Working out with husband

[redeemed98]

Hello all, I am 23 yrs old, had a baby 3 yrs ago but never lost the weight i gained. I have been working out for about 4 months with my husband. We are both seeing some results. He is trying to start doing more compound excersizes using free weights. I have been doing some such as squats for a while now. Are these movements going to beneficial to a woman like they are to a man ? Squats, Deadlifts, Barbell Rows. My goal is to lose about 35 lbs or so but mainly look like i work out. I used to never lift weights but have grown to love it. I am serious about training and eating properly and want to get the most out of my efforts.
Thanks

[gymgrl]

Squats, deadlifts and other compound movements are great for developing strength in both men and women. These movements hit a larger amount of muscles than isolation movements you see some women continually using (leg extenstions, tricep extensions..) These movements are great for shaping muscles, yet the compound movements target larger areas.
Muscle tissue is muscle tissue, while males have more of it, it is the same thing that is in yours. This means you can train with your husband and see results- the only difference is you will probably not bulk up the way he does because of testosterone differences.
Also, most women say they only want to 'tone.' Yet, toning IS building muscle. My advice is to train to attain the most muscle you can- the lower testosterone levels you have compared to your husband will prevent you from gaining huge muscles. I train like most guys at the gym with a split routine and use heavy weights- I now how defined muscles, strength, AND my metabolism is much faster. So what you are doing sounds great! Any other questions feel free to ask!

[redeemed98]

WOW !! Very encouraging, Thanks

[redeemed98]

I just want to say thanks again gymgrl. You have been very helpful. I hope you reply when I have more questions. It's great to have someone helping you and not telling you what you're doing is wrong, even when you know it's right. So, thanks again.
Robyn

[MsFit]

*clap clap* for gymgrl. Terriffic advice there!! I would like to also suggest the importance of nutrition redeemed98. Be sure you are consuming enough calories, protein, carbs and essential fats. All these are important for muscle growth and fat loss.
MsFit

[redeemed98]

Thank you MsFit. You guys have given me some great advice. Me and my husband are doing pretty well with our nutrition. I am trying to eat at least 5 small meals a day, but sometimes it's hard. Thanks again for the great advice.
Robyn

[gymgrl]

Thanks guys! MsFit- I completely agree with the nutrition reminder! It's so easy to overlook this part of training- yet it is a very large part of muscle growth. I myself notice that I could eat alot more once I started weight training, at first I thought I'd gain a ton of weight, but really I needed nourishment to repair and recover my muscles after training them. Good luck Robyn!