GETTING STARTED: PLAN YOUR
WEIGHT TRAINING SESSIONS
Like any fitness plan, results tend to
come with consistency. That’s why it’s
important to have a plan and know what
exercises you are going to do. When
you’re starting out, it might take a little
experimenting to find a routine that you
feel comfortable with. But once you
find it, make a note of what exercises
you did, how much you lifted, and
for how many repetitions. As for how
often you should do these workouts,
one-to-two weight training sessions
throughout the week is a good place
to start if your goal is weight loss.
Remember to plan time during your
week for foam rolling and recovery
sessions too! After lifting heavy weights,
stretching and foam rolling can really
help reduce muscle soreness.
START LIGHT, THEN MOVE
TO HEAVIER WEIGHTS
Okay, so the term “heavy” is relative.
What feels heavy to one woman might
feel totally different for another. What
I mean here is the weight needs to
be challenging (on a difficulty scale
of 1 to 10, I recommend aiming for
a 7), BUT it’s also important that
you maintain correct form when
lifting “heavy” weights! The wrong
technique may lead to an injury, which
is something you want to avoid.
As I’ve said, lifting “heavy” weights can
help your body to adapt, but it also sets
off a bunch of other positive changes.
As you gain lean muscle, your
metabolism can increase, regulation
of your hormones improves, and
your central nervous system learns to
adapt to and manage physical stress.
Remember that progression is important.
So if you find it easier to lift those
weights you’ve been working out with, it
might be time to increase them a little.
FOLLOW A HEALTHY DIET
Building strength is good for your body,
but just like other training styles, it needs
support from your diet. This is another
reason the myth that weight training
leads to bulk came about! Maybe
you’ve seen bodybuilders eating calorie-
laden, protein-rich meals to support
their “gains.” Let me assure you, that
isn’t the only way to build strength!
In comparison to body fat, muscles use
a lot more fuel because they require
energy even when you are resting.
Therefore, the more lean muscle you
have, the more energy you burn at
rest. If you want to increase strength
while looking lean, you should also
be mindful of what you’re eating.
Yes, protein helps with muscle repair,
but that doesn’t mean you should be
consuming protein shakes or protein
bars several times a day, each and
every day! You should be aiming to eat
a balanced diet to give your body the
energy and nutrients that it needs.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Since 2008, Kayla been helping
women find their way to becoming
fitter, healthier and more confident.
She is passionate about encouraging
and assisting women to be healthy
and feeling their absolute best!
The SWEAT app helps women stay on
track with their fitness goals through
personalized meal plans, shopping lists,
workouts and an education section.
Join the online BBG Community
today at www.kaylaitsines.com.
Here are a few reasons why you
WON’T turn into The Hulk if
you start weight training:
• Adding substantial muscle mass
is hard work! It generally takes
numerous, regular weight training
sessions to achieve the type of
muscles that bodybuilders or
weight lifters have (much more
than one or two sessions a week).
• Muscle growth is supported by
your diet. For someone to build
SIGNIFICANT muscle mass,
they usually follow a strict diet
that assists with muscle gain.
• Your hormones affect the way you
build muscle. Women produce
less testosterone than men,
which makes it physically harder
for them to develop muscle.
So there you have it, girls — it is
possible to weight train and stay
slim! It may take a little bit of time to
see the changes in your body, but I
know lots of BBGs absolutely love the
strength they’ve found from lifting.
As women, strength training is really
important for our bone health too.
Just remember to always warm up
before you start lifting any weights
(don’t skip the cool down either) and
focus on your form as you lift.
Love, Kayla xx
Kayla Itsines Bikini Body Guide
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2017
2017 SUMMER
SUMMER 15