Ch-ch-ch-CHIA
Outfit photo by Dan Tran
Sports bra and leggings: Kyodan (c/o)
Photo by Dan Tran
Photo by Dan Tran
As promised, I’m going to share some goodies this week about my weight training routine. I used to think that the heavier I lifted, the better results I’d get. I’ve come to discover that lifting heavy is good and fine, but there’s a magic number to prevent the bulk. That magic number is 15. Not only is 15 my favorite number, which was always on my basketball jersey and incorporated into all my usernames, but it’s the minimum number of reps that you need to stick to in order to gain lean muscle as opposed to bulky muscle.
When I started working out with Dan, with every exercise he told me to do, I’d ask, “Will this make me bulky?” His answer was always the same, “It wont as long as you do at least 15 reps.” Dan has been training me for almost a year now and I can affirm that 15 reps, no matter the weight, got me the results I was looking for. I’m truly thankful that Dan changed the way I thought about not only running, but also weight training.
With each of my fitness posts, I’ll suggest a specific exercise for your workout. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you’re looking for a more in depth description or other exercises to fill in your workout.
This week’s weight training targets your shoulders using free weights. I naturally have broad shoulders, which make me look wide. Shoulder work is important for me so that I can cut down on the fat all around my shoulders, which makes my whole body look slimmer:
15 lateral raises with both arms simultaneously: 5lb dumbells
15 front raises with both arms simultaneously: 5lb dumbells
15 shoulder presses: 20lb barbell
15 seated rear deltoid flies: 5lb dumbells
Repeat 3x
As you may have noticed, the weight I use for shoulders is pretty light. I promise though that if you do 15 reps, you’ll feel the burn. Try heavier if you don’t, but remember that if you cannot do 15 reps then it’s too heavy for building lean muscle.
To work on your cardio, booty, and abs, try this workout as well. You can check out the short video I made to demonstrate each of the below on my Instagram account @stirandstyle. This is specifically designed for an outdoor training session, but you can easily switch it up using the treadmill or a hallway:
Sprint 20 meters
20 jump squats
Sprint 20 meters
30 alternating lunges
Sprint 20 meters
1 minute plank
REPEAT 2x, work up to 3x
I loved working out at the beach in Kyodan gear. The material gives great support and breathes well in hot weather.
Photo by Dan Tran
I matched this post's fitness Style with one of my favorite breakfast Stirs: chia seed pudding with fuji apple. I make my chia pudding ahead of time so that I have enough for a few days:
¾ cup chia seeds
3 cups vanilla soy milk
3 shakes of ground cinnamon
Agave (optional)
Give it a good stir and leave it in the refrigerator overnight or for at least four hours. If possible, give it a few stirs in the interim. I created an apple swan to highlight the color of the apple skin which contrasts with the gray of the chia and leggings. The apple skin coordinates with the coral/peach color of the sports bra’s straps. Please note: The apple swan is also eating healthily as I gave it some flax seeds as it swims around in the chia lake. I'm a dork. I also used to have two pet swans, Big Boy and Blue Lady, so this is in honor of them. RIP birdies.
Chia seeds are great source of fiber and protein. It helps aid digestion and has also been found to improve exercise performance. So make your batch of chia seeds tonight, eat it for breakfast tomorrow, head to the gym, and let me know how you like the workouts from today’s post!
As always, please feel free to contact me or email me about your experience with weight training, any questions you may have about my post, or other ways you like to incorporate chia seeds into your diet. Thank you for reading!