A sustainable workout routine will always be better than something too rigid that you can’t keep up with long term.
I began my fitness journey in 2016 and have done every exercise from leisure walks to heavy workouts 6 days per week. I’ve tried everything from Pilates to powerlifting. I even used to bodybuild.
During this time, I’ve done a lot of trial and error on what the best type of workout really is. I’ve found the PERFECT low maintenance workout that doesn’t take a lot of time but gives the best results.
Weightlifting will take you further than any other workout, with the least time commitment. This should be your main focus.
Cardio comes secondarily. Forget yoga, forget running, forget barre. Weightlifting will give you the most bang for your buck with the least amount of effort, period. You will need to do yoga 6X per week to get the same results as weightlifting 3X per week. It’s really a Godsend, and I can’t encourage it enough. Here is why:
You are literally building a powerhouse out of your body. The more muscle mass you have, the faster your metabolism. This means you can eat more and not gain fat. So, although weightlifting doesn’t burn as many calories as cardio in the moment, you burn more calories overall just by existing.
Muscle mass equals health.
Hours of cardio will only frustrate you, because all you’re doing is burning calories then eating them back because you’re so hungry. Weightlifting will address the issue directly which I will get into below. If you’re a woman, don’t worry about getting bulky. Weightlifting will give you that toned look that most workouts just won’t.
Weightlifting gives you more than just aesthetic results and will benefit you throughout life.
Muscle mass starts declining at age 30, also known as Sarcopenia. People who are inactive will lose 3-5% of their mass per decade. While this may not seem like a lot, people are living longer than ever. To put that into perspective, if someone is inactive, they will lose approximately 25% of their muscle mass by the time they’re 80!
Even scarier, bone mass decreases with age. Osteoporosis in the elderly is one of the contributing factors to broken bones from falls that land many into the nursing home. Luckily, weightlifting not only builds muscle, but it also builds bone mass as well. Every time you use resistance, you’re keeping yourself healthy for life.
Besides living sedentarily, a leading cause of muscle and bone loss is malnutrition. Women tend to over exercise (with primarily cardio) and undereat for weight loss. This is unsustainable for a life of wellness. Weightlifting addresses the aesthetic benefits of exercise, while avoiding the dangerous slippery slope of overexercise with cardio and undereating. With that in mind…
Weightlifting and healthy eating go hand in hand. You cannot build muscle and undereat.
Weightlifting is the antidote to diet culture and the obsession with weight loss. When you begin weightlifting, you may notice you feel hungrier than usual. You also might gain weight. This is not only okay, but it’s a good thing. You’re spiking your metabolism because your muscles and bones are becoming stronger. In fact, you should throw your scale away entirely, because muscle weighs more than fat.
It’s no secret that most bodybuilders eat a calorie surplus. When I used to bodybuild, I would eat 3,500 calories per day! Now, this is not to say I would binge eat junk food or overeat. I made healthy choices of whole foods including vegetables, fruits, protein, and whole grains (with the occasional treat, of course.) The point is, there are so many misconceptions around the fitness industry. Running for hours on the treadmill and undereating as the pinnacle of health are one of those misconceptions.
──────────────────
Let’s tear down the notion that in order to have your dream body, you need to be cycling every day and eating like a bird. That type of diet culture is toxic and unhealthy. It’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing because even though you may look good now, I promise it’s unsustainable in the long run. Remember, a sustainable workout routine is always better than something too rigid that is impossible to keep up with.
Weightlifting is the most effective exercise that will give you the best results.
In a future post, I will share with you the most impactful weightlifting routine that I personally developed. No longer do I go to the gym 5 days a week for hours at a time. Exercise is now part of my life instead of being my whole life. I want that for you too. So, please stay tuned and I will share my workout routine that I invented, later this month.