By: Cheryl DeLuca

Weight training is the easiest and fastest way to improve your female shape! You can gain strength, while getting a lean and toned body. Cardiovascular activities such as bicycling, walking, swimming, and aerobic dance are wonderful ways to burn calories, but they can not compare to the benefits of weight training. If you continually stick to a weight training program you will begin to see results with in two weeks. Your scale may not show it, but your clothes will be fitting better, and your mirror will be showing it. Muscle weighs more than fat but as your abdominal muscles get stronger, your stomach gets flatter, and as you leg and gluteal muscles get stronger your pants will get looser.

Supplements For Women! Women's Peak Fitness Pack Opti-Women Multi-Vitamin ProHGHsport for Women Tone 'N Tighten Femme Advantage Creatine Serum Low Carb Proteins Protein Bars Other Female Health Supplements!

• DIET
  "The more muscle you have, the more fat you burn!". Quick weight loss from dieting can cause a quick loss in muscle tissue. This is not the best way to receive the best proportions. Since women have less muscle mass then men, extreme dieting is more damaging to the female physique then to the males. When you cut back a lot on food intake, it deprives the female body of energy, and the body usually becomes weak. A loss of two pounds or more a week, means you are loosing muscle mass as you are loosing fat. With weight training and moderate dieting you can receive the best results for an attractive body.
  
• BONE STRUCTURE
  Because of a woman's ability to facilitate childbirth the females pelvic girdle or hips are usually proportionately wider then the males yet a women's knees are the same distance apart as the males. Therefore there is a greater angle of stress on the knee and women are more prone to injury. You may reduce this risk by starting off slowly, and slowly increasing weight and resistance.
  
• PHYSIOLOGICALLY
  Cardiovascular training is positive for both men and women, and supply the same benefits to each. In muscular training, however, there is a big difference-primarily due to hormonal influence. The dominant male hormone is testosterone while the dominant female hormone is estrogen. Testosterone can be very helpful when weight training to see positive results such as increased muscle mass. Females do secrete small amounts of testosterone, but seldomly experience drastic muscular development from training, yet can create a lean and toned physique. Unless a female has very high testosterone levels or is taking anabolic steroids, it would be very difficult for her to gain masculine looking muscles. Women may though increase strength, and muscle tone and improve their endurance.
  
• BODY FAT
  Women naturally have a higher percentage of body fat then men. Women usually have an average body fat percentage of 18-24% while men usually have on average about 14-18%. Exercise can reduce body fat for both sexes.
  
• MENSTRUATION
  Some women who combine heavy weight training, dieting, and stress sometimes go into a state of amenorrhea or to quit menstruation. Recent studies show that this combination of things can cause this, but the evidence is not clear. It appears to not cause any major physiological problems. If a women wants to regain menstruation, she would need to cut back on training, and increase her body fat above 10%.
  
• PREGNANCY
  Women who are physically fit are said to have fewer problems with pregnacy, and labor. Exercise during pregnancy will produce better muscle tone, and cardiovascular response, which will help when trying to loose your pregnancy weight. It is best to be fit before getting pregnant and not just begin a high intensity workout once you become pregnant. During pregnancy women should restrain from doing extreme exertion, and high impact exercises. If she should feel faint then immediately STOP. A womens level of training should decrease as the women becomes farther along in her pregnancy. If you are pregnant or considering having a child you should consult with your physician on your exercise routine.
  

Cheryl DeLuca

Recommend this article to a friend by e-mail here!

Back To Other Writer's Main Page

Back To The Articles Main Page.

Related Articles
Train Like A Woman!
Women's Athletics: History Of Knee Injuries And Prevention
Getting In Shape: An Average Women's Approach

Champion Met Max Bodybuilding.com - Champion Nutrition MET MAX METABOLOL MAXIMUM Optimization for Bodybuilders and Serious Athletes! On sale now! Learn More!