Many people ask me what my top tips are for fat loss (especially for women) and one of my top ones has to be lifting weights! Now don’t be alarmed – it’s not as scary as it seems – let me explain further!

So…years ago (well 10 to be exact!), I was a Cardio queen! I trained cardio pretty much every day of the week…swimming, cycling, spinning, circuits, running – you name it. I was addicted to burning out. I also had issues with food and went through periods of restricting myself of calories, particularly good fats (the days when we were told that “fat makes us fat”!) I wasn’t happy with what I saw in the mirror – and no amount of training was changing that!

 

Skinny V Strong

 

So when and why did I turn to lifting weights?

It all began in my early thirties when I started working out with a PT and got into using kettlebells and more strongman type equipment.

I always had real problems accepting my body and was never happy with it. With my background in cross-country and long distance running I was always pretty lean but I also had body dysmorphia issues, where I always saw something else in the mirror not the real reflection staring back at me – I was almost punishing my body with all the cardio!

Weights changed all that. Within a few months I saw the difference in my body and how cutting back on the cardio and lifting weights helped add some curves! Plus I loved the fact that I could get a really good workout in around 45 minutes and feel the buzz for hours after! It wasn’t quite the same with cardio!

 

Love to lift!

 

I now lift 3-4 times a week for around 45 minutes and go as heavy as I can. Am I worried about bulking up? Absolutely not! It’s very hard for women to bulk unless you’re eating a ton of calories and doing a lot of specific hypertrophy training (a method of strength training intended to induce the fastest muscle growth). We also don’t have the testosterone levels to build bulk, which is why I encourage women to simply use weights to help create curves in all the right places and most importantly to feel strong and empowered – there’s something really motivating about going into a gym and being able to lift heavy or to do a chin-up!

 

One of my favourite “heavy lifts”!

 

I truly believe that lifting weights has been the main catalyst for my change in mind-set, which is why I focus so much of the spare time on helping other women to learn how to love their own bodies via my online coaching. These days I wouldn’t dream of counting or restricting calories (unless I was to step on stage again!) – and I don’t need to because building muscle helps to speed up your metabolism, resulting in more effective fat loss. Basically the more muscle a woman has, the more calories she will burn at rest.

On another note women tend to atrophy (lose muscle) as they age so it’s important to work with weights to prevent this from happening. This means we stay stronger as we age and can look after ourselves for longer – one of my main priorities as a mama!

 

My ‘Body Ibiza’ Squad!

 

Now that I’ve convinced you to pick up those dumbbells (hopefully!), here’s a little workout that you can do at home. All my workouts tend to take 45 minutes or less, and with 1440 minutes in a day hopefully you won’t have to break your neck to get it done – even if you try getting up half an hour earlier. There is always a way – and you’ll feel so much better for it I promise!

This workout took me just under an hour and was intense but lots of fun!

 

A1 Barbell wide squats, 12 reps

A2 Kettlebell romanian deadlifts, 20 reps

A3 On & Off step jump squats, 20 reps

4 sets, 10 seconds rest between each exercise, 60 seconds rest between each set

B1 BB step-ups, 12 reps e/leg

B2 KB single leg romanian deadlifts, 12 reps e/leg

3 sets, 20 seconds rest between each exercise, 60 seconds rest between each set

C1 Cable squat to row, 20 reps

C2 Arm/shoulder combo, 15 reps

C3 DB bent over rear delts, 15 reps

3 sets, 10 seconds rest between each exercise, 60 seconds rest between each set

 

You can also watch the video HERE.

If you’re not following me on Instagram…here I am @mirella_strongbeatsskinny…please check out my profile.

Each week I post workouts that you can follow and are easy to squeeze into your day. You can also apply for my next 8-week Ibiza journey HERE, which starts on the 19^th June and will guide you through lifting weights sensibly and creating a lean and toned figure that is maintainable and totally bikini-worthy! Already on round two of the challenge, I have seen some fantastic results from women all over the world – are you in? Summer is just around the corner!