*cue the Hallelujah Chorus*

I have fallen in love with strength training. Yes, that does warrant the post title. It’s a near miracle.

I’ve been dabbling with weights for most of the winter. The colder months are my husband’s slower time at work which means we’re able to go to the gym together more often. He’d printed off a few workouts to take try. I was beyond bored with bouncing back and forth between my treadmill and elliptical workouts so I agreed to give his workouts a try. He encouraged me to use something heavier than the 5lb. weights I tended to pick up whenever I did something non-cardio. I was surprised by how quickly I started to notice results, not only in the way I looked, but also in how I felt. I was also surprised by how much more I enjoyed strength training when it was challenging!

Then came this book:

I was hooked from the very first page and read it cover to cover in about 2 days. The author is funny, but it’s clear that he’s very serious and passionate about what he’s saying. A lot of the information goes completely against the things women are either taught or assume about lifting. At first, I was afraid this guy was going to end up being a complete nut job and I would regret reading the book. However, the more I read the more his research, logic and phlosophies seemed to be in line with my goals. The information was enlightening and very, very empowering.
I’m only 3 workouts in to the workout plan so I can’t speak to the whole, but so far I’m LOVING it. The instructions for each exercise are well-written and easy to follow. The workouts I’ve done so far have been challenging without being overwhelming. I feel like I’m making the most of my time in the gym without having to spend hours and hours there. And, when I leave, I feel pretty darn tough.

I will admit, I was a bit skeptical about the protein shake thing. The author suggests that you MUST drink one after every workout for various reasons. He then names his favorite brands…and discloses that he and some of his co-authors write articles for these brands’ websites. My knee-jerk reaction was to discount the information as marketing hype that would result in the authors’ financial gain. However, after my first three workouts, my body had begun to form a different opinion. I’m going to start trying post-workout shakes this week and I’ll share my thoughts later.

I know this book has been controversial and that there will be loads of people out there who disagree with the author and with my love for the reading material. For me, it’s been a fantastic resource and I’m looking forward to continuing with the workout plan. Strength training can be daunting. I’d highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to know more about it and/or anyone who says: “I’m interested. Now what?”

In case you didn’t know, I have a mild obsession with flash mobs. Being part of one is tops on my bucket list. I found this one when I googled the spelling for “hallelujah” (don’t hate) and had to share because it’s particularly awesome.

Have you read NROL4W? What are your thoughts?

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