When I first got back into working out with weights, I didn’t really have a plan. I was just doing some random moves and not even covering all major muscle groups consistently. I turned to the web to find some actual routines. On the caloriecount fitness forum I was hearing a lot about something called “NROLFW.” Turns out, this is a very popular women’s workout book called “New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like A Goddess.”( http://www.thenewrulesoflifting.com/) I bought it on Amazon.com right away for about $12.
I was so excited when I got the book that I read it immediately. It’s not a long read, but it is packed with tons of useful information. There’s a section with recipes and then the second half of the book is detailed instructions on how the routines are setup and photos of what each of the exercises look like. This workout is easy to follow and the nutrition guidelines are even easier.
Lou Schuler did a fantastic job writing this book. His points are well made and backed up with facts. When I got to the nutrition section and found out that I should be eating around 1,800-2,000 calories for this plan, I flat FREAKED. I was really struggling with keeping myself to 1400 calories a day! I was always crabby, tired and just blah. How could I lose weight on 2,000 calories if I can’t lose on 1,400? However, I decided to give it a try and see how I felt – it was nice to feel like it was ok to eat more. I knew I couldn’t survive on 1,400 calories a day for the rest of my life anyway!
On my first month with the program, I noticed huge changes when I bumped up the calories. More energy, happier, better workouts… every thing was good! My arms were buff again and the inches were coming off!
The exercises are easy to follow and don’t take a lot of time. Workouts are 3x a week, with at least a day of rest between each workout. It takes me about 30 minutes to do the stage one workouts No cardio is required until stage two, which is about 4-6 weeks into the program. Even then, the suggested cardio is only 15 minutes of run/jog intervals! That’s my kind of workout!
It’s suggested that you have a protein shake after each workout (I suggest EAS whey protein in vanilla!). One thing I love about this book is that you aren’t required to eat specific recipes for each meal (though there are really some yummy recipes in the book!). I don’t know about you, but strict nutrition plans are no good for me…I’m such a picky eater. All that’s suggested is a diet consisting of 40% carbs, 30% protein and 30% fat. There’s also a formula provided so you can figure out how many calories a day you need.
I’m just starting the program again. I got through two or three stages last fall and ended up taking a break from the gym for about 6 weeks because I injured my foot. Then we got a new puppy and I couldn’t go to the gym after work because I couldn’t keep a young pup crated for such a long time.
Anyway, now I’m back to the gym and I’m on the 2nd week of the first stage. I took measurements at the start of the program and I’m excited to see where I am at the end of this stage.
If you are a chick looking to get into weights, I definitely recommend this book. It really debunks a lot of common myths, the biggest one being “If I lift like a man, I will bulk up like a man.” NONSENSE! I promise you will get a lot out of this book if you just give it a chance! Don’t be intimidated by the moves or by using large amounts of weight. For me it’s rewarding to do a set and then later see guys doing the same move using the same amount of weight, or less! It doesn’t happen a lot, but when it does, I feel so strong.
So, ladies… Get out there and lift heavy stuff!
Some people just aren’t interested in lifting… If you are one of those people, stay tuned for my review of cardio and running programs next week.
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