by Lorraine Etherington

Created on: March 05, 2007   Last Updated: April 18, 2007

I know most ladies have a fear of doing weights. We all immediately think of a female bodybuilder and imagine we will turn into this overnight if we even sit at a weights machine. But fear not ladies, weights are good for all of us and VITAL to a complete workout.

It's been scientifically proved that the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn.

Encorporating a weights regime into your fitness programme will improve your stamina, movement and will help you tone up a lot quicker than simply doing classes.

Lifting weights is not simply for men who want to beef up. For anyone wanting to 'beef up', they overload the muscle with a heavy weight they struggle to lift. But if you want to just start toning the muscle you have, you lift a much lighter, manageable weight that only makes you start struggling towards the last 2 reps.

I have just started a regime whereby I do 3 sets of 15 repetitions, with a short break in between to regain my breath and give my muscle a break. I do not start struggling until I reach the 12-13 rep.

NOW HERE'S THE MAGIC PART.

If you want to speed up the toning process, try this little trick (you might find you'll need to drop your weight because this is a completely different ball game!)

When you lift/pull the weight at first, ensure that you take 2-3 times longer to RELEASE the weight. You should be lifting/pulling in one smooth motion that maybe takes a second. So to release the weight, take 2-3 seconds. Doing this will condition the muscle to work not only on your initial pull, but on the return. Concentrate on the smooth fluid motion both on initial pull and the return.

I guarantee, you will feel and see a different within a month.

As with everything, incorporate a good balanced diet into your lifestyle. Plenty of fruit and vegetables. Try wholegrains/brown pasta, bread and rice - it's really no different to white and so much better for you.

After exercising, you should be looking to eat proteins, to rebuild and repair the muscle. Chicken and fish are excellent sources of protein as are eggs. If you can't eat something natural that's protein based, you can get buy protein drinks and bars. But I would recommend the food if you can choose this option first.

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