WHY I DITCHED HIIT WORKOUTS AND STARTED WEIGHT LIFTING
I used to do solely HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts every time I worked out. I would just hop on Instagram, select a random workout that looked good, and do it that day. There was no structure to my workout routine, but I enjoyed the workouts and had fun doing them.
HIIT workouts are great if you’re looking for something that will give you that great endorphin rush or if you need something quick. They are fast paced and fun, so personally I felt great after doing these workouts! Don’t get me wrong, I definitely lost weight compared to before I started working out this way. However, I wasn’t seeing the results I wanted to see.
I started following a lot of fitness trainers on Instagram and noticed they were doing a lot of weightlifting and posting their “workout split” on their pages. There came a day that all of the sudden I was like, “Hey, I think I want to try lifting weights like these trainers and follow an actual weightlifting workout split. It seems to be working for them, so I’ll try it!” So that’s what I did. I downloaded an app with a workout routine that I followed. It had two lower body days, two upper body days, and one full body circuit day. And I LOVED IT. After doing this program for just 8 weeks, I noticed a difference.
What I began to notice
1. What I ultimately wanted but never got when doing HIIT workouts was muscle definition. I was tired of having no curves, I wanted abs, and I wanted to have sculpted shoulders! After doing this new weight lifting program for a couple of months, I started seeing these changes and was extremely happy.
2. I was also sleeping better. I remember not being able to fall asleep or having restless nights where I just could not get in to a deep sleep. When I started weightlifting, I pretty much fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow and slept GOOD until my alarm went off in the morning.
3. I was excited for my workouts! I started walking into the gym excited to work a specific muscle group and to actually have a game plan! For example, I was working glutes and hamstrings on the same day every week and my back and biceps on the same day every week. Having this set schedule felt so good and made me excited for my workouts. I was no longer jumping around trying to find a good workout to do that day.
4. I dropped 3 sizes in jeans. I remember thinking, “How in the world am I wearing smaller sizes even though I’m lifting weights?!” My waist was getting smaller and my glutes were getting bigger. (What else could a girl want?!) This led to my confidence skyrocketing. I was so happy that I finally started to look “toned.” I walked in to the gym feeling strong, and for once I was happy in my own skin.
5. I wasn’t getting injured and worn out as much. There were times when I could not get my workouts in that week because I was actually in pain or exhausted from previous workouts. If you are doing HIIT workouts, you are more prone to injuries. The plyometrics involved were just wrecking my muscles and joints. I remember completing my workout and going home to just lay down the rest of the day because I was so tired!
The myth
I think this is true for many women, but I wrote weightlifting off for myself because I didn’t want to get “bulky” and “manly.” If you take one thing away from this article, I hope it’s this: I have never felt more feminine and toned in my life. I have curves and the hourglass figure I always wanted. Due to the hormonal differences between men and women, there is a difference in response to weight lifting. Women don’t have the same amounts of testosterone that men do so they don’t get bulky. Instead, they start to get the toned look that so many girls are after. Don’t get me wrong, if you are just stuffing your face willy nilly while weight lifting, you’re probably not going to see those same results.
Takeaway
If you’re looking for a long-term exercise program, definitely start weightlifting. Don’t get so caught up in the fact that HIIT workouts are what you need to do to burn as many calories as possible. You can burn the same amount, if not more calories lifting weights. And if your nutrition is in check and you’re eating enough protein, you are going to see amazing results. There are so many amazing benefits and I could talk about this subject for days!