August 30, 2016
For so many years there is this myth going around that lifting weights will bulk us up, like the HULK. It’s so NOT TRUE! Our bodies aren’t even designed to build muscle like that; we don’t have the hormones to bulk up like that. We won’t bulk up, unless we are training like crazy for a bodybuilding competition and believe me, that’s VERY HARD to do!
So Ladies, lifting weights is so extremely important for ALL of us, no matter your age! In fact, I always advise my older ladies that it’s even more important as we age. So I don’t care if you’re 20 or 70, you need to be adding strength training to your routine.
Why do we need to lift weights????
1. Muscle burns more fat. Overweight women lifted heavy weights twice a week, lost an average of 14.6 pounds of fat and gained 1.4 pounds of muscle. When you do an intense weight-training program, your metabolism stays elevated and you continue to burn fat for several hours afterward. During regular cardio exercise, you stop burning fat shortly after the workout.
2. Change your body shape. You may think your genes determine how you look. That’s not necessarily true. And no, you won’t bulk up—women don’t have enough muscle-building hormones to gain a lot of mass like men do. If you keep your diet clean and create a calorie deficit, you’ll burn fat. As you can see from me, the more weights I lift, the leaner I get! It’s all about the combination of nutrition and exercise.
3. Boost your metabolism. The less muscle you have, the slower your metabolism will be. As women age, they lose muscle at increasing rates, especially after the age of 40. When you diet without doing resistance training, up to 25 percent of the weight loss may be muscle loss. Weight training while dieting can help you preserve and even rebuild muscle fibers. The more lean mass you have, the higher your metabolism will be and the more calories you’ll burn all day long.
4. Get stronger and more confident. Lifting weights increases functional fitness, which makes everyday tasks such as carrying children, lifting grocery bags, and picking up heavy suitcases much easier. According to the Mayo Clinic, regular weight training can make you 50 percent stronger in 6 months. Being strong is also empowering. Not only does it improve your physical activities, it builds emotional strength by boosting self-esteem and confidence.
5. Build strong bones. It’s been well documented that women need to do weight-bearing exercise to build and maintain bone mass, and to prevent osteoporosis. Just as muscles get stronger and bigger with use, so do bones when they’re made to bear weight. Stronger bones and increased muscle mass also lead to better flexibility and balance, which is especially important for women as they age.
stay tuned for many more reasons to come…..
(credit to the Team Beachbody Blog for this informative info!)