MY SUPER POWER!

POSTED ON NOVEMBER 1, 2015 BY SHAB'S FAVORITE THINGS!

This past month I turned 51! Woohoo! As I noted in a few blog posts before, I have been working as a Personal Trainer for 16 years and have been weight training for 17. In the past 17 years my weight has either been 2 lbs up or down of my goal weight. Now,I am sure during that time my body fat has changed. This means that I might have looked either bigger or smaller during these times. But what has kept me in check for that long is not the weight on the scale but rather the weight in my hand. I like to call this my SUPER POWER! Let me explain!

5 Reasons weight training is my SUPER POWER:

It increases the strength of connective tissue, muscles and tendons. This leads to improved motor performance and decreased injury risk. I hear people say they feel like their body is getting old. When you have a consistent weight training program, as well as a healthy diet you will start to feel better. Promise!
People tell me all the time that they have a slow metabolism. You have the power to change it! That is your SUPER POWER! Increase your muscle mass and you’ll increase your metabolic rate. Increase your metabolic rate and you will burn more calories. Burn more calories than you consume and you will lose weight. If you want to lose weight and not look “skinny fat,” you need to lift HEAVY weights. PERIOD END!I know many of you do Barre, Yoga and a lot of Cardio and that’s great. These are all great compliments to weight training. Adding weight training 2 times a week will increase your SUPER POWER!
10 years ago I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. I had surgery and because I was weight training, my recovery was very quick! Weight training strengthens the bones which helps to lower the risk of fractures. And, if you do find yourself on the IR (injured reserve list) your muscle SUPER POWER will help with recovery.
I sleep like a baby. There are many well-known remedies to help us fall asleep— like sipping herbal tea or taking a hot shower. Exercise in general has been shown to help make snoozing a breeze. Studies suggest weight lifting in particular can lead to a better night’s sleep.
It makes me happy! Like many forms of physical activity, a little lifting can work wonders for my mental health. Strength training has been linked to reduced anxiety and depression symptoms as well as improved self-esteem! Hand me a dumbbell please:)

Finally, proper nutrition is still king or queen :) when it comes to getting the results you want, so you’ll have to pass up those daily doughnuts. You can’t “out exercise” a bad diet!

Going to weight train now…