Say NO to skinny fat!!

Hi folks,
It's trainer Stephanie today. Decorator Stephanie will be back tomorrow ;)
I need to talk to you about being fit. You see, I've always been an active person. Never skinny, but healthy and active. I'm alright with that, in fact I kinda enjoy it. I just finished up an 8-week challenge with some friends in which we set all sorts of goals- physical, family-oriented, spiritual, and whatnot, and try to hit those goals. I had my body fat taken yesterday and I was quite pleased, and even more motivated to keep going!
I love me some weight training, and I hope you've heard by now that they do a body gooood. Even more, I hope you believe that it's especially important for women in transforming their body.  Take this principle:

Skinny-Fat Syndrome: What happens when a person does too much cardio, doesn't eat enough and doesn't perform exercises that maintain build/maintain muscle?

She will lose both fat and muscle. Her weight will decrease but her body fat percentage will not. What she does is become a smaller version of herself, with no muscle tone or definition! She becomes a skinny person with higher than expected body fat percentage.

Umm no thanks. I think women are still afraid of those weights. See picture below:

You won't look like Arnold Schwarzenegger naturally, it just won't happen. But this toned chick on the bottom right? Umm I'd take that!!

You know fat weighs less than muscle so even if the number on the scale goes down, having a lower body fat percentage is what's really going to make changes in size and the look of your body. I heard someone say recently that being "skinny fat" makes you look good with your clothes on but being toned makes you look good with your clothes off!

SO go hit those weights! Not sure where to start? Think about Jillian Michael's 30-day shred. =) Or google a circuit training workout. They'll tone you while keeping your heart rate up!