I’m amazed by how often I go to the gym and see women flocking to the cardio machines (treadmills, elliptical, bikes) and the scale. When the idea of weight training is presented to them, the first question or statement I typically hear is “but I don’t want to get bulky though” or “I don’t want to look muscular”.
We get it! You don’t want to look like Arnold or the Hulk. And you won’t.
Weight training, resistance training, and strength training can build muscle and burn fat. Women that aren’t weight training are missing out on a great opportunity of its many health benefits, including weight loss, mental strength, strong body, mind/body coordination, improved quality of everyday life, endurance, balance, stress reduction, and happiness.
I’m not talking about swinging around a 5-lb dumbbell either. Ladies, you can progress and use heavier weight that challenges you, like 10, 20, 50, 100+ lbs of weights depending on the muscle group you’re working.
Female celebrities that weight train include Jessica Alba, Emma Stone, Khloe Kardashian, Demi Lovato, and Jennifer Lopez. These are examples of prominent females in the media, however you don’t require a celebrity lifestyle and money to have their weight training regimen.
Start with functional bodyweight exercises (hello push ups and planks!) or invest in a set of dumbbells or kettlebells for home. If you’re already a gym member, take advantage of the free weights and machines, and if you’re unsure how to use something, then ask a staff member to demonstrate. There’s no shame in your game. It’s better to have correct form then do an exercise incorrectly and risk an injury.
I see many female fitness instructors and “worker-outers” (aka people that work out) that are 40+ years that do lift heavy weights. Each woman is different. Some have had 3 children, some just lift weights for recreation but each female I know reaps the benefits of strength training and both look and feels beautiful, youthful, and joyful.
My gym squad (of 4 women) and myself do weight training twice a week. Guess what? We don’t look like this ….
Women produce less testosterone than men. If you become slightly “bulky” looking, it could be due to improper nutrition habits and/or no balance with other crucial fitness components (example: cardio, flexibility, etc.). It’s rare that a woman can appear with a masculine body type (like many female bodybuilders do) without the use of anabolic steroids.
Why You Should Strength Train For Weight Loss (And Other Benefits):
1. The more muscle you have, the more calories your body burns. You can become a lean muscle,
fat-burning chick! More lean muscle tissue means an increase in your metabolic resting rate. What does that mean? It means even when you’re sitting still doing nothing, your muscles are burning calories (which by the way, your fat tissue ain’t doing). You can burn an additional 5 – 7 calories per pound of muscle (do the math here, multiply per pound by 5 to find out the additional calories burned per day and per week).
2. Women over the age of 30 years tend to lose muscle mass and it is usually replaced by fat tissue. But guess what? Fat takes up more space than muscle. Muscle tissue is dense and compact, while fat tissue is larger and requires more space. Have a quick peek on Google for before and after progress pictures of women that weigh the same amount of lbs/kgs in each picture but one picture shows a larger physique with excess subcutaneous fat tissue while the other shows a leaner and muscle defined physique.
3. A big health issue affecting older women is osteoporosis, a disease of bone tissue and mass loss and deterioration. I often see a ton of women popping calcium and Vitamin D pills like Skittles. There are alternatives to maintaining bone porosity, which (aside from acquiring calcium and Vitamin D from foods like kale) weight training strengthens muscles and BONES!
4. Motor neurons in muscles and nervous system die as we age but exercise can reverse that. Lifting weights on a consistent basis creates communication between the muscle fibres, nerves, and brain. The more regularly you weight lift, the strong your neurological system becomes. Yes, you can become your younger and fitter self!
Happy lifting!
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