Quote:
Originally Posted by Eve
Cheers Mago - we'll see how long I last!  And I'm all for lifting heavy, I see no point in swinging weights no heavier than a baked bean can 
& I'd be happy with an athletic version of Betty Page.
I wonder if you can add something to an article I was reading, essentially it was saying what wonderful fat magnets women are  & the idea of burning calories all day after a weight workout is based on men whereas women have elevated calorie burn for about an hour after a workout? |
I've heard this, but mainly this is the natural response of the human female body being a little more stubborn in terms of fat retention due to possible pregnancy and the need for reserves during pregnancy.
The elevated post-workout burn is proportionately the same as a male, and eating a lower-carb diet will also contribute to a longer, more elevated burn because the exercise burns off glycogen, which is available glucose. When you run out, and none is readily available in your diet, your liver release glucogon to revert fat into usable reserves. Skipping breads, corn, and potatoes will make that conversion from food to glucose longer, so your body burns more fat and cals converting fat to usable stores. Eat lots of greens and veggies, they will give you the carbs your body needs, and it takes longer to break it down into usable glucose. So, a little protein and a lot of greens.
Women also have a slightly more efficient means of converting carb to glucose, too. Biology and preserving the childbearing facilities.
Most of the lesser burn for woen comes from a psychological resistance to a more strenuous resistance workout. I had one woman who was a nurse and could manhandle a patient out of bed, into a chair, and back, tell me she couldn't lift heavy because women are delicate (ahem) and not as strong as men (ahem crap ahem cough cough)
Structurally speaking, women are pound for pound stronger than guys. women as big as guys can lift more, push harder, and have more tolerance for pain than us wussy guys. Kim Lyons, one of the trainers on The Biggest Loser, is as big as Bob Harper, and she has better strength and endurance.
Women get the muscle strength, but not the mass of a guy lifting. So, why not, especially for the overall health benefits?
Go figure.