I personally, have been lifting weights for several years now, but I didn’t even realize all of the weight lifting benefits for women there is, until recently. It started with lifting when I took a class in my sophomore year of high school. Seems like a lifetime ago. I loved it immediately. The feeling of getting stronger had me hooked.
Have you been thinking about adding some resistance training into your exercise schedule? Are you a little skeptical about whether it’s worth it and if it’s right for you? Have you avoided lifting weights because you’re worried about looking too masculine and “bulking” up? There are plenty of ways to be active and get exercise and benefits to go along with them.
If you don’t already include weight training into your routine, there are several reasons to start now. Don’t worry, it’s very unlikely that you’ll end up looking like a man after lifting some weights. Lifting isn’t just about getting stronger and looking more muscular.
Other Weight Lifting Benefits For Women
Lifting isn’t just for building muscle to get bigger and stronger. Most people already know that exercising, no matter what kind, burns calories. The type of exercise you do will contribute to the rate at which you will burn those calories. Did you know that more muscle mass equals a higher amount of calories burned? Muscle tissue burns more calories than other tissues, like fat.
You might not burn quite as many calories during your weight lifting sessions as in the same amount of time spent during a moderate cardio workout. However, it’s been found that after a weight training session you will continue to burn more calories in the hours afterwards. This is not found to be true for cardio workouts. Not only will you be burning calories while you lift weights, you’ll also be increasing your metabolism overall, even when resting, by increasing your muscle mass. So, even if your goal is just fat loss, lifting can help you achieve your goal.
Weight Lifting Benefits for Women’s overall health
- As women age our bones naturally become weaker. Weight lifting can actually increase not only muscle mass but bone density, as well. Increasing bone strength reduces the risk of serious injury as we age. Falling down as an older adult can have much more detrimental outcomes than when we are young.
- Lifting weights can help you stay well, by boosting your immunity against bacteria and viruses. Resistance training increases the circulation of immune cells throughout the body. Some of these cells are responsible for repairing muscle tissue after a training session. This becomes more beneficial as we get older and our natural immunity response decreases. However, it’s been found that overtraining can actually decrease immunity. So, make sure you are giving your body time to recover as well.
- Any type of exercise that increases your heart rate will benefit your heart. Cardio helps your heart become more efficient at pumping blood, but lifting actually makes your heart stronger. Your heart is a muscle after all.
- Muscles store glucose (sugar) and use it for energy. Lifting can increase your insulin sensitivity and help regulate your blood sugar levels. Blood sugar regulation is important for everyone, but even more so for people with diabetes. Weight training can help prevent the onset of diabetes and/or help manage it.
- Along with improved physical health, lifting can improve your mental health. Resistance training has shown to increase mood in people with depression. There have also been indications that it can improve cognitive function as we age.
Who wouldn’t want to lift weights?
If you don’t want to be stronger, happier, and live an overall healthier life, then weight lifting isn’t for you. I’m not sure who doesn’t want any of those things though. I’m sure a lot of people aren’t instantly drawn to lifting and love it the way I do, but if you haven’t tried it, you might be surprised and like it more than you thought you would. There’s no need to go join a gym or buy a bunch of expensive equipment to get started. You can start with your own body weight, a set of bands, or a couple of dumbbells. Even if you don’t love it, just think of the reasons for doing it and the great results you’re going to get, and keep doing it. You’re worth it!
Weight lifting and other forms of exercise are beneficial to overall health and wellness, but it’s not the only thing you need to focus on if you want to live a healthier life. Feel free to book a call with me if you’d like to find out what other simple ways you can improve your health and fitness to live the life you want and deserve.
