Cardio is great for burning calories and slimming down, they say.

They also say, pair it with strength training to get lean and toned. But what does this really mean?

Most women I know have a fitness routine involving workout classes, HIIT, spinning, yoga, or running. Sometimes a bit of boxing is thrown in. Very few choose the gym’s free weight area to train.

I say, grab some weights and brush any leftover fears related to bulking up. Start off super light on weights and build your way up, focusing on form. Because incorporating weights into your routine will help you reach healthy fatigue, producing fat burning, muscle building, and body shaping results, quicker than any stand alone cardio exercises will allow you to. 

Whatever your goal, even if it is weight loss, the answer is not more cardio.

More on this to come.