5 REASONS WOMEN SHOULD WEIGHT TRAIN

Are you doing yoga, running, and spin classes and not seeing the “toned” body you want?

You might want to reconsider your plan and start weight training.

Let me explain why!

Everywhere you look, be it social media, magazines, websites, or television, you are most likely going to see information targeting women on how to lose weight. It’s no secret we all want to look and feel our best. Being healthy, in shape, and feeling confident is priceless. With so much information out there, it is hard to sift through the facts versus myths when it comes to fitness.

So many women shy away from weightlifting, fearing they may end up “bulky”. This is fortunately or unfortunately (depending on your goals) not possible. Men who naturally have more testosterone, can’t easily “bulk up”. To gain size in muscles it takes time and it takes the right hormones. Many men will increase their testosterone with steroids so they can get “bulky”. And even then it takes YEARS and very hard training.

The average woman who decides to incorporate resistance or weight training will NOT get bulky, rather she will get “toned”. 

That word is often used as the desired goal, but generally, the wrong exercises are done to try and achieve it. 

While cardio is a great exercise for your cardiovascular health, it will not do anything to “tone” that unwanted jiggle. But building muscle will!

As a woman who has been on a fitness journey for over a decade, I have tried it all. There is one thing that has changed my body completely and that is weight training. When you transform your body, it is a magical process. One that has given me more mentally than it has physically.

For that reason, I want to share with you 5 Reasons Women Should Weight Train.

1. INCREASES BONE DENSITY

So I will start with a boring but highly beneficial reason. Weight training increases bone density. As we age, we naturally lose bone and muscle mass. Weight training not only trains your muscles but it also trains your bones. For example, when you perform a shoulder press, your muscles tug on your shoulder’s bones. The cells within those bones react by creating new bone cells. 

Over time, your bones become stronger and denser. As we age, especially after menopause, our estrogen, which helps balance bone mineral buildup and breakdown,starts to decrease. This is why women are more prone to developing Osteoporosis. 

Why not stay ahead of the aging game, and keep your bones as strong as you can! 

2. IT GIVES YOU FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH

We all need this!

• When you are coming home from the grocery store, and have 15 bags you need to carry, maybe up a flight of stairs- you got that.

• When your 30lb toddler insists on being held while you make dinner with your other arm, you got that too.

• When you’re in the mood to rearrange furniture or spring clean and need to move furniture around- you guessed it- YOU GOT THAT!

Building muscle looks great but it’s even more fun when you get to see that strength in action. We are all superwomen juggling jobs, kids, and relationships and trying to do it all with a smile. With weight training, you will have the strength of a Superwoman.

3. IT IS ANTI-AGING

Strength training can slow down and reverse the aging process at the cellular and genetic levels. With age, we will lose muscle mass. 

If you are physically inactive you’ll lose between 3 and 5 percent of muscle mass every 10 years after age 30. This loss of strength causes weakness and can lead to falls. But weight training will prevent that loss of muscle. 

In addition, resistance training also slows our cognitive decline.  Studies have shown that lifting weights improves memory and wards off the effects of dementia. Maintaining physical and mental health can secure the quality of your life for years to come.

4. IT SPEEDS UP YOUR METABOLISM

Now to the fun stuff.

Weightlifting speeds up your metabolism!

It’s estimated every 1lb of muscle will burn 6 calories, which is 3 times as much compared to 1 lb of fat. This means any muscle you have will burn calories just by being present in your body.

This is like a high-interest savings account. You don’t have to do anything, other than make that deposit (or build that muscle), and then it will do the work for you.

This is often why men have an easier time warding off unwanted weight. Naturally, men have more muscle mass and thus burn more calories.

I remember seeing my husband eat pizza and burgers and stay lean while I was eating salads and was unable to lose weight. He told me for years to weight train but I was reluctant! 

Now I know better and join him in the weight room!

5. IT BUILDS CURVES AND SHAPE

Contrary to what some might believe, lifting weights does not make you look manly. In fact, it does the exact opposite.

Muscle gives your body curves and shape in all the right places. You can sculpt the body you want to have and fill out your leggings in the best of ways!

•  If you want defined arms, you can focus on upper-body exercises.

• If you want to be “bootylicious” or have great legs, focus on the lower body.

As mentioned earlier, weightlifting will not give you massive manly muscles. Any woman with that appearance, more often than not, used something to enhance their testosterone levels. 

Diet plays a critical role in your weight loss, but it’s not the only factor.

If you choose to lose weight using just diet and cardio alone, your body will only become a smaller version of what you already see.

But when you build muscle, and after you strip that fat away, you reveal a beautiful, strong, curvy, feminine physique.

If the gym intimidates you, or you are unable to for other reasons, you can start a great program at home with resistance bands. The Fitness Insanity Resistance Band Set offers exercises for both the upper and lower body and goes up to 150 lbs of resistance. It’s compact, travels well, and comes with a demo video and poster! 

SO THERE YOU HAVE IT

These are only five reasons weightlifting is beneficial to women, but the list is endless.

One final thought and another reason to consider resistance training, is because it’s empowering.

When you begin, your muscles will be challenged, and you will fail when lifting certain weights. But over time, and with consistency, your strength will develop. That muscle adapts and grows. The moment you can lift a weight you once couldn’t is a powerful one.

When we push beyond what we consider our threshold it’s magical. That physical growth then gives you internal growth. You no longer feel weak. You’re strong, proud, and confident.

The process of growing muscle does as much for your mental health as it does for your physical health. And that alone is worth it!

NEED MORE HELP?

Check out my 12 Weeks to Strong-Her Group Coaching where I teach you how to reach and keep your fit over 40 goals!