The stigma around women and lifting weights.
If you are interested to learn more about our Women and Weights small group block course. Flick us an email: centralfitness.office@gmail.com
There is a stigma around lifting weights, especially with women.
We hear it quite often.
"I don't want to lift weights or do strength training because I don't want to 'BULK UP.'"
Bulking up by lifting weights is a misconception that we definitely want to correct.
The chances of you 'bulking up' by adding strength training are almost 0%. But the chances of you improving your muscle tone and losing weight are much, much higher! Not to mention all the other health benefits that come along with it.
To bulk up, you need to eat like the world's strongest man. He eats a lot!!
You also need to lift like you want to BE the world's strongest man!
I know most of us don't eat or lift like Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson - The Mountain
We all know that cardio is excellent for losing weight, right?
I would argue that strength training is just as good, if not better.
We all know that to lose weight, we have to have more energy going out than going in. We also know that when we exercise, we are burning energy. Can anyone tell me why we think cardio is the best type of exercise?...
The fact is, we are using energy just to read this article. So it would make sense that when going for a bike or a run we would burn a lot more calories.
Why do we think lifting weights isn't as effective?
Lifting weights requires enormous amounts of energy. In fact, you can burn a lot of calories in a short period of time. The best part about it is you will still be burning calories long after you have finished training. So if you want bang for your buck. Here it is.
Bodybuilding.com has a great article if you want some more information.
Why do we think we will 'bulk up'?
As mentioned earlier, to bulk up, we need to eat like we are trying to gain weight. If we are training hard, our body turns excess food and uses it to build muscle. But if we are eating in a calorie deficit or calorie balance, then we have no extra calories to bulk up with! Instead, we tone up. We lose body fat, our muscles take shape, and we start getting the results that we are wanting.
If you are interested to learn more about our Women and Weights small group block course. Flick us an email: centralfitness.office@gmail.com
Why do we think lifting weights is scary?
This one I understand. I was really intimidated the first time I stepped into a gym, let alone the weights area. The weights area seemed to be full of men and people who seemed to know what they were doing. Me on the other hand, well I felt like I was doing everything wrong and felt like everyone was watching me. The truth is though, no one was watching me, they were preoccupied with their own workout. As for the intimidation, well that was all in my head. After I simply said hello I realised that everyone was friendly and no one was going to bite. Actually, they were more than happy to help.
Things are scary when we don't know what to expect, but how often are we proved wrong by our irrational fears? Everyone in the gym is there to improve themselves. It's an absolutely positive place to be, and everyone there is lively and supportive. How often do you see someone leaving the gym angry or upset after a workout? Generally, people leave happy and smiling. I can't stress this enough. We may have different goals, but we have all found a similar way to reach them. Don't be scared! Prove your fears wrong!
In saying this, cardio is still great, we just encourage you to include some weights training. A mix of both would be a favorable angle to take for general weight loss, health, and fitness.
Here are a few reasons why lifting is valuable for you
You are burning fat as you are working out. (Just like cardio.)
You are building muscle. This is what toning up is! Plus, muscle is a lot denser than fat, so it takes up less room in the body. Now you will start to notice the changes in your body!
This one is my favorite - Lifting weights means you will be working hard long after you have finished training. Your body needs to repair all those muscles you have just worked. This means your body is burning calories while you are recovering and repairing those tired muscles. (Your body is working hard while you are doing nothing!)
There are many more benefits, including; increase bone density, reduce stress, release endorphins. I could go on!
The pros far outway the cons, so throw away those misconceptions, strut into the weights area and give it a go!
If you are interested to learn more about our Women and Weights small group block course. Flick us an email: centralfitness.office@gmail.com
If we can start a conversation, then we can start breaking these misconceptions.
We can't encourage weights training enough, Be brave, grab your workout buddy, and drag them along to give it a go.
You won't regret it!
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