Introduction

Womens fitness is particularly complex.  There are many female-oriented challenges that affect the training process, one in which their male counter parts will never face.  Although gender differences are obvious, other more subtle variances also influence exercise capacity.   Let us now discuss the most relevant of these physiological and psychological obstacles in more detail.

• Women produce very little testosterone.  Testosterone, through a complex process interacts at the cellular level with muscle tissue to increase protein synthesis.  The problem is that on average, women produce only about one-tenth the amount of testosterone as their male counterparts.  This clearly makes it difficult for a woman to significantly improve the quality of her muscle.

• Women tend to readily store body fat.  I know it sound unfair, women are the fatter sex; on average.  Women carry about double the amount of fat as their male counterparts.  This is mostly due to the distribution of receptors in fat cells.  Receptors are like doorways; they either allow fat into or out of fat cells.  Making matters worse, women get hit with a double whammy due to the effects of estrogen.  Among its many functions, estrogen is integrally involved in the storage of body fat. 

• Women are affected by hormonal fluctuations due to the menstrual cycle.  The menstrual cycle can have a profound effect on a womans mood and sense of well-being.  Compounding matters, significant fluid retention and cravings for sweets are frequently associated with the premenstrual period.  Thus inducing temporary weight gain and edema (swelling).

• Women are subject to body-altering effects of pregnancy.  Pregnancy cause major biological changes to take place within the body. 

• Women tend to be self-conscious about their bodies.  Women tend to much more insecure than men in regards to their body appearance.  Women generally see themselves as being fat and out of shape regardless of their actual proportions.  In some women this can lead to mentality unhealthy forms of psychological being.  It can also lead to eating disorders or even overtraining.

• Women are frequently intimidated by hard physical labor and strength related activities.  I no this is hard to believe in the 21^st century, but in the not-too-distant past it was considered taboo for a woman to lift weights.  Fitness Center or Gyms of the past were basically dark, dingy, basement-like clubs dominated by men. 

Given all of these fitness obstacles, you probably wonder whether it is actually possible to achieve your ideal physique.   The answer is an unquestionable yes!  By embracing a high-energy fitness system of training, a supercharged exercise regimen that simultaneously tones muscles while reducing body fat, you will achieve your fitness goals.  Simply stated, body sculpting is a method of strength training that creates a toned, shapely physique as opposed to bodybuilding, which focuses more on building big, bulky muscles.  

Follow this link to read a great article regarding Body Image and the Female Exerciser

"The 10 Commandments of Body Sculpting"

1. Believe in yourself.
2. Write down your goals.
3. Set new goals every six weeks.
4. Use a calendar to mark when you train with a forward slash and mark when you eat clean with a back slash.  The days you do both mark with an X.
5. Place a picture of how you currently look on your fridge so that you will see it on a daily basis.
6. Take a picture of yourself every four weeks and place them next to your before picture.
7. Write down the reasons why you're making these changes.
8. Keep your house free from foods that are not good for your regimen.
9. Remember to prepare your meals in advance.
10. Remember, you and only you control what goes in your mouth.

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