Everyone likes surprises – I know I do! In fact, your muscles need a bit of a surprise every once in a while in order to continue effective weight loss.  Ladies, since you’re already lifting weights because the benefits of lifting weights for women are endless, you need to make sure that you keep your muscles surprised and working. You can change your routine completely or you can make minor changes to your current routine.

If you’re in the middle of a flat stomach workout, I have at least two ways to surprise your muscles that don’t require a whole routine change. Try one of these two methods to keep the fat burning and your muscles growing.

1. Slow Down – Changing the tempo of exercises helps to stimulate the muscles differently.  Instead of just lifting the weight up and down – take a bit more time – push for a two count and bring the weight down for a four count.  For example – when doing a chest press – count two when pushing the barbell up towards the ceiling and then count to four as you lower the weight back down.  Or, if you are doing a squat count to four as you go down and two when you come back up. Slowing down the exercises makes your muscles work longer and therefore burn more fat.
2. Mix it Up with Cardio – Keeping your heart elevated helps you burn more fat. Doing cardio in between sets of weight exercises helps you burn even more fat calories during one workout as it keeps your heart rate up for a longer period of time. Instead of resting after a weight exercise, head to the treadmill for a one minute of sprint or if working out at home try jumping rope for 30 seconds or high knee lifts.  This quick bout of cardio will help you burn even more fat and reach your flat stomach goals even faster.

So, next time you’re in the gym, try one of these two methods to keep your muscles guessing what you’re going to do and make sure that with every workout you are burning fat and building muscle.  All to help you reach your flat stomach goals.

Ladies – I know we’re ALL scared of something – for Dorothy it was lions, tigers, and bears (oh my!).  While for many of us, when it comes to losing weight , we are scared of failure, not working out hard enough, doing the ‘wrong thing’ and looking like a man caused by lifting weights.  Well, ladies, its time to get rid of these fears – its time to take charge – today  I’m going to tell you why you no longer need to be afraid of lifting weights and why lifting weights for women is important (heavy ones too).

For too long I have been the lone female in my gym in the free weight section.  Most of the women in the gym are spending the hour they have to work out on the elliptical or treadmill – making sure to burn the exact amount of calories they consumed for the day.  Maybe one or two trickle upstairs and join me, but for the most part it’s me and the guys – lifting the weights – building muscle and burning fat.

It’s time now for YOU to start doing the same and spend time lifting weights.

In order to get rid of our fear of lifting weights, we must look at why we are scared of lifting weights.

Reason  #1 – You think that lifting weights will make you look like a man.

I agree -  I don’t want to look like a man either! Currently I’m in the gym lifting weights 5 days a week and I don’t look like a man.  This can no longer be your excuse because well, as a woman you do not have enough testosterone in your body to bulk up like a guy does. Our levels of testosterone are so low, that we will not bulk up and look like Arnold Schwarzenegger just because you are lifting weights a few times a week.

(Side Note – also, if you don’t like the look of lean women either who have muscles, lifting weights a few times week to burn fat won’t do this too you – it takes time and dedication to building muscle and the possibility of other substances.)

Also – lifting HEAVY weights will NOT make you look like a man either – for the same reason – we don’t have enough testosterone in our body to allow us, as women, to bulk up.

If anything – lifting weights, heavy or light – will help you burn more fat and help you become stronger. When you add muscle to your body, your body in turns burns more fat, therefore helping you reach your flat stomach goals faster. (You will even burn fat while you’re not working out!).  What’s even cooler – is you will see yourself getting stronger and honestly – what woman doesn’t want to be strong? I love it when I can go in the gym one week and lift a heavier weight than I did 3 weeks ago – it shows that you are working hard.

Reason #2 – You don’t know what to do and you don’t want to make a fool of yourself by doing the wrong thing.

Okay – stop right there. There are PLENTY of people in the gym who don’t know what they are doing and many of them are guys. There are people in there with poor posture, making up exercises and some who aren’t even working out because they’re talking.  So, there is no need to worry about not knowing what exercises to do and if you are doing them right or wrong.

Plus, most people aren’t actually watching you.  Yes, you get your random people who do quickly glance over at you, but for the most part everyone in the gym is there to get their workout in and get out.  They aren’t going to be staring at you and wondering what is she doing? Unless of course you start flapping your arms like crazy like I saw some guy the other day. But I know you won’t do that.

There are so many opportunities for you to find out and learn what exercises you can do with weights in the gym that you don’t need to be nervous. You can check out the exercises on my YouTube channel, you can read workout magazines to see what other women are doing, or you can search the internet.

If you are really nervous and don’t feel comfortable just going out on your own then set up a session with a trainer at your gym.  They’ll be more than happy to show you what exercises to do, show you how to do them properly, and to give you a routine to start off with. There are so many ways for you to find WHAT to do (plus I’m going to be sharing some more with you) that this is no longer an excuse.

Reason #3 – You’re scared you are going to hurt yourself.

This is a very understandable concern. However, like I mentioned above – ask someone, research the proper form and technique and if you’ve never lifted weights before, don’t start with the heaviest weight possible. Start off light and let yourself get stronger.

Also, lifting weights properly will help you prevent injuries- now and later in life.  Research has shown that lifting weights increases bone density, therefore decreasing the risk of osteoporosis in women.  They have also found that lifting weights helps to strengthen the connective tissue between your joints, making them stronger.  When the connective tissue becomes stronger, it adds support to your joints, preventing injury. Plus, we all know that when we exercise, we are lowering our levels or body fat, therefore lowering our cholesterol and risk of diabetes and heart disease.

So, are you still scared?  There is no need to be – I know you can do it and you know you can. There are no more excuses for you to not lose body fat and get stronger – lifting weights will only help you.

However, if you are still worried about lifting weights – leave a comment below or  email me – melissa@womensabworkout.com and let me know what is preventing you from adding weight lifting to your flat stomach workout routine and together we’ll make sure that you can start lifting weights and losing fat faster!

Today I had one of the worst training days I’ve had in a LONG time. I got to the gym – thought I was ready to go and as soon as I walked up to the free weights – I started yawning and did not want to be there.  This is usually not me – I LOVE training and lately I’ve been feeling great in the gym.

I pushed through my yawns and desire not to be at the gym and then spent a few minutes walking on the treadmill before I couldn’t handle it anymore and just HAD to get out of there. Instead of leaving the gym energized and feeling the ‘pump’ of a good workout – I was SUPER frustrated, in a complaining mood (sorry to those I talked to on the phone afterward) and couldn’t figure out WHAT went wrong.

I know I’m not the only one who’s had this experience and personally I’d do anything to make sure it doesn’t happen again!

So instead of blasting the music (couldn’t find anything that I wanted to listen to anyways) I opened the windows (not impressed with the blast of fall air that came in) but enjoyed the sun and reflected on my day to see just WHAT went wrong to cause all this frustration.

I find that personal reflection is a GREAT way to take a look at what you are doing – if things aren’t working out for you (as in this case) it gives you the opportunity to see what you did and what you can change to make sure the day is better. Or in a positive situation reflection gives you the time to see what went right and what went well so you can make sure to do it again and get the same results or even better ones!

In my case, my major problem was the adjustment to a new schedule. I had to be up earlier and instead of making my lunch before I went to bed last night, I was lazy and decided to make it this morning on my way out the door. By rushing my lunch making I didn’t pack enough food so I ended up going to the gym hungry and without having a meal before I worked out. This then led to my lack of energy causing me to not want to workout.

I also didn’t plan my workout before I walked in to the gym. I knew what I wanted to do and thought I’d written it down before – however – I didn’t have the workout in my notebook and that totally threw me off. I felt like a complete newbie and didn’t know which way to go or what piece of equipment to use.

I was probably a bit dehydrated – no good! That comes from not properly planning my meals the night before and assuming that water would be readily available to me (where I was going) and it wasn’t – which led to me drinking not enough water.

By the time I got home – I knew what I did wrong and where I had slipped up. Yes, adjusting to a new schedule is going to take some time (as the activity before I’m able to workout increases and I have to workout later in the day) – but I know what I need to work with now. I can now make the proper adjustments and plan accordingly to make sure that I don’t feel this way again because honestly I’ve worked WAY too hard in the last few months to let poor planning get in the way of my own goals.

Did you have an awesome workout today? Did you have a bad day at work? Before you go to bed tonight -take a minute to reflect on your day – write about it in a journal even – and see what you can do to make it an even BETTER day the next time around.

With all the flat stomach workout information you see online and in magazines it’s hard to figure out what’s the best and most effective way to create a flat stomach workout that will work and get you results.  So I’m going to take the time right now to help you with some basic guidelines to follow to help you get the flat stomach you’ve always wanted.
Interval Training

Stay away from your standard steady state cardio regimen, such as walking or jogging at one speed, as it will not get you optimal fat loss results to get a flat stomach. The most effective flat stomach cardio is Interval Training.

This means you are alternating a certain time period of high intensity work (or sprinting) with a slow intensity work (like a slow jog or walk). This type of interval training will help you burn fat faster and up to 48 hours after your workout.

The best part about this type of workout – you can use it on any cardio machine in the gym – the bike, Treadmill, Elliptical, even the Stair Climber.
Here is an example of what your interval training could look like:

Week 1-3: 15 Seconds Sprint, 45 Seconds Walk/Jog (repeat for 5 minutes)

Week 4-6: 30 Second Sprint, 30 Seconds Walk/Jog (repeat for 10 minutes)

Week 7-10: 1 minute Spring, 1 minute Walk/Jog (repeat for 15-20 minutes)

Workout Program

In order to get flat abs, your workout needs to incorporate weights – not just cardio and crunches.  A full body weight workout is the most effective and efficient type of workout for a flat stomach. This type of weight workout will keep your heart rate elevated, therefore, burning more fat throughout your workout.

Also, when you lift weights you build muscle. The more muscle you have, the more fat you burn, which will get you the flat stomach that you want.

Full body workouts allow you to train every muscle group, three times a week (with a day of rest between each workout).  This type of training promotes muscle growth as well as fast fat burning, due to the increase in fat burning enzymes in your body. The more fat you burn the sooner you have the flat stomach you’ve always wanted.

Below is a sample of a full body workout

A follow along flat stomach workout video.

Diet

The hardest part of any flat stomach workout is the diet. When you think of working out, you don’t really think about what you eat – you are most concerned with what you have to do at the gym. However, a flat stomach diet is a key element in getting the stomach of your dreams.

If you’re post workout attitude about eating sounds like this, “I just worked out so I can eat whatever I want” – will only make it harder for you to get a flat stomach.  A flat stomach diet must consist of protein, healthy fats, and ‘good’ carbohydrates.  Making sure you have the right mixture of these foods in your meals is important to getting a flat stomach.

You want to lose weight and get a flat stomach, but you’re not sure what to do to get there.  You’ve read magazine article after magazine article and tried every diet, without success. You’ve tried the low-carb diet, [singlepic=28,300,220,,right] to only binge on a bag of potato chips two weeks later. You’ve tried going to the gym and spent hours on the treadmill, seeing some results, but then life gets crazy and you never go back.

But you still want to lose weight and get a flat stomach – what can you do that will work?

Here are five quick tips to help you get on the road to a flat stomach:

1)  Make the commitment – nothing will work until you make the commitment to yourself to lose weight and get a flat stomach. Write down your goals – what you want to achieve and by when – then put it in a place where you can see them daily. Reminding yourself daily of your goals will keep you focused and make sure that everything you do will help you lose weight.

2)  Lift Weights – No, lifting weights will NOT make you look like a man.  Lifting weights will build muscle on your body and help you get a flat stomach. The more muscle you have on your body the more fat you will burn for longer periods of time after your workout. Try this leg workout for a start.

3)  Do Cardio – Spending hours on the treadmill walking at a slow pace is not an effective way to lose weight. To lose weight and get a flat stomach you need to use high intensity interval training. This type of cardio will increase your heart rate quickly and help you burn fat for up to 48 hours after your workout.

4)  Eat More Often – Eating smaller meals more often will help to increase your metabolism. Decreasing the time between meals will allow your body to stop storing fat. Instead your body will continue to burn fat throughout the day, allowing you to lose weight and get a flat stomach.  Making sure that these meals are healthy options is also an important part of the weight loss process.
[singlepic=27,290,200,,left]
5)  Drink Water – Water has tons of benefits. It is a great alternative to other sugar-filled drinks.  Drinking water throughout the day will also help to keep you full – making sure that you eat when you are hungry not just because you are bored or think you need to eat.

So make this time different.  Make the commitment to yourself to lose weight and get a flat stomach.  Use this five tips to help get you there.

I know the topic is not 100% fitness/workout related, but while I was trying to get through my 20 minutes on the StairMaster after my leg workout this afternoon, I couldn’t help but look around at the people in the gym [singlepic=14,260,190,,left] and I just had to share what I saw and thought.

First of all I would just like to say that the gym is a GREAT place for people watching. Yes, I’m totally focused on my own workouts, but honestly there are some VERY interesting characters walking around the gym (at least MY gym) that it’s really hard sometimes not to notice and take a moment during your brief rest and stare (in the most polite way of course).

However, not all stories are silly/annoying/’what are you doing?’ situations, there are those few moments that you take a look at a person who is working SO hard and you are truly inspired…however, that doesn’t happen that often.

Here’s some of the things I’ve seen or thought about when in the gym the last week and thought I’d share:

- A man with two dumbbells in his hands, swaying back and forth, trying to scratch his armpits with the weights in is hands – okay I’m being too polite here – he looked like he was a gorilla. The way he was swaying back and forth – I’m still trying to figure out what muscle group he was working on. Any ideas?

- A man doing a dead lift with a ROUNDed back. I looked at him and could only say, ‘OW. Please sir, straighten out your back, mine really hurts looking at yours.’ (I always wonder – can I say something? Would he be offeneded? I just want to help him not hurt himself…but I’m sure that would hurt his ego if a girl came and corrected him, so I just stay away). [singlepic=13,280,200,,center]

- Some poor man fell on the treadmill. Lost his footing and went face first into the treadmill. Ouch. He was definitely seeing stars, he got up…he was walking and looked okay…now I’m nervous I’ll be the next to fall…

- There are a lot of interesting outfits at the gym. I am always so curious to know what people thought about when they got ready for the gym. You can tell that some people didn’t think, which is totally fine, and others put WAY too much thought into their outfit.  Just be comfortable in whatever you are wearing, that’s all that really matters.

- People who bring coffee into the gym. I’d love to know why. And I can’t imagine after a really hard set going and gulping my coffee to quench my thirst and feeling refreshed and ready for the next one.

Well, I think that’s enough ranting and raving for one day. Hope you had a laugh or a smile or may be able to relate to one of these stories. Honestly, I love the gym and all the interesting people that go there. I will miss seeing them when I have my own gym one day, well, maybe I’ll make sure to go back and visit every once in a while.

I’d love to hear your stories…what are crazy things you’ve seen at the gym?

A new study released in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, a scientific journal from the American College of Sports Medicine, talks about the benefits of exercise and its effects on your sleeping pattern.

Those people who exercised during the day slept better at night, spending less time tossing and turning.  You don’t have to spend hours on the treadmill or in the gym, they found that as little as 20 minutes on the treadmill, three times a week will help you increase your quality of sleep.

So…if you’re having trouble sleeping – get on the treadmill and get ready to feel refreshed and ready to go in the morning!

“If you don’t do what’s best for your body, you’re the one who comes up on the short end.” – Julias Erving

Thursday’s Trick to Flat Abs

To keep yourself interested in cardio – change up the equipment. Try out different machines at your gym and find out which ones you like.  There is no point in forcing yourself to use a piece of cardio equipment because everyone else is using it – that will only make you hate the process more.

Try a hill climb on the elliptical one day and sprints the next day on the treadmill. Or try the StairMaster for 20 minutes and then go for a bike ride along a rolling path for another 20 minutes. Keep your mind stimulated and body guessing what’s next and you’ll see your weight loss results and flat abs sooner than you expected.

What’s your favorite cardio workout?

I’ve changed up the workout routine yet again and it was another kick butt, fat burning, heart pumping workout. It was fun though, knowing that I was burning fat and getting another step closer to my goal.
Today’s workout was based around the idea of high intensity and little rest. I focused on no rest between exercises and 30-40 seconds rest between sets. This type of workout keeps your heart rate up and burning fat for longer.
The workout:
Warm-up: Bridges + Clams
Set 1
Single Leg Machine Leg Press (4 sets/ 10-15 reps)
Calf Raises (3 sets – Regular/Toes In/Toes Out)
Set 2
Dumbbell Chest Press (20/15/12/10 – Increased weight on 3rd set)
Supine Lat Pulldown (4 sets/8-10 reps)
Set 3
Dumbbell Shoulder Press (Heavier weight 4 sets/8-10 reps)
Resistance Band Flyes (4 sets/20 reps)
Set 4
Machine Assisted Dips (4 sets/10-12 reps)
Stiff Legged Deadlifts (4 sets/15 reps)
Set 5
Crunches (3 sets 50 reps)
Plank (hold for 30 seconds)

I ended today’s workout with 30 minutes on the treadmill – doing an incline walk – focusing on a heel toe walk to work a bit more on the hamstrings.
I made it out of the gym, but we’ll see how I’m walking tomorrow!

Every woman wants tight toned arms.  Spending hours on the treadmill or elliptical is not going to do the trick.  So, what do you do to make sure that your arm flab goes away?

You need to start lifting weights.

Yes, ladies, I should not be the only woman in the free weight section of the gym. Every woman should get off of the elliptical and join me!

One exercise that is going to help you tone your arms and drop body fat is the Chest Press. Its good for people at every level of exercise because you can easily adjust the exercise to fit your fitness capabilities.

Take a look a the video below, I talk a bit more about the benefits of the Chest Press and go on to show you three variations you can try.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phpkAJ7hCf8[/youtube]

Have questions? What did you think? Leave a comment or email me and let me know!