Feminine and Fierce: Why women should be hitting the weight room

MUSCULAR DOES NOT EQUAL MASCULINITY
A common thing I hear at the gym is that women do not want to lift weights because it will “make them bulky.” In our society particularly, women are expected to look and behave that align with certain standards. Unfortunately, the “lifting weights makes you manly” idea seems to be a concept that has been around for a while (and, in my opinion, needs to be erased). Advertisements and media promote women to “look good” rather than promoting a positive self-image, feeling good, and being strong & healthy.

NOT ONLY DOES WEIGHT LIFTING AND EXERCISING IMPROVE LEAN BODY COMPOSITION, BUT IT ALSO PROMOTES A LARGER CALORIE BURN THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
Powerful chemicals called endorphins are also released while you exercise, which can help combat depression, PMS or even make you feel better on a gloomy day.

RESISTANCE TRAINING AND WEIGHT LIFTING IS IMPORTANT FOR WOMEN TO IMPROVE BONE DENSITY.
Unfortunately, women have a higher predisposition to osteoporosis as we age due to our chemical and hormonal makeup. Adding regular weight lifting and strength training into your exercise regimen can help strengthen your skeleton and reduce your risks for fractures.

WHAT WEIGHTLIFTING DID TO MY OWN SELF IMAGE
Even from a young age, I never met society’s standard of skinny. As I entered my teens, I thought that doing a ton of cardio and eating chicken and green beans every meal was my ticket to finally being “in shape.” For years I tried many very restrictive diets with a high emphasis on long cardio sessions, which eventually caused a metabolic nightmare every time I even looked in the direction of a carbohydrate.

IN MY TWENTIES, I STARTED SERIOUSLY LIFTING IN THE GYM.
I noticed my arms and legs looked better even when the scale didn’t change much. I had more energy throughout the day. I looked forward to exercising, and I felt strong, confident, and powerful doing it. Growing up, I never thought I was “athletic” because I did not play competitive sports.

Now, I am confident enough to try new things like yoga, rock climbing, rollerblading, and even competing in a figure competition. Weightlifting has helped me break down personal limitations-both mental and physical- and made me a better, well-rounded, more self-assured woman.

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