Womens Fitness and diet

A womens fitness and diet regime does not have to be any different to any other sensible exercise and nutritional plan. The same rules still apply such as:

• Training to consist of resistance / weight training and cardio
• A good solid nutritional plan

Notice how I did not mention the word "diet" in the above list. That is because a womens fitness and diet plan is really more about a solid nutritional meal plan and basic exercise routines.

No fancy exercise gizzmo's or gadgets or calorie restricted starvation diets and most importantly....no gimmicky weight loss pills - I find it hard to believe that they actually work!!

A good quality womens fitness and diet plan should then focus on a solid nutritional foundation of healthy fats, protein and carbohydrates from whole food sources.

Split overall daily calories needs into 5 or 6 meals a day and again split the macronutrient ratio's for example 50% Carbs, 30% Protein and 20 % healthy fats.

To find out more about calculating calories and splitting macronutrients read my calorie calculator example or the article "3500 Calories To Lose A Pound - Is This Formula All Wrong?" By Tom Venuto, NSCA-CPT, CSCS.

And please remember fats are not the real enemy. Refined sugars and carbs are the real culprits to weight gain as they cause insulin spikes that can increase fat storage potential.

What about the exercises...?

I recommend some form of resistance training either with weights or using your own body weight as well as cardio.

There has been some conclusive research that suggests resistance training when combined with cardio has a greater fat burning effect in the body. Muscles require alot of energy to function. This in turn cranks up the bodies metabolism thus providing an ideal enviroment for greater fat burning even at rest.

Weight training provides an even better enviroment for fat burning if Cardio is included straight after. The reason for this seems clear from a study presented at the 2006 annual meeting of the American collage of sports Medicine. It was found that weight training before the cardio sent lactate, noradrenaline and growth hormone levels soaring and as well as that free circulating fatty acids and glycerol levels in the blood were also much higher as compared to a control group who performed cardio on its own.¹

You may start wondering....

"Why include weight training in a womens fitness and diet routine? I don't want to become bulky or look masculine. Surely just cardio will be fine - won't it?"

. ...Please don't worry about this or confuse a weight loss plan with a female bodybuilders plan. In order to develop that kind of size requires tons of testosterone, eating much higher levels of calories (and I mean much higher!) and heavy weight training more geared to adding bulk.

For the women reading this article none of these factors will effect you. A training routine combining resistance and cardio is a good start for a womens fitness and diet training plan.

Building lean muscle to boost metabolism and increase fat burning, with a cardio element to push it that much further (as well as helping to improve the old heart and lungs). Is the best combination.

You will find this is much more beneficial than just cardio on its own as the weight training (or bodyweight training) will help add shape and definition to you physique. Not to mention many other health benefits.

I shall be adding more articles over time that explain some of the concepts outlined here - but please feel free to contact me if you wish to ask a question, I will be more than happy to reply.