Even in the age of female bodybuilders and wrestlers, many women still shy away from the weights section of commercial gyms like Powerhouse Gym for various reasons. These include the fear of bulking up and appearing more masculine than feminine, misconception about weights being too heavy for the female body, and mistakes made in the past that resulted in injuries.
But you shouldn’t be afraid of weights because these have their benefits in women’s lives – and we’re not just talking about giving your man a run for his money in the muscles department either.
#1 Accelerated Fat Loss
If you are relying in cardio exercises for fat loss, then you will eventually experience a plateau – a stagnation in your weight loss since your metabolic rate continues to drop after your body has adapted to the demands placed on it. You can kick-start your weight loss through weight training, which will significantly enhance your metabolic rate. You should still perform your cardio exercises for better results.
#2 Increased Calorie Expenditure
Even when after you have stopped lifting weights for the day, your body still benefits from an increased metabolic rate! Your body is essentially benefiting from high-intensity interval training that, in turn, makes it more efficient at burning body fat even when you’re not engaged in a vigorous physical activity.
The reason: Your body has increased mitochondria, the powerhouse of cells, in your cells, a process known as mitochondrial biogenesis. You should then choose weights over the treadmill, for example, so as to jumpstart mitochondrial production and, thus, increase your metabolic rate.
#3 Emphasize Your Feminine Curves
You shouldn’t be afraid of losing your feminine curves with proper weight training. You will find that the best way to emphasize your curves is to build your muscle by toning and strengthening them. Your low to moderate intensity cardio exercises will not achieve this purpose and, in fact, will even increase your body-fat percentage.
The result: You will have a skinny-fat appearance without the curves in the right places. Your best bet in being lean, mean, and toned is to stop being a cardio bunny and start being a weights fan.
Aside from the observable effects on your body, you will also benefit from increased physical energy throughout the day due to the release of feel-good hormones; improved heart health, insulin sensitivity, and blood lipid profiles; better mental health especially in case of anxiety and depression; and better sex drive because of the boost in testosterone levels.