Skip to main content

Tag: weights

Weightlifting and How It Changed My Life

Written by Jenna Jones on . Posted in Latest.

By Mirella, Personal Trainer – Mirella Fitness

Many women opt for hours of cardio in their fitness routines and neglect the power of weightlifting. I was always a cardio bunny, spending hours pounding the streets around my hometown. I loved it…it gave me an escape. But I never achieved the type of body I wanted. I also enjoyed workouts with weights, classes at the gym, home workouts via VHS, but it wasn’t anything serious. By serious, I mean, lifting real weight!

Like many women, I was all about the ‘burn’, and that was only felt through smashing myself with lots of endurance! Hours pounding the streets or the treadmill. It wasn’t until I got serious about the weights that I realised how addictive building strength could be. And how easy it can be to change my body and maintain the results.

There are many misconceptions about women and weightlifting, particularly when it comes to women’s physical appearance. Not only can lifting weights help women achieve their fitness goals, but the health benefits (both mental and physical) are huge. Here are just a few…

  1. Increased muscle mass – not only does it make you look leaner, but it raises your BMR (calories your body burns at rest). This means you’ll need to eat more to maintain your muscles, win win!
  2. Increases strength – from the age of 30, women begin to atrophy (lose muscle) so it really is important to strength train so you can continue to carry shopping, sit on the toilet, climb stairs or even mountains as you go into old age!
  3. It’s fun – weight lifting itself is a fun and effective form of exercise. Using your newfound strength to do things you couldn’t previously do, like a chin up!
  4. Confidence – knowing your own strength (and knowing how easy it is to get stronger) is a huge confidence booster, not to mention going into the gym and feeling like you are a warrior woman! Forget the cardio for achieving a toned body… weights are where it’s at!
  5. You can shape and sculpt your body – weight training gives you the ability to focus on certain muscle groups and attain the physique you desire. Some of my favourite exercises for women focus on achieving perky glutes!
  6. Bone health – women’s bones are at risk of osteoporosis as we age. Lifting weights increases bone density, particularly around menopause, and helps keep bones healthy.

As well as the many benefits above, weightlifting also helped me to build a better relationship with food. I now love food, without having a guilty relationship with it. I no longer restrict myself or use it as punishment. Instead, it nurtures my body and fuels my workouts.

As a Personal Trainer, I have really enjoyed helping so many women learn to lift safely and effectively, and ultimately find a love for lifting weights too! 

So, if you’re tired of working out endlessly, living a miserable life by restricting foods and calories, and still not seeing the results you want, then perhaps it’s time to look at how weights could make you feel amazing!

Inspiration for an Active January and Beyond

Written by Jenna Jones on . Posted in Food, Latest, Lifestyle, Partner Blogs, Wellbeing.

By Tim Colston – Tenth Avenue Leisure

It’s common for people to let their fitness routines slip during the holiday season, with all the additional stress, social obligations, and tempting treats that come with it. However, it’s important to remember that maintaining a good level of physical fitness can have numerous benefits for both physical and mental health. Here are some tips for an active January and beyond…

  1. Set achievable goals: it’s important to be realistic about what you can achieve in terms of your fitness routine. Consider setting achievable goals such as walking for 30 minutes a day or doing a short home workout twice a week.
  2. Stay active: even if you can’t make it to the gym, there are plenty of ways to stay active. Consider going for a walk or a hike, participating in a fun outdoor activity or doing a workout at home using bodyweight exercises or home gym equipment.
  3. Incorporate physical activity into your plans. For example, you could go for a walk or bike ride with family or friends, or plan an active outing such as skiing or snowboarding.
  4. Don’t overdo it: it’s important to listen to your body and not push yourself too hard. If you’re feeling particularly stressed or tired, it’s okay to take a break and rest.
  5. Make healthy lifestyle choices: in addition to staying active, it’s important to make healthy lifestyle choices to support your overall fitness and well-being. This can include eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, and managing stress through techniques such as relaxation or mindfulness.
  6. Stay motivated: it can be easy to lose motivation in the cold and dreary winter months. To stay motivated, try to find activities that you enjoy, set small, achievable goals, and track your progress. You could also consider enlisting the help of a friend or family member to hold you accountable and provide support.

Remember, the most important thing is to find an approach to fitness that works for you and that you can maintain over the long term. It’s more than okay to have a few indulgences, but by prioritising your health and well-being, you’ll be able to enjoy those treats while still maintaining your fitness.

So here are a few fitness products, innovative and traditional that can help you in 2023

Tech

Myzone is an accurate fitness tracker and online social platform that rewards effort for all physical activity, helping more people around the world to feel good about exercise.

Myzone – https://www.myzone.org

Weights

No Cost Option

Exercising doesn’t need to be expensive! Body weight exercises such as press ups, pull-ups and squats are the quickest and easiest exercises to perform. You don’t need a gym just the floor you are standing on.

Low Cost Option £200 – £500

A pair of trainers, TRX and some adjustable dumbbells

Mid-Range Option £2000

Electromagnetic weights are the products for 2023 and Vitruvian is leading the way. On one compact platform, you can perform all the weight exercises you need to.

It’s a real gym, generating resistance from 0-440lb (200kg) of digital weight. How? The platform uses artificial intelligence to adjust the weight to you in real-time, giving you the optimal workout.

Vitruvian – https://vitruvianform.com/en-gb

Top-End Option £10,000

EMS. EMS stands for Electric Muscle Stimulation and it has been widely used in physiotherapy for decades with great results. Its rapidly expanding use as a Whole Body Training method provides the perfect combination of highly effective strength and cardio training.

The user puts on a suit (shorts and vest) and works alongside a personal trainer for a short 20-minute workout. The suit enhances the workout by stimulating the muscles. Boutique studios are opening up in the UK but it is a product that can also be used at home.

EMS – www.xbodyworld.com

Tenth Avenue can help BBB Members purchase any fitness equipment or accessories at special rates. To become a Member of BBB click here.