When most people say they need to "get in shape" and "start working out", they think they need to slap on their running shoes and hit the treadmill.  People associate cardio training with what is needed to get in shape and transform their bodies.  There is also the age-old theory if you want to lose weight, do cardio, and if you want to bulk up with muscle, then you strength train!  These theories are not always the case. To determine what is the better choice, we must first analyze what they do for you! Weight or strength training has several benefits to the body and fitness goals. First of all, weight training obviously builds and strengthens muscles.   The more muscle a person has, the more benefits come with it! When people strength train, they actually cause microscopic tears in their muscles.  When the recovery happens, the muscles heal and grow.  As the muscles recover and grow, they require calories during the process. In short, the more musc...

Since I started my fitness journey, I've made a lot of changes and sacrifices. These changes included changing my eating and sleep patterns. I've cut back on alcohol (not too much!), and started getting up early for morning workouts. Overall, these things have benefited me greatly and made me a happier, healthier person. Amongst all these changes, there have been certain things I have grown accustomed to. Changes it habits that I love, and of course everyone has an opinion about.  I've heard about how I should do this or change that.  However there are things I refuse to give up, change or compromise.   Here is a list of what I refuse to do on my fitness journey. I refuse to... 1.  Go over three days with out a workout.        This I promised to myself as a way of staying on track.  Although, certain circumstances like sickness can get in the way, I make it my mission to never go three days with out some sort of a workout.  It has w...