If you think that lifting weights isn't for you - hear me out.
Top 5 reasons women say that lifting isn't for them and why you should anyway:
1. "I have to lose weight first before I build muscle."
When we have a lot of weight/fat to lose we think that we have to shed the pounds before it makes sense to build muscle. But actually the opposite is true - building muscle will help us to lose fat FASTER. An increase in muscle mass will boost your metabolism helping you to burn more calories at rest. The more calories burned the more fat we lose.
2. "I think cardio is the way to lose fat."
While it's true that cardio will burn more calories immediately, the after burn is much greater after a resistance training workout. Muscle tissue will remain long term and continues to provide us benefits as long as we continue to train to some degree. Weight training also helps us to reshape our body by building muscles. If we are only performing cardio we are losing fat AND muscle and in the end we won't change our body we will just be left with a smaller version of our current body.
3. "I don't know how to lift weights."
Finding a new cardio workout is easy. Just walk into any gym and you will see tons of cardio machines. Right?? You can also walk, run, ride bike... all easy options to do on your own. So deciding that you want to lift can leave you a little confused. Where do you start? Well, getting started is easier than you think but you will definitely need some weights. Dumbbells are a must if you want to workout at home. A set of adjustable dumbbells is best so you have more than just one weight. Get your dumbbells and a program to follow and you are all set. Simple!
4. "I am intimidated."
The gym weight room can be very intimidating especially when you are a beginner. Lifting weights at home can make it easier but it can still be scary. We all have to start somewhere when we are trying something new. Following a program and knowing the correct form for the exercises you are performing will give you the confidence you need. A good training program will give you a simple rundown on the proper instruction to execute the lift without fear of hurting yourself.
5. "I am afraid of gaining weight."
This is the most common reason women fear building muscle. The goal is to lose fat and build muscle. But muscle weighs more than fat so gaining “weight” can be a tricky subject. We need to find ways other than the scale to measure our progress in order to let this go. Use a tape measure to track the changes in your body, specifically your waist and hips. You can also track the way you feel in your clothes. It can be hard to notice small changes but the scale should not be your only way to measure progress. Lastly if you are lifting heavy then you can track your progress by keeping track of the weights you are lifting - making progress in the gym means you are building muscle and making gains. Which can not only be a measure of progress it can be a huge motivator to keep going!!
Don't let these reasons stop you from lifting weights. I promise that there are more reasons TO lift then there are NOT TO.
Let me show you just how FUN lifting weights can be in my Real Strong Coaching Club where we do (4) really effective 20 minute workouts a week. YEP! ONLY 20 MINUTES!!! I want to invite YOU to join us for a FREE 7-day trial so you can see how badass these workouts will really make you feel -- JOIN HERE: melanielund.com/rsc-free7day/