Women and Weights

I know this has become a highly popular topic, so I thought I’d give everyone my two cents worth. I love lifting. I love lifting heavy and I love lifting hard, so naturally I’m going to want everyone else to join me- but I advocate it for many other reasons as well. I know many women think that lifting will make them bulky, but that is 100% untrue. Yes, you will get definition, you will SEE the muscles you’re working for but without mass amounts of calories and/or steroids you will never gain the kind of mass women are afraid of. So put that out of your head now. I also know that the weight room can be intimidating because it’s filled with large, grunting men, but ya know what, I can pretty much guarantee they’re going to be more impressed than inconvenienced by you in the weight room, so get your soon-to-be-toned butt in there.

The bottom line is that muscle burns fat. Why are you working out? To burn fat. So the more muscle you have the more fat you burn and the faster you get the body you’re working so hard for. So reason number 1 to strength train: it will increase the calories you burn from fat while you workout and even long after!

Reason number 2: Everyone complains that there’s not enough time in the day, so why waste it with mindless cardio?? Don’t get me wrong it has its place and time, but for those of you looking to get in, get fit, and get out, you need to be moving some weight. You will burn the same amount of calories with a 20 minute interval workout using a kettlebell than you will rockin the elliptical for 40 minutes. So essentially you’re wasting 20 minutes of which you could be doing something more productive, or burning more calories!

Reason number 3: As you get older your tendons, joints and bones deteriorate, but by keeping a regular strength training program you can keep your tendons strengthened, your joints lubricated and mobile and most importantly increase your bone density. As you increase in strength, your bones will adapt to those stresses and increase their capacity as well.

As if you need another reason, but here it is anyway. Reason number 4 to lift weights: There’s nothing more empowering than being able to lift/move something heavy. You know it’s heavy, you’ve moved it before- but instead of being intimidated or getting help you just think “Psh, I got this!” and get it done.

So lets recap. Strength training burns more fat and faster. It doesn’t just give you muscle strength but bone density as well. It feels great! So stop worrying about looking like a man, stop worrying about being judged by a man and start lifting weights!