10 Compelling Reasons Women Need to Lift Weights

It’s sad times, but even in this day and age some females still aren’t using weights.

The research is out there, but some women (as well as some guys) still think the most effective way to their dream body is through cardio, and girls in particular also have this pre-determined idea that the minute they pick up a dumbbell their shirt sleeves and trouser legs will tear off and what will be left is a rock hard, striated and vascular masculine body.

This obviously isn’t the case and in this article I’ll show you 10 reasons why females need to weight train.

1. You Get Curves in All the Right Places

Sure, cardio vascular training plus diet can help you lose fat, but without weight training you’ll also be burning muscle.

A good weights and nutrition routine will help you build muscle in the right areas and after a while your body will begin to take shape … literally.

With time you can develop round lifted glutes (bum), shapely legs and toned (a misunderstood word for defined) arms and shoulders.

Without weight training you can lose fat but will usually end up looking strung out or 'skinny fat.'

My client Suzy (pictured) mainly trains with weights - heavy weights at that - and does very little cardio in comparison with 2 sessions per week maximum.

2. You Burn More Fat

When doing cardio, you'll generally burn more calories doing 30 minutes of cross training, running or cycling than you would in 30 minutes of lifting weights ... DURING that timeframe.

But, while it is evident that a single cardiovascular session burns more calories than a single lifting session, the amount of calories burned after weight training is higher (some people refer to this as the afterburn effect).

The metabolism increase after moderate or low intensity cardiovascular exercise (such as jogging) only lasts 30 to 60 minutes, whereas post weight training metabolism increases for up to 48 hours leading to a greater amount of potential fat loss.

Along with this afterburn, a byproduct of weight training is building muscle.

For every 1lb of muscle that you have on your body you will burn 6-10calories extra per day but just having it there. Gaining 10lbs of extra muscle over time can result in an extra 700 calories burned per week, just by just having it on your body.

Cardio training is ok to do BUT if you can only commit to 4 gym sessions per week, for the best fat loss benefits always emphasize weight training first and foremost.

3. You Improve Bone Health

Training with weights will have a positive impact on both muscle and bone health.

Females are at a greater risk of osteoporosis (brittle bone disease) as they age compared to men, especially after the menopause; due to the main fact you stop producing estrogen.

By including resistance training in your plan you can combat the loss of bone mass and decrease the risk of osteoporosis in later life.

Most of you probably aren't thinking about 'getting old' right now but including strength training into your routine can definitely help set you up for the future.

4. You Increase confidence

Unlike when you just do cardio, the physical benefits of weight training will appear within weeks of starting a good strength routine:

-You'll notice that your body will become tighter

-Your shape start to change

-You start to improve on the weights you’re able to lift in the gym and that will also fire up your self-esteem.

One of the most regular points I receive from my female clients on their feedback form is the increase in confidence they receive from weight training in and out of the gym.

Especially when they start to lift more than us guys!

5. It’s Easy to Measure Progress

From personal experience with myself and clients, its fun and motivating when you start to increase the weight you can lift in the gym.

With a good routine you’ll feel encouraged, with a sense of achievement each time you better the last weeks’ workout.

Bashing the treadmill and focusing on how much you weigh on the scale at the end of the week can be de-motivational and make you miserable.

By adding in a decent measurable weights routine where you record your progress, you feel uplifted and make even a fat loss goal much more enjoyable and stop you just focusing in aesthetic goals.

6. You Improve Posture

If you're following a well-programmed strength training routine then you should be incorporating exercises which target all body parts multiple times per week.

Weight training will strengthen the muscles which support your body and over time this will result in you developing a better and more attractive posture.

Gaining better posture can help increase your confidence inside and outside the gym and can also decrease your risk of injury.

It sounds corny to say, but if you want to look like you instantly lost 10 lbs, there's no better way to do it than improve your posture.

7. You Get to Eat More Food

Sounds too good to be true, but it isn’t.

Due to strength training being more physically demanding (with the added benefit of building muscle, which Cardio alone won’t do,) you'll be able eat more calories but still stay lean.

This increased calorie allowance makes going out and socializing easier, and you still see results on a weekly basis.

If you're like me and enjoy your food, but still like to look in-shape year-round, then lifting weights and being able to eat more calories will reduce the risk of you adding body fat and can keep you leaner throughout th

e year.

8. You Reduce Stress

Everyone gets stressed from time to time and the cause can be due to multiple reasons;

-Work

-Life

-Family

... and so on

Weight training massively reduces stress in comparison to cardio training, as you really get the aggression out when lifting heavy!

For females, this is ESPECIALLY important during parts of the menstrual cycle, when stress levels are higher, and pent up emotions can lead to binges or breaking your diet ... so get that stress out with weights.

My female clients will agree that there is no better feeling than coming into the studio and lifting some heavy s*** as a way of reducing tension and stress.

9. It’s More Time-Efficient

Doing a short and intense strength-based session is very effective for fat loss and definition.

Your muscles and respiratory system will get an extremely good workout following a weighted circuit as apposed to just CV alone.

An example workout may be:

Barbell squats x 10

Flat bench press x 10

Romanian deadlift x 10

Barbell bent over row x 10

Military press x 10

Rest 2mins after completing the 5 exercises and then repeat 4 x

...Give it a go!!

Fat loss and definition can be achieved in a much shorter session timeframe than you thought, as long as intensity is there you can achieve great results.

10. It’s More Exciting

What do you think is more interesting for you?...

-30 minutes on the cross trainer?

-Maybe a few intervals thrown in for good measure?..

or..

-30 minutes strength training

-Multiple exercises

-Different rest periods, rep ranges, set totals

-Possible drop sets, super sets and other intensification sets

Not everyone enjoys every single session in the gym, but weight training can help break the up the monotony and make your training much more exciting.

The Wrap Up

Weight training can take your physique and health to the next level, so don’t subject yourself to the people in the changing room telling you it will ‘make you bulky’ or that you wont burn fat..

I guarantee once you start your strength training you won’t go back to the treadmill in a rush.

Fingers crossed, after you’ve read this you’ll start to incorporate strength training into your gym routine (if you’ve not already,) or if you’re trying to convince someone else to start weight training then you may find this this useful and send this article their way.

Jonny

#female #weights #fatloss #confidence #posture