The 12-Week Workout Program

The 12-Week Workout Program

Women need to lift heavy, challenging weights in order to gain muscle. Lifting heavy weights will not cause women to get big and bulky like men because women produce a fraction of the testosterone that men do. When women begin working out, their goals are to tone up and gain shape/curves and following this program will accomplish just that! In this 12-week program, you will decrease the number of reps you complete and increase the load you lift as you progress. The number of sets per exercise stays the same, but the rep range changes.

Weeks 1-4

During weeks 1-4, you will be lifting in the 8-12 rep range. What this means is that you want to complete at least 8 reps but no more than 12 reps for each set. If you cannot complete 8 reps, then the weight is too heavy and you should decrease the load. If you can complete more than 12 reps, then the weight is too light and you should increase the load.

Weeks 5-8

During weeks 5-8, you will be lifting in the 6-8 rep range. What this means is that you want to complete at least 6 reps but no more than 8 reps for each set. If you cannot complete 6 reps, then the weight is too heavy and you should decrease the load. If you can complete more than 8 reps, then the weight is too light and you should increase the load.

Weeks 9-12

During weeks 9-12, you will be lifting in the 4-6 rep range. What this means is that you want to complete at least 4 reps but no more than 6 reps for each set. If you cannot complete 4 reps, then the weight is too heavy and you should decrease the load. If you can complete more than 6 reps, then the weight is too light and you should increase the load.

Source

What is your body composition?

There are four different body compositions.

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Thin/Underweight:

You have very little muscle mass and body fat. You can consume more calories and incorporate weight training to build muscle mass while minimizing body fat accumulation.  Read more.

Average/”Skinny Fat”:

You have little to moderate amounts of muscle with some body fat. Ideally you would want to build muscle while burning fat. You could also do a slower body recomposition. Found this great article by Alexandra Sifferlin (on twitter) that discusses “The Hidden Dangers of ‘Skinny Fat'”.

Obese/Overweight:

You have a moderate amount of muscle underneath a large layer of body fat. Burn fat by consuming fewer calories and incorporate an exercise program. FamilyDoctor.org has a good article on Obesity Treatment.

Muscular:

You have moderate to abundant amount of muscle with little to moderate body fat. If you are at least 15% body fat (25% for women), attempt to burn excess fat. At 10% body fat (20% for women), do a slow bulk to build more muscle. If you are at your ideal physique, maintain your caloric intake and training routine.

Questions about body composition? Comment down below! I’d love to have a discussion about it!

Fat Loss Nutrition Prescription:

I was researching body recomposition and I came across a really great video on macro percentages for fat loss and body recomposition. Not sure what this even means?! Watch this video!

30 Days of YOU Challenge – Day 5

It’s DAY 5! My 30 Days of YOU Challenge in a Facebook group is going awesome!! I’m am really excited to have people talking!! My members are engaged and we are talking about gyms, healthy recipes, workouts, exercises and more. I look forward to more people joining into the conversations. Posting their healthy decisions, asking questions, and just having conversations. Seriously, so many of us spend so much time on social media.. why not use it for some good.

Making healthy decisions needs to be discussed more and more.

The percentage of children aged 6–11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 18% in 2012. Similarly, the percentage of adolescents aged 12–19 years who were obese increased from 5% to nearly 21% over the same period. Source

I just really believe that if I affect just one person this entire 30 days then I’ve done something good. That’s all I want. Affect others lives positively and make a difference in this short life we have.

Are you ready to make changes in the lives around you? Do you want to start your own 30 day challenge? Comment down below and tell me what your health and fitness goals are and what differences you want to make.

30 days of YOU

I have created the 30 days of YOU Challenge!

I’ll be spending the next 30 days with 18 Facebook friends sharing exercises, struggles, food, recipes, and supporting and encouraging each other. Emails have gone out, friends have been added to the group. I just hope they show up! I really need this extra burst of motivation! I have 21 more pounds before I reach my first goal. I’ve lost 47 so far!! This transformation has been huge.

I want YOU to be AWESOME.

Better.

Stronger.

More confident.

I look forward to sharing my journey with you out there and hope that I can be inspiration for you to make healthy and smart decisions for yourself and be the strongest most awesome version of yourself possible.

Have a wonderful day!