Lifting weights or resistance training
is your biggest training weapon and the benefits to women go far beyond just
fat loss.
Let’s get one thing straight first –
women who lift weights will not develop big,
bulky muscles and look like Mrs. Schwarzenegger…
Women don’t become overly muscular –
it’s just not possible. Women don’t naturally produce enough of the hormones it
takes to grow massive muscle (i.e. testosterone). Women can only bulk up beyond
normal ranges with serious bodybuilding, seriously strict
nutrition protocols (and often, the use of steroids).
Weight training will however, give you
that toned look you’re striving for. You can’t burn fat off to see muscle tone
that doesn’t exist.
Crash diets with low calorie and low fat
burn precious muscle tissue. This means you may lose ‘weight’
(temporarily) but you will be left with a temporarily smaller (more
unhealthy) version of your original fat self. “Skinny fat” is
still flabby, but muscle is sexy.
If you want curves (in the right
places!) Definition, and a tight toned body; weight training is the way
to go.
Here are 8 other good reasons:
1: You Will Reduce Your Risk of
Diabetes. The more
muscle you have, the more insulin receptor sites you have, and the more
sensitive they will be. Increased muscle tissue helps to prevent diabetes and
metabolic syndrome.
2: You Will Fight Heart Disease. Strength
training will improve your cholesterol profile, body fat and blood pressure.
3: You Will Be Able to Fight Back Pain and
Arthritis. At 12-year study showed that strengthening the low-back
muscles had an 80 percent success rate in eliminating or alleviating low-back
pain. Other studies have indicated that weight training can ease arthritis pain
and strengthen joints. Plus, the preventative effects that strength training
has are huge.
4: You’ll Be a Stronger Woman Physically. Studies
have shown that weight training increases a woman’s strength by 30 to 50
percent. Extra strength will make it easier to accomplish daily activities,
such as lifting children, carrying things, gardening, playing with
grandchildren. Pound for pound, women can develop their strength at the same
rate as men.
5: You’ll Be a Stronger Woman Mentally. In
addition, a Harvard study found that 10 weeks of strength training reduced
symptoms of clinical depression more successfully than traditional counseling
did. Women who weight train commonly report feeling more confident and capable
as a result of their program. The mind and body are connected therefore,
physical strength will transfer to mental strength.
6: The more lean tissue you have the longer you
may live. It is a far better predictor of longevity than total
cholesterol or blood pressure
7: The more muscle you have, the more calories
you burn at rest. It is estimated that for every pound of muscle you
gain you burn an extra 50 calories a day! Compare this to a pound of fat that
burns just 2 calories.
8: You will dramatically decrease the risk of
osteoporosis. Increasing bone density through good strength and weight
training is key prevention of this problem and will significantly improve in
women who already have the condition.
As you can see, the benefits of weight
training are essential to a happy, healthy, slim, toned you! So hit the weights
– and get ready to reap a host of health benefits that you probably never
imagined possible with this lifestyle tweak.
