Lifting Alone

I have a very modest gym. It consists of a weight bench, treadmill, some free weights and yoga mats... Originally my formal dining room was our gaming room. We had computers and office chairs and close access to the fridge. Then slowly we realized we were not spending as much time in there and decided to make better use of the space.

I love this space now! I have the freedom to go in there while my children are playing, and when my grand kids are over I can still keep an eye out on the little ones. I believe everyone needs a space to workout at home. There's no excuses when the equipment is staring you in the face to not use it. That does not mean to use it to hold clothes to dry on! If I'm angry, I can put on headphones, jump on a treadmill and walk the frustration out. Or like today, lift til my arms are shaky! 

While my younges napped, I strapped on my HRM (Heart Rate Monitor) and headed in there with my faithful workout companion Lil... My gift from my husband, a boxer/pitbull mix... My running buddy. She's only 5 months old now and she's in training. But ever since I've had her she loves to sleep while I work out.

Today's workout consisted of:

Flat Dumbell Fly, Dumbell Row (one arm and two), Bench Press, Shoulder Shrugs, Triceps Extensions, Biceps Curls, Seated Fumbell Press and Lateral Raises... 

These are all things you can do alone... (ok so the bench press should have a spotter but I risked it today). The benefit from lifting weights is amazing! All you hear about is how cardio is what burns fat. Well let me tell you... I wear my HRM for 2 reasons. 1. To see how many calories I burn (duh) and to see how high my heart rate gets with each exercise. You'd be surprised how lifting can get my heart rate as high as speed walking does at times. And that in turn means fat burn... I believe you need both to achieve a healthy body. Cardio exercises with weight training will actually result in a much more effective fat loss! Cardio raised you muscle metabolism during the activity and for a short time after, while weight training raises your muscle metabolism during and long after the exercise session... In some cases, it's been reported to raise the metabolism for several days! This makes me soooo happy.... Because I love to eat and this allows me to eat more! 

So get out there and lift some weights! You don't need a gym membership or an expensive one at home even. You just need to do it.