The word “weights” conjures up images of macho, over-built women who can crush a hue with their mighty quads. Lifting weights, they reason, will rob them of their feminine curves and make them “look like a man.” I understand – I’m on the same page. Those were the thoughts that ran through my head a few years ago. Now? Weights account for the vast majority of my workouts. What a shock!
So, what’s new, then? For one thing, I was sick of being weak. Because I had no butt, thin limbs, and a soft mid-section, you could call me “skinny fat.” I was constantly lethargic and lethargic. Both a bad nutrition and way too much cardio were to blame.
I also became a mother. As if my innovative postpartum body wasn’t enough of an adjustment, I would just have to lug around one heavy baby all day as well. That’s going to take some guts, and I didn’t have any.
When I did attend group fitness classes, I was blown away by how lifting weights left me feeling, and I’ve never looked back. To say nothing of the fact that I noticed significant shifts in the composition of my body. A gradual transition to weight training was made once I was confident in my abilities. When I first started working out, I was a firm believer in the benefits of strength training.
Here are my main motives for ditching the “cardio queen” moniker and starting to lift weights in your workout regime.
1. Muscle is constantly burning calories.
When you have a lot of muscle mass on your body, it burns calories and fat all day long. While cardio burns calories and fat during the process, that’s all it does…. A higher EPOC (“Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption”) from strength training means that your metabolism will remain elevated for a longer period of time following your workout. Exactly how long? Lifting weights, on the other hand, can keep ones EPOC level elevated for close to 38 hours following an exercise session, according to studies What on earth are you talking about? In other words, even while you’re sleeping, you can be a lean, mean fat-burning machine!
2. No one wishes to have a flat buttocks.
You know it’s true, don’t you? The backside of a woman’s pants is not something she enjoys. Female curves, including toned, perky booties, are a must! Our goal is to be able to do that. The answer is, of course, weight training! Lifting, filling, and toning your gluteal muscles can be achieved by doing normalised exercises like squats and lunges (which all work these muscles). Yes, I’d love to!
3. Strength is a beautiful thing because it equates to confidence.
Is there a time in my life when I was “skinny fat” that I felt good about myself? No, there isn’t. “You’re absolutely beautiful, and yet your loss of faith is not attractive,” my wonderful partner would tell me. Wow. It’s amazing how much better you feel about yourself when you’re in good physical shape, toned, and confident. As a result, I have a greater sense of self-confidence, both in terms of my physical appearance and in terms of my ability to set and achieve personal goals. It’s a great feeling knowing that I can instil the same level of self-assurance in my wonderful children! The painful muscles and a half hour a week I end up working out are worth it, my friends.
That’s all there is to it, sweethearts! Please join me with in trip to being a stronger, extra confident, healthier YOU by debunking the myth of lifting weights making you “manly”!
