included

WHAT ARE THE BEST LOW IMPACT TRAINING OPTIONS FOR WOMEN?

This will depend on your goals but in general, I’d recommend choosing at least 1 cardio (like walking or elliptical) and 1 resistance training option (pilates or similar bodyweight resistance training). Any good, well-rounded program should have both cardio and resistance training.

Below are some of my favorite low impact exercises I recommend to my clients:

Walking:

Walking is one of the simplest low impact cardio exercises that almost anyone can it. It is also a so-called weight-bearing exercise which means it helps build bone mass. It can be done It’s easy to incorporate into your daily routine, whether it’s a brisk walk around the neighborhood or a stroll in the park.

Also, walking actually burns fat. Yes, you’ll have to do a lot of walking for it to be effective but still, it will help you lose extra body fat. For best results, I recommend if you combining it with a slight calorie deficit and some form of resistance training. I prefer low impact, pilates style resistance training. If you want to learn more about how walking can help you lose extra body fat, please read this blog post on why you need cardio for fat loss.

Another thing why I love walking is the fact that it doesn’t increase your cortisol levels (stress hormone). As a matter of fact, this study and this study show that low impact workouts, like walking, may actually help reduce cortisol. (Unlike high-intensity workouts that increase your cortisol levels).

The only downside of walking I could find is that you need to do quite a lot of walking for optimal results. I recommend around 7.000-10.000 steps per day.

RELATED POST: WALKING OR RUNNING – WHICH IS BETTER FOR FAT LOSS

Swimming:

Swimming and water aerobics are excellent low Impact options. For most of us who are recreational swimmers, swimming will be aerobic (low impact) workout. (Swimming can be both aerobic (low intensity) and anaerobic (high-intensity) workout.)

It is also a full-body resistance training workout. The buoyancy of the water reduces the impact on joints while providing resistance.

Swimming will most likely NOT help with bone-building though so be mindful of that. There is a new review/meta-analysis that claims there may be at least some bone-building benefits from swimming but most experts seem to agree swimming is not something that will help you reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

Swimming is a great option if you want to reduce stress on your joints and stress in general since, like walking, swimming also has a positive effect on cortisol levels. For example, in this study, scientists observed that cortisol levels after swimming were significantly lower when compared to cortisol levels after running.

RELATED POST: FAT BURNING ZONE – LEARN HOW TO BURE MORE FAT

Cycling:

Riding a stationary bike or cycling outdoors is gentle on the joints and can be adjusted to different intensity levels. It’s an effective cardiovascular exercise and it’s easier on your knees than high impact workouts like running or HIIT which has a lot of jumping.

There are however 2 downsides to cycling – one is strictly health-related and the other has more to the with our personal preferences.

OK, let’s go to the first, health-related downside. Studies have found that cyclists compared to other athletes, have lower bone density. So it seems that cycling may be making our bone health worse and not better.

If you are someone who wants to ensure better bone health or you know you’re at risk of osteoporosis, I would recommend sticking to walking, elliptical, or some other low impact aerobic type of training.

CYCLING AND KNOWING YOUR BODY TYPE

Let’s move to the other cycling downside. This is totally an aesthetic matter but still important to a lot of women. If you are someone who doesn’t want to build a lot of muscle in your legs (and what is a lot is subjective), you may want to avoid cycling more than twice per week if you have a mesomorph body type. If you have an endomorph body type and you feel like you build muscle super quickly, cycling may not be the best option for you.

I have a mesomorph body type and I noticed my legs getting bigger after adding cycling to my routine 3 times per week.

Knowing your body type will help you decide which workouts are better for you and your fitness goals so I would highly recommend learning your body type. All of my clients start by doing a quick, free body type quiz that helps them determine their body type. If you’d like to know yours, just follow this link or click the button below.

WANT TO KNOW YOUR BODY TYPE?

• Complete the quiz in 2 minutes
  
• It’S free
• You will get 3 nutrition and workout tips for your body type

START THE QUIZ NOW

RELATED POST: WHY YOU NEED TO KNOW YOUR BODY TYPE

Elliptical Trainer:

The elliptical machine provides a smooth, low impact workout that engages both the upper and lower body. It’s a good alternative to running or walking. I always say to my clients – “If you don’t want to walk, elliptical is the next best thing”. Just be mindful of one thing. If one of your main goals is to fat in your lower body, walking just seems to be working better.

Elliptical is also a good option for women who want to improve their bone density and are not allowed/cannot do high-impact workouts.

If you are someone who has issues with high cortisol, the good news is that exercising on the elliptical trainer should NOT increase your cortisol levels as long as you’re exercising at an intensity that’s 60% or lower of your heart rate reserve.

Low Weight and Bodyweight Resistance Training:

Strength (resistance) training with light weights, resistance bands, or just your body weight is an effective way to build muscle without putting excessive strain on the joints. Research also shows that resistance training is important for preserving and improving bone health, especially in us women and especially as we are growing older.

I used to lift heavy weights and I loved how much stronger it made. But to be perfectly honest, I didn’t love the way it made me look. I just felt heavy weight lifting made me look too muscular for my liking.

If you are someone who builds muscle quickly (you have a Mesomorph or Endomorph body type) and you prefer a leaner and slimer look, heavy weight lifting may not be the best option. In this case, low impact, mostly bodyweight resistance training might be a better option.

I personally LOVE this type of training because it doesn’t leave me feeling exhausted AND it’s great for achieving that lean and toned look a lot of women want.

RELATED POST: HOW TO GET LEAN AND NOT BULKY – FEMALE GUIDE

Yoga:

Yoga is well known for its low-impact nature and flexibility benefits. There are various styles of yoga, so you can choose a class that suits your fitness level, goals, and preferences.

Some types of yoga, like Vinyasa, can help with muscle toning, especially for women who are new to resistance training. Many yoga poses require you to support and move your body weight, providing a form of resistance for various muscle groups, including the core, arms, shoulders, and legs.

Another great benefit of yoga is the fact that yoga may help with lowering cortisol levels. Plus, it’s been shown that yoga can have a positive impact on bone density.

So potentially, and especially if you are a beginner, yoga could be a good starting point for resistance training. But if I’m being perfectly honest, I would definitely add some other type of resistance training to your routine (Pilates or resistance training with light weights and resistance bands). Yoga alone probably won’t be enough to make you significantly stronger.

Pilates (Reformer and Barre):

Pilates focuses on core strength, flexibility, and stability. A lot of the moves can be modified to reduce impact while still providing a challenging resistance training workout.

I LOVE reformer Pilates and I never felt like it was interfering with my fitness goals. But I have had some women I trained tell me that they have bulked up from reformer pilates. Most of these clients had an Endomorph body type and their pilates trainers would include a lot of lunge and squat variations.

Barre classes can be great. But this depends a lot on your teacher and the style of barre they do. I have been to a barre class which included a ton of squat jumps, squat holds, and burpees. This type of barre could make your legs bigger and bulkier. If this is not something you want, I would try regular floor-based pilates instead.

When it comes to the relationship between Pilates and bone health, there are indications that Pilates can increase bone density in postmenopausal women who have osteoporosis.

Dance:

I love dancing and I often get asked if dancing is a good form of exercise. This depends of your goals and type of dancing you do.

Low-impact dance classes, such as ballroom or dance aerobics, can be a fun way to stay active without stressing the joints. Low impact dancing is also beneficial for bone health and it’s not going to leave you feeling exhausted.

Ballet, zumba and other dance styles that include a lot of jumping are high-impact. They are good for strengthening your bones but intense on the joints. Also, high imapct dancing can cause bulkiness in some body types so be mindful of that if one of your goals is slimmer thighs. High-impact dancing is also more likely to increase cortisol levels.

LOW IMPACT TRAINING FOR WOMEN FINAL THOUGHTS

OK, so the main question is – should you focus on low impact workouts, will these be enough for you?

Low impact workouts are a great option for women who:

• have hormone issues that can be made worse by high-impact workouts
• bulk up easily but prefer a leaner and slimmer look (this is highly subjective of course)
• have joint issues
• cannot high impact workouts due to health issues, injuries

Whether low impact workouts are for you largely depends on your:

• personal preferences
• fitness and health goals
• lifestyle
• abilities

If you prefer high impact workouts like running or heavy weight lifting and you don’t feel any negative effects, that’s great! You just keep doing what works best for you. I’m hear to support you. :)

And if you enjoy low impact workouts, I promise it’s totally fine to focus mostly on low impact cardio and resistance training. I do mostly bodyweight resistance training and walking as my cardio. Once a week I do a HIIT workout (high-intensity interval training) annd that’s it! And I can honestly tell you I’ve never felt better in my life!

This routine I created for myself years ago, I also transferred into my fitness programs. So if you are looking a low impact but high result fitness program and you prefer a lean and toned look, my programs would be a great option for you. You can check them out below. :)

Love Rachael

CLAIM YOUR DISCOUNT

SOURCES:

• Low Impact Weight Bearing Exercises – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3296386/
• Walking Reduces Cortisol Levels – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6920124/, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18787373/
• Swimming for Bone Building – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7245678/
• Swimming VS Running – Cortisol Levels – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29281146/
• Cycling and Bone Density – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3230645/
• Resistance Training and Bone Health – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6279907/
• Yoga and Cortisol Levels – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3768222/
• Yoga and Bone Health – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8884416/
• Pilates and Bone Health – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26406222/
• Low Impact Dancing and Bone Health – https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34224342/
• High Impact Dancing and Cortisol Levels – https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10465-022-09368-z

The post Low Impact Training For Women – Recommended by a Certified PT appeared first on Rachael Attard.

This type of resistance training will help you get lean and toned legs without making them bulky.

You can do this workout at home or wherever you like. You’ll just need a resistance band.

Enjoy! :)

WATCH THE RESISTANCE BAND LEGS WORKOUT VIDEO

HOW TO COMPLETE THE CIRCUIT

• Complete each exercise for 45 seconds, and do all exercises on one leg and then the other.

• Complete 2 rounds.

THE EXERCISES

1. 90° TAPS WITH RESISTANCE BAND

2. RESISTANCE BAND WALKS 

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3. CLAMSHELL WITH RESISTANCE BAND

4. FIRE HYDRANT WITH RESISTANCE BAND

I really hope you liked this workout! And if you did, you might also enjoy my 3 Steps to Lean Legs Program which is designed to help you get slim and lean legs.

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Love Rachael Xx

The post Toned Legs Exercise – Resistance Band Legs Workout appeared first on Rachael Attard.

One question that I get from time to time from some ladies goes something like this:

“Rachael, I’m doing your booty workout, but I’m feeling the burn in my hamstrings and not in my butt! What’s going on??”

For starters, I will usually ask them to make sure they are doing the exercises correctly. And, I also want to check if they have any bad workout habits. If everything seems to be ok, I tell them it could be down to their mind-muscle connection.

What Is A Mind-Muscle Connection?

Mind-muscle connection is one of the latest fitness theories. It is centred around the idea that you can work your muscles more efficiently just by concentrating on them and contracting them. Doing this before moving through different exercises is what makes the connection.

The theory suggests that by activating a muscle mentally, you have a greater chance of working that muscle efficiently and effectively.

Mind-Muscle Connection Myth OR Mind-Muscle Connection Science?

While it’s not a proven scientific fact just yet, a mind-muscle connection is supported by most fitness professionals. Also, research from studies that have been done around the theory is certainly promising.

Comparing groups of people that undertake muscle-brain connection to those who do not is a key part of studies. The group that uses the technique have better results overall.

Our brains play a key role in regulating muscle movement and strength. So, it really makes sense that focusing on connecting your mind with muscles will be helpful to you in your workouts.

Muscle movement begins in the brain, and the brain can regulate strength without you even lifting a finger. By visualising an action correctly, your brain will generate neurological signals which can be sent down to the target muscle.

If you are a strong believer in ‘mind over matter’ then this is definitely a technique that you will want to try.

Benefits Of The Mind-Muscle Connection

The mind-muscle connection benefits are plentiful.

And the great thing is, is that putting this technique into practice will certainly be of no harm to you, and you can apply it to all kinds of workouts including full body resistance workouts or an ab workout.

By training your brain to send stronger signals to your muscles, you can:

• Concentrate your muscles on working more efficiently
• Have more effective workouts
• Improve your form
• Have less pain and injury
• Be more ‘in the zone’ by picturing your muscles.
• Better muscle engagement

Mind-muscle connection benefits won’t happen overnight, but working at it will be better for your workouts in the long run. You are not going to waste any extra time or energy by changing your thought process while you are exercising.

Related post: 5 Things That Lean People Do

How To Improve Your Mind-Muscle Connection

There are several ways you can improve your mind-muscle connection:

Here are 5 helpful tips that you can start implementing today.

1) Direct Your Energy To The Muscle You Want To Work

Mentally zoning-in and pre-isolating the muscles that you want to target right before you do an exercise is one important way to improve your mind-muscle connection.

In fact, an easy-to-grasp technique called the Zone Tone Method, which specifically teaches you how to reach your fitness goals faster by creating that link between your brain and your muscles.

The Zone Tone Method involves two simple steps:

1) Before beginning an exercise, zone in and focus on the specific muscle that you want to train.

2) Throughout the exercise, maintain your mind-muscle connection.

This method is certainly helpful for you if your fitness instructor, your workout buddy, or other things around you distract you easily.

2) Concentrate On Your Form

Understanding the correct form for a particular exercise such as donkey kicks is key when starting out. Make sure you are really concentrating on doing each and every rep correctly to improve your mind-muscle connection.

It can be useful to get into some kind of rhythm by counting or saying the actions of the exercise in your head. While it may feel silly, you will do better at executing the last rep just as well as the first one.

Looking in the mirror while you are doing each exercise also helps, especially if you are still getting comfortable with your workout routine. Then, you can see the way your body is moving, and check if you’re doing the exercise correctly.

3) Listen To Your Body

When you are first starting out with a regular workout routine, it can sometimes be difficult to complete the number of required reps for an exercise.

There is no point in pushing yourself too far if your body is simply not able to get there. By pushing yourself you will become stressed and strain other muscles, meaning that you are not really working the body part that you should be.

This is where a strong muscle brain connection can come in handy.

Perhaps your workout plan suggests that you should be doing 15 reps, but you know that you can only do 10. Start with 10 and then you will be able to move up to 15 as your body gets stronger. It is better to do 10 effective and correctly-executed reps then 15 with poor form.

4) Be Mindful Of Your Breathing

For those of you that like to do yoga, you will know how breath is an important focus of the activity.

Concentrating on your breath helps to clear your mind and improve your focus to get rid of distracting thoughts. This will help you focus on mind-muscle connection.

You can also implement good breathing techniques into your workouts, concentrating on when you should be breathing in and out with each movement.

It may be a good idea to go to a few yoga classes if you haven’t before – ask a friend if you can tag along. This will help you understand more about how you should be breathing through your workouts and to get comfortable with the practice.

5) Get Rid Of Distractions

When doing a workout at home, the TV, your kids running around, or your phone can come between you and real concentration. Because of this, it’s best to put yourself in a place that you are able to focus 100% on your workout.

When there’s a lot of distractions, it’s easier to lose concentration. And if you’re not concentrating, your mind-muscle connection will be weak.

Taking time out away from your busy schedule such as doing a 15-minute park workout is also a good way to clear your mind. Plus, it helps you to reset for the rest of the day.

 Conclusion

While mind-muscle connection science has not been completely proven yet, it certainly is becoming a popular theory. Since you have nothing to lose by implementing this technique into your workout routine, it is definitely worth a shot.

Try it out and let me know how did you like it in the comments below! Xx

The post How To Improve Your Mind-Muscle Connection For A Better Workout appeared first on Rachael Attard.

No matter what camp you’re in, both cardio and weight training can help you get that lean and toned body you want. But which one is better for your goals? And which one will help you drop body fat faster?

The answer isn’t as simple as you might think. First things first. Let’s take a look at just what counts as cardio.

WHAT IS CARDIO AND WHY YOU NEED IT?

Cardio, also referred to as endurance or aerobic training, is any exercise that gets your heart and lungs pumping at a steady rate for an extended period of time. So we’re talking exercises like jogging, swimming, cycling, dancing, power walking, etc.

Cardio exercises power through calories and help you burn more fat. This makes them ideal for people who want to lose weight and stay lean.

Weight loss (or maintaining a healthy weight) is just one of the reasons why cardio should be incorporated into your weekly workout schedule.

Cardio will also help strengthen your heart. It helps you breathe more efficiently. It can even reduce your risk of long-term health conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and even diabetes.

So whilst cardio training will help you look amazing on the outside, it will also keep you healthy and amazing on the inside as well!

Most studies suggest that just 30 minutes of cardio exercise every day is all you need to start seeing results. It doesn’t even have to leave you feeling sweaty and exhausted—though getting your sweat on can be a great way to reduce stress. And you can break that 30 minutes up as you need to, especially at first.

RELATED POST: WHICH IS BETTER FOR FAT LOSS – WALKING OR RUNNING?

So if cardio helps me burn through calories and keeps me lean why do I need resistance training, you might be wondering!

Let me explain!

WHAT IS STRENGTH TRAINING AND WHY SHOULD YOU INCLUDE IT IN YOUR ROUTINE?

Strength training, also referred to as resistance training, involves exercise that strengthens your muscles by working against the resistance of weight or force. Though it is sometimes referred to as ‘weights training’, I have intentionally avoided this label here. You don’t actually have to lift weights to perform ‘resistance training’.

Resistance training also includes working against the resistance of bands (for example; Pilates) or the resistance of your own bodyweight (for example; when performing the plank, or a sit-up).

So if you want to lose weight but also tone your muscle and avoid the so-called skinny fat look, I would recommend that you don’t skip resistance training.

I know that some women tend to stick to cardio and avoid resistance training in fear of bulking up (I used to be cardio only kind of girl), but there are ways to do it without getting too muscular.

HOW TO DO WEIGHTS WITHOUT BULKING UP

Even though this may be a bit controversial, I’m gonna say it anyway – a lot of women don’t go to the gym to build serious muscles. A lot of women, myself included, prefer a leaner look. And depending on your body type, lifting heavy weights could give you more muscle than you want.

That is why I encourage the use of light weights (with more reps and sets), bodyweight exercises or the use of resistance of bands or equipment, such as those used in Pilates. These types of resistance exercises give the strengthening and toning effect of lifting heavy weights, without the muscle bulking effect. Have a read of this blog post on how to do weights without getting bulky!

WANT TO KNOW YOUR BODY TYPE?

• Complete the quiz in 2 minutes
  
• It’S free
• You will get 3 nutrition and workout tips for your body type

START THE QUIZ NOW

CARDIO VS WEIGHTS – WHAT’S BETTER FOR WEIGHT LOSS?

WHAT BURNS MORE CALORIES – CARDIO OR WEIGHTS?

During your cardio workout, you will burn a lot of calories. If the debate was just about which style of exercise burns more calories during exercise, then high-intensity cardio wins over resistance training (assuming you are giving it 100%).

However, the question I really want to answer here is which type of exercise is better for overall weight loss. This is where it gets interesting.

Resistance training also burns calories during your workout, but it has an added benefit of an increased afterburn effect, where you will continue to burn calories after your workout as well.

So if endurance training is excellent for burning calories and helps keep you healthy on the inside, then why bother with resistance training? After all, resistance training will probably not burn quite as many calories whilst you are training.

WEIGHT TRAINING INCREASES YOUR BASAL METABOLIC RATE

The answer comes down to your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). This is how many calories your body burns just keeping your body functioning internally.

Most women’s BMR’s burn somewhere between 1200-1500 calories in a day. And most workouts will only burn around 300-500 calories. So your BMR makes a big difference as to how many calories you burn, how much you can eat (without gaining weight) and your body’s ability to lose weight.

By doing resistance training you are working to increase your lean muscle mass and raise your BMR, so that your body becomes more efficient at burning calories, even when you’re not exercising!

This is why resistance training is just as important if your goals are to burn fat and trim down!

But this isn’t the only reason you should incorporate some resistance training into your fitness plan.

Resistance training has numerous health benefits, such as:

• Supporting your ligaments and bones and reducing the risk of injury.
• Helps keep you strong and mobile, especially as you get older.
• Gives you subtle and feminine definition.
• Supports good posture.
• Reduces the risk of osteoporosis.
• The definition you can gain through resistance training helps prevent the appearance of cellulite.

RELATED POST: HOW TO FIX A DAMAGED METABOLISM

CARDIO VS WEIGHTS – WHICH BURNS MORE FAT

Strictly speaking, you burn more calories and more FAT when you do cardio exercises, especially low-intensity cardio.

To get energy, your body constantly burns both carbs and fat. Sometimes you’ll burn more fat and sometimes carbs. It all depends on what’s readily available and what type of activities you’re doing.

In order to turn fat into energy, your body needs a lot of oxygen that’s going to oxidize (burn) that fat. So when you’re resting and breathing normally, oxygen is readily available and you can burn fat at a slow and steady pace. For example, when you’re power walking, your body is in the so-called fat–burning zone and it can burn fat more efficiently than when you’re running or lifting weights.

When you do high-intensity workouts like running or resistance training and you’re struggling to breath normally, there’s not enough oxygen to burn the fat. So your body starts burning carbs first since it doesn’t need oxygen to do it. That’s why when you’re running or doing resistance training, your body burns carbs first and foremost.

However, high-intensity activities like running raise your fat-burning threshold and help you stay in the fat-burning zone for longer. The results – you’ll burn more fat.

So yeah, if you want to get maximum results, I would recommend that you combine low-intensity cardio with high-intensity activities like running and resistance training.

AND WHAT ABOUT HIIT?

I also consider HIIT to be a form of resistance training, but HIIT has the benefit of burning lots of calories (like cardio) and it also the after-burn effect. So it is very effective.

However, a lot of traditional HIIT training is very focused on your lower body and if you’re an Endomorph or a Mesomorph body type it could cause bulkiness.

That’s why I design my own HIIT routines that will help you get all the benefits of HIIT without adding unwanted leg muscle. :)

Check out some of my HIIT workouts that won’t cause bulkiness.

RELATED POST: HOW TO DO HIIT TO BURN MORE FAT

SUMMARY

To sum it all up, both cardio and resistance training are excellent ways to lose weight and burn fat! You can get great results doing cardio only, and you can get great results doing resistance training only. But I think you will get better results by combining the two.

Cardio training is more effective at burning calories during training and it burns more fat. But resistance training will increase your BMR and help make your body more efficient at burning fat long after you have stopped training. It is also better at toning your body up.

So if your fitness goals involve burning fat, trimming down and improving your overall health, then try to incorporate both cardio and resistance training into your weekly workout schedule. Together they will help improve your health and have you looking and feeling fantastic!

Remember, you don’t have to push it super hard or go super-fast.

Take your time. If you’re not used to doing cardio, start by going for a walk around the neighbourhood every afternoon. Take the stairs instead of the elevator and run in place during commercial breaks. 

As you build up your endurance, you can tackle longer and more intense cardio sessions. 

For weight training, you’ll need to carve out time every few days to get a good session in. That doesn’t mean you have to rush out and join a gym. Find a spot in your home or out in a park where you can move and run through a simple bodyweight exercise routine.

Or you can try out my Lean Legs program which is designed to give you maximum results!

Check out these AMAZING results from my Lean Legs Program:

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I have developed my own well-balanced workout program that incorporates resistance training and cardio (both high and low intensity). The program is designed to give women the lean and toned look that they are after, and understand how to do resistance training without getting unwanted bulk.

Find out more about my program here and of course, if you have any questions, feel free to ask!xx

Love,

Rachael

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I was quite skinny and wasn’t toned. I was eating really healthy and exercising a lot, but couldn’t work out why I couldn’t get abs, even though I did LOTS of ab exercises.

GETTING BULKY

It wasn’t until I started doing resistance training that I finally understood. The abs seemed to come quite easily! I started out with the basic 3 sets of 12 reps, training different parts of my body on different days. After a few months, I was so lean and toned and was really happy with my body.

I started mixing up my program, lifting heavier, focusing on strength… Fast forward about a year and my body had become too muscular for my liking. I didn’t look bad, but I didn’t like how my crop tops no longer fit as my back was much broader. My legs were also really muscly and seemed to have more fat on them. I hated wearing jeans because they just felt so tight and uncomfortable, and I stopped wearing shorts to the gym.

I was really unhappy with the amount of muscle I’d built. I don’t really have many selfies of me when I got to this point, because I didn’t like taking them!

GETTING TONED WITHOUT GETTING BULKY

I tried a lot of different types of exercises to slim down but still stay toned. I did a lot of cardio, which helped slim down my legs. But unfortunately getting rid of too much muscle is hard and takes a long time.

I am still trying to reduce some of the muscle. But the problem with not doing any resistance training is that you end up skinny fat and I find it a lot harder to keep a toned stomach when I’m doing cardio only. But at the same time, I don’t want to do too much resistance training or the wrong type, because then I get bulky.

I was struggling with everything for a while, not knowing how to train. But what I’ve found is that you do need a combination of both cardio and lighter resistance training to stay lean and keep toned. Let me explain each one further.

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CARDIO

The cardio I am doing involves walking and running and occasionally boxing. They are my favourite because walking is really great for slimming down your legs and I try to do it every single day. It’s not too strenuous on your body, and for me, it doesn’t really feel like exercise – I really enjoy it!

Running is good for slimming down your legs too but also great for getting rid of excess fat on your whole body (especially stomach). Any high intensity exercise while help get rid of excess fat on your stomach. I only run for about 20-30 minutes and it is always on a flat surface. Running uphill and doing short sprints will build more muscle, and isn’t great if you’re trying to reduce the muscle in your legs.

Boxing is an amazing exercise, because it is a good combination of cardio and resistance. I always burn lots of calories and it really helps to tone up my upper body and core without building too much muscle (my arms always look leaner).

RESISTANCE TRAINING

The resistance training I am doing involves 2-3 lighter resistance sessions per week. These type of resistance sessions are similar to those from my Lean Legs Program 1. But other types of lighter resistance workouts such as exercises from the Victoria’s Secret workouts, reformer pilates, pilates, barre, etc are great too! Sometimes I also do 1 HIIT resistance session per week to help keep my stomach lean. Doing too much of this type of exercise can bulk you up, legs especially. But I try to keep it to body weight HIIT exercises only.

I no longer do any heavy resistance sessions because of the bulkiness that it causes my legs. Whilst I do love lifting heavy and I also love squats and leg days, my body just doesn’t seem to respond to this type of training the way it used to and I end up bigger than I would like.

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SUMMARY

So overall, you need a combination of both cardio and lighter resistance training. If you are a really naturally slim body type (ectomorph), you may not need the cardio. But most people will need cardio to keep slim and resistance training to keep body fat down (and of course to look toned).

From my experience, this is the program that works for me and gives me the body that I prefer:

• Running 2-3 times per week
• Walking every day
• Light resistance training twice per week
• HIIT resistance training once per week
• I will sometimes try to fit in a boxing session if I have access to a gym (this will replace the HIIT session)

Everyone’s bodies are different and will respond differently to exercise. This is just my own personal experience, and the changes that I have made to my workout program over the years. I know a lot of women have experienced similar issues, and it is the main reason that I designed my Lean Legs Program 1.

Love Rachael xx

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