Specifically, what I eat (or forget to eat), and what I do with my precious spare time (read, write, create, cuddle with the dog, NOT exercise.) As you may recall, Mr. Beefcake received his Bachelor's degree, and is now completing a Master's degree in ...ummm...nutritional...bio-chemistry(? sorry honey :) ) and is a certified personal trainer. He lives on a carefully balanced diet of green crunchy things, organic this and that, a coop's worth of egg's per week, protein shakes, a cupboard full of vitamins and supplements, and exercises somewhat fanatically (in my humble opinion). The man can leg press almost 800 pounds now - it's getting ridiculous.
So, despite his protestations, I am convinced Mr. Beefcake thinks I'm fat. Not truly, but I'm pretty sure that deep down, he's disappointed when I eat three bowls of ice cream while watching a movie, then turn down a walk with him because I'm suddenly "so tired" (when it's less than -30C out, trust me, the thought of going outside is inconceivable).
I know I'm a bad girl. But, bad girls can change, and looking good in a wedding gown is pretty good motivation. Mr. Beefcake has created a workout program for me, which I'm going to try my best to stick to, especially as our planning nears the six-month mark. Like many women, I get bored easily with exercise, so Mr. Beefcake has recommended switching up my cardio between ballroom dancing, walking, and using my (new!) stationary bicycle. For stretching, I'm going to continue doing yoga (I'm from Vancouver - yoga is my thing), and Mr. Beefcake will design my weight training routine.
I'll be sharing my routine with you all, so please feel free to draw inspiration and tips as you see fit (and excuse the pun). As with any course of exercise, always consult your physician before starting, and never do any exercise that causes you pain, makes you dizzy or feel faint.
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All right ladies and gentle-bees, let's get started on this week's topic - how to rid yourself of your bat wing/bra strap "fat"!
BAT WING: the part of your upper arm that continues to wave five minutes after you've stopped
BRA STRAP CHUB: the escaped flesh around your brassiere that peaks out and creates a bumpy silhouette
(bat wings, the fur baby type)
First, I will reveal a secret, hidden for the ages, buried in the sands of time and beneath that pile of Bride magazines next to your bed:
THERE IS NO MAGIC EXERCISE TO MAGICALLY BURN OFF ALL OF YOUR FAT IN ONE SPECIFIC AREA!
Yes, it's true. There is NO SUCH THING AS SPOT REDUCTION.
Fat and muscle are two totally different tissues in your body and you simply cannot transform one into the other. Unfortunately, many people believe that doing crunches endlessly will give them those highly-coveted wash-board abs - it won't, they'll just end up with super strong abs covered by a nice layer of "chubbsies" (technical terminology, try to keep up:))
BUT, there is hope!
There are a couple of things that your body can do:
1) decrease fat
2) build muscle
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Now, let's break it down.
1) Decrease fat
How-to:
- efficient cardiovascular exercise
- healthy diet
2) Build muscle
You really need to have all three components in your fitness regimen, or the following occurs:
Option A:weight training (but no cardio or diet changes) = invisible muscles - they're there, but you can't see them!
OPTION B: cardio + diet changes (but no weight training) = "soggy noodle syndrome" - you're skinny and fat at the same time (as a soggy noodle myself, I recommend overcoming your aversion to weights otherwise you'll never be able to open the ketchup bottle by yourself)
OPTION C: diet changes (but no cardio or weight training) = elephant skin
Without cardio to burn fat, and weight training to build muscle, your skin will sag, your boobs will sag, and it is VERY difficult to regain that elasticity/put your skin tightly back on your frame
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MUSCLES TARGETED:
- deltoids (front and side)
- triceps
- rhomboids
- latisimus dorsi
- rear deltoids
- biceps
- triceps
- pectorals
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WORKOUT TIPS:
- Make sure to warm up thoroughly and stretch your muscles so they are ready for lifting.
- Keep rest to a minimum (to keep your heart rate up)
- Keep the reps (repetitions = how many times you do the exercise movement) in the 12-15 range, not too low and not too high. NOTE: If you can do 20+ reps the weight is not high enough and you probably aren't working hard enough.
- Stretch when you are done and perform some cardio if you have time (no more than 20 minutes). This combination will keep your heart rate up and will help you burn fat while retaining the most muscle (which will help you burn more energy while you rest!)
MY BATWING WORKOUT:
(NOTE: This is by no means a comprehensive full-body workout program)
After a thorough warm-up (try jogging in place, light aerobics, yoga, dancing - anything to get your blood pumping) and stretch, incorporate the following upper body exercises into your full-body workout in order to "attack the bat"...
Shoulder press: 3 sets/12-15 reps
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.php?Name=Dumbbell+Shoulder+Press
Dumbbell Row: 3 sets/12-15 reps3
http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/Article-detail.asp?Articleid=857&vote=4
http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/Article-detail.asp?Articleid=857&vote=4
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.php?Name=Dumbbell+Bicep+Curl
AT THE GYM EXERCISES:
Chest Press superset with:3 sets/12-15 reps2http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.php?Name=Dumbbell+Bench+Press
Lat Pull-down superset with3 sets/12-15 reps
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.php?Name=Wide-Grip+Lat+Pulldown
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So, there it is, ladies - suggested exercises for "attacking your bat." Please remember that there is no 'miracle cure' for spot reducing any trouble zone you may have. In order to see progress in one area, you will have to make changes to your body as a whole!Be good to it, and your body will respond in time. And that means - no more
-na-na-na-na-na-na-na BATWINGS!
1 comment:
great tips! Thanks!
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