Strength Training VS Cardio

New Years day is now over a month behind us, many people are taking a real look at where they stand in their resolutions. For most people, either this year, or somewhere in your memory is a resolution to get healthy. Whether it be joining a gym, losing weight, sticking to your diet, or running a marathon. The easy part is knowing its time for a change. The hardest part is actually making it happen. There is a reason why gym owners everywhere look forward to the new year, and gym goers know they're in for a month or so of crowds of new faces. For anyone who has made this resolution and stuck with it to change your life, I congratulate you because studies show that you are in the minority. For the rest, lets discuss one possible reason you have not yet reached that goal.

One reason why resolutioners, or anyone for that matter, quit before reaching their goal is thinking that running, and cardio, and trying all the fancy new workouts, and diets you find on Instagram, is the way it needs to be done. There is a time and place for everything, well almost everything, when it comes to your health and fitness. The main focus of your workouts as you start your new healthy life, should always be proper resistance training. Going out and running endless miles often leads to boredom, resentment towards exercise, new knee pain, and not seeing the results you are working for. Don't get me wrong, cardio like running or otherwise has a lot of benefits for your heart and lungs, and (If you like it) your mindset. Some people experience that runners high. They feel the endorphines of a good run, and cant wait to feel it again. Others just see it as a chore, and find more and more reasons to skip it, until you just stop.

However, if you're looking for the most sustainable way to burn fat for good, and (as many people ask me to help them) “Tone”, the proven best way is resistance training. Trust me from my experience with clients, as well as my own body, you will NOT get “Too Muscular” or “Bulky” from proper strength training. Those “Bulky” folks out there have been working out consistently for years, while taking in as many calories as they can. If anyone is seeing it any faster, you can thank either Great genetics, or performance enhancing drugs. If you're out of shape, think about how long it took you to get there. The body is an incredible machine, that is made to adapt to change. It will never naturally happen quickly. So hunker down, follow a plan, and learn to enjoy the process.

When you think about what fat loss leads to as far as appearance, its about body composition. It takes more calories to fuel lean muscle tissue, then it does fat. When looking to “tone” that means muscle tone. You need to have muscle. Looking at those great bodies of your favorite celebrities (we all look at them), they all have muscle. If you're working out with enough intensity, and with enough consistency, you will see and feel your body change. As we age, we need to keep our strength high to protect us from aches and pains. When first getting started, make sure you seek help. Not just from social media, but from someone who has experience and knows what works. Proper movements, and progressively overloading those movements is the way to “bulletproof” your body, AND burn calories at the same time! With this, depending on your starting baseline, you may not see the number on the scale drop. But if you like how you look and feel, and your clothes all of the sudden fit...Who cares what the number is???

To sum it up. Get strong, train smart, move well, move often, and ask for help! You'll be amazed with, and LOVE the results you see and feel! I'm always here to help. Click the link to my website, and shoot me a message for a FREE assessment! My purpose in this life is to help as many people as possible live healthier, and happier. Let me help you next!

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