Guest Post: By Livin the Fit Life

Today's guest post comes from Rachelle from Livin the Fit Life. Thanks so much Rachelle for the wonderful post on being fit.

Being fit and healthy is a passion for me, especially now that I am in my 30's and have to work harder and smarter. I have always been a cardio girl. I love to run and this is my true passion. However, as I got older I knew that weights needed to enter my life and I wasn't too happy about it.

You see, after you turn 30, your body starts to lose muscle. What does that mean? That in order for your body to burn the same number of calories as it did in your twenties, you need to start building your muscles back up. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn.

Most women look at me funny when I tell them to lift weights. They have the wrong idea that if you lift weights you will look like a bodybuilder with massive muscles. Of course this won't happen. Lifting weights will tone your body and increase your calorie burn to make your workouts more effective.

3 great starter exercises with weights are squats, bicep curls and tricep extensions. I don't know about you, but triceps are an issue for many women as we don't typically use those muscles in everyday life.

Start out with smaller weights (3-5 lbs.) and do 3 sets of 10 reps each, alternating exercises as you go. As you move forward you can change your routine by increasing your weight and your reps. You can then start to add more exercises to your routine to change your overall body.

I am also a huge proponent for using your own body weight for resistance. I like this method because you can work out at home with just yourself and nothing else. Examples of these type of exercises would be push-ups, crunches, tricep dips, etc. This way you can build your muscles without having to spend money on weights or the gym. Also, for moms with young children at home, you can stay at home and still get your sweat on:)

I hope you will all add some weight training to your workout regimen. Your body will thank you!

Thank you Terri, for allowing me to write this post for your blog. Now everyone get your sweat on and start Livin The Fit Life!