For decades we have been told that weight lifting is a man’s sport and weights are not for women!
Why are women so afraid to lift weights?
For decades, women have been pressured to maintain certain appearances: petite, well-kempt, nails painted, and lipstick on point. Women like me are here to break this requirement and introduce women to a new characteristic.
Strong.
We reject skinny. We reject petite. Our body is a machine, and it is ready to work.
But so many women are afraid to pick up the heavier weights and feel that empowerment. Why? Because for decades we have been told that weight lifting is a man’s sport. It will make our bodies less feminine, less desirable. It will make us bulky.
But this just isn’t the case. Weightlifting does one thing to your body, it builds your muscles and strengthens you in a way that the treadmill and endless Zumba or spin classes cannot. It provides you with the ability to stand up and say “I want to move this couch” and be able to get up and do it. We’re not lifting horses over our head, like Pippi Longstocking. But we’re not falling victim to a heavy box on moving day either.
Muscles are meant to be broken down (during exercise) and rebuilt (during rest).
Muscles are meant to grow. We should be able to characterize ourselves as strong, and capable. Not needing someone to do all our heavy lifting for us.
In 2022, I challenge you to pick up some dumbbells and start lifting weights 2 or 3 times a week (to start). If you’re not entirely sure how to split those days up to benefit your body, let me know, and I can help determine your split for maximum benefit. If you just want to start small, let’s do that.
Never feel pressured to comply with societal norms. All rules were made to be broken.
Women were built to be strong.
The benefits of lifting weights are one of the best-kept secrets of health and fitness. Proper lifting and muscle gain can prevent many muscle strain injuries caused by having underdeveloped strength for a present task – prior to learning how to push weight, I received a repeated strain in my shoulder from lifting crates of milk at work. It took ages to recover, after constant physiotherapy, and hydrotherapy appointments, followed by IMS, and massage. It was unending – until I started lifting weights to build strength.
Muscle burns calories, so the more muscle you have, the more calories your body is burning in a resting state. This is your BMR or your Basal Metabolic Rate. The rate at which your body burns energy at rest. This is the number that determines where you would set your caloric intake for a deficit in a weight loss program.
But, my favorite benefit to strength training, and building muscle – the calorie surplus. If you enjoy eating all the food and don’t care too much for calorie reductions – pick up the weight. Feeding your muscles requires a much higher amount of calories than one imagines.
Ready to start?
FitFlex Training Academy is only $25 per month, and we’ve got some incredible workouts for you to learn how to push and pull those free weights.
Join today: https://www.trainerize.me/profile/fitflex/?planID=151579&mode=checkout
