Lifting-
In my experience and observation, it is possible that one can reach a desired weight or composition by purely focusing on their diet. However, adding a weight training regimen will help expedite results and allow one to reach their goals faster.
For the average person or beginner, I think it's good to aim for lifting 3x/Week. Those three days can easily be broken out into chest/back, shoulders/arms and lower body. This allows you to hit all the key muscle groups and do so effectively.
If you don't have access to a gym, don't fret. Getting outside and being active 3-5x a week is a great substitute. Whether it be walking your dog, hiking up in Forest park, or riding your bike to and from work, those activities will all help expedite the process. The goal here is to just avoid being sedentary.
It’s important if you are a beginner to at least start with a lower weight to ensure proper lifting technique and form. It pains me to see people load the bar up with weight, only to severely limit their range of motion. If you have some anxiety about using low weights because of how it may look, let me just say that everybody started there at one point. Additionally, it's important you gauge your results compared to your goals/expectations. DO NOT compare yourself to your peers because there is no concrete basis for comparison and it will only have a negative effect on your mental approach.
So here is an example of a basic lifting routine and lifts one could use if they decide that weight training 3x/week would work for them:
Chest/Back
- Dumbbell Bench Press
- Seated cable rows
- Incline Dumbbell bench press
- Pullups
Shoulders/Arms
- Dumbbell Shoulder press
- Rear Delt Raise
- Lateral DB Raise
- Seated Curls
- Dips
Lower Body
- Squats
- Lunges
- Hamstring curls
Stay tuned for the Eating portion of the L.E.S. is More series, coming soon!
-Colin
