A: Muscle is hard earned and gains come over a period of
years, not weeks. And if you’re afraid of looking
“jacked”—trust us, you don’t get ripped by accident. Dr.
Paul and I have both been trying to get jacked for the last
twenty years. On top of that, most females simply don’t
have the hormonal profile to “get huge” without illicit
substances.
As long as you’re gaining muscle and not overeating or
gaining significant weight, your body composition will
improve. Your waistline will shrink, and your arms will, yes,
shrink even though they are stronger. Regular weight lifting
also gives you a buffer for any carbs that sneak in here and
there. Just remember: strong is the new skinny.
It’s also possible to incorporate aspects of both forms of
exercise in the same workout. For example, if you enjoy
weight training but dislike running, you can add an aerobic
aspect to your workout simply by shortening the amount of
rest in between sets. Alternatively, you may choose to do
anaerobic workouts on some days of the week and aerobic
on others. Whatever you choose to do, stick with what you
enjoy and make sure to vary levels of intensity. Also, taking
one to two days off per week for rest ensures that you do
not overtrain, which can have deleterious effects.
A typical week might look something like this:
Monday Thursday