April 29, 2014
5 Weight Lifting Myths Women Should Ignore
In recent years it has become far more socially accepted for women to lift weights (heavy weights), but there are still some myths that refuse to go away. Weight lifting is the best way to sculpt your body into a lean yet shapely figure, and despite what many of the myths imply, it is a great thing for women to do! So what myths should you be aware of, and learn to ignore?
1. Women shouldn't lift heavy, or they will get bulky
This is ridiculous! Lifting weights will increase the strength of your muscles, but, unless you have an abnormally large amount of testosterone (or steroids) in your body, it won't increase the size of them by a large amount...and you certainly won't end up looking bulky. If you lift heavy weights and follow a clean, healthy diet, then your muscles will become stronger and denser, and you will burn fat; resulting in the toned appearance many women crave.
2. Cardio is all women need 
If running is your thing then that's cool, but, contrary to popular belief, simply doing cardio isn't enough for women, in the same way that it isn't enough for men. Doing just cardio means that your body will burn muscle as well as fat for fuel (which is why long distance runners are often so tiny). To prevent the loss of muscle tissue you need to add some weight training into your workout regime. Although cardio burns plenty of calories, weight training increases muscle mass, which speeds up the metabolism; meaning that more calories are burned during rest. Weight training also helps to sculpt the body and prevents you becoming "skinny fat". This is when someone appears to be slim and toned in clothes, but has little, or no, muscle definition.
3. Lifting weights makes you gain weight
Lifting weights will not make you larger. Yes, if you lift heavy and eat the wrong things, you could see your body increasing in size, but if you eat correctly then you will actually see your body shrinking and sculpting into a beautiful shapely figure. Technically, you could see the number on the scales going higher because you are building muscle, but even if this happens, it does not mean that you have anything to worry about. As I've said many times before, the weight on the scales means nothing; you need to focus on how your clothes fit. As you build muscles and lose fat, your body shape will improve and your figure will become more toned and lean. Isn't that what every woman wants!?
4. You don't need to lift weights or do cardio; you just need to eat less 
Although following a clean, healthy diet is essential for weight loss, you won't see the results you want just by cutting your calorific intake. Lowering the number of calories you consume will help you to lose weight, but it will also slow down your metabolism, because, when you cut the amount of food you eat by a significant amount, your body actually stores fat instead of burning it for fuel, meaning that you won't be losing weight as efficiently as if you were eating a decent amount of food and exercising regularly. Lifting weights and eating clean meals regularly will actually boost your metabolism, meaning that you will burn fat quicker!
5. Lifting weights makes women look manly
Many people believe that lifting weights will make women look like this... 
In reality, it will make women look like this... 
Does she look manly? In my opinion, she has curves in all the right places; a tiny waist and a bangin' booty! Lifting weights will help you to sculpt the perfect body; it will not make you look manly!
Sources: http://bodybuilding.about.com/od/womensfitnesstopics/a/womenmyths_2.htm http://www.livestrong.com/article/333249-myths-of-weight-training-for-women/ http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2013/09/11/7-strength-training-myths-every-woman-should-know/ http://dailyhealthpost.com/5-strength-training-myths-women-should-ignore/
1. Women shouldn't lift heavy, or they will get bulky
This is ridiculous! Lifting weights will increase the strength of your muscles, but, unless you have an abnormally large amount of testosterone (or steroids) in your body, it won't increase the size of them by a large amount...and you certainly won't end up looking bulky. If you lift heavy weights and follow a clean, healthy diet, then your muscles will become stronger and denser, and you will burn fat; resulting in the toned appearance many women crave.
2. Cardio is all women need 
If running is your thing then that's cool, but, contrary to popular belief, simply doing cardio isn't enough for women, in the same way that it isn't enough for men. Doing just cardio means that your body will burn muscle as well as fat for fuel (which is why long distance runners are often so tiny). To prevent the loss of muscle tissue you need to add some weight training into your workout regime. Although cardio burns plenty of calories, weight training increases muscle mass, which speeds up the metabolism; meaning that more calories are burned during rest. Weight training also helps to sculpt the body and prevents you becoming "skinny fat". This is when someone appears to be slim and toned in clothes, but has little, or no, muscle definition.
3. Lifting weights makes you gain weight
Lifting weights will not make you larger. Yes, if you lift heavy and eat the wrong things, you could see your body increasing in size, but if you eat correctly then you will actually see your body shrinking and sculpting into a beautiful shapely figure. Technically, you could see the number on the scales going higher because you are building muscle, but even if this happens, it does not mean that you have anything to worry about. As I've said many times before, the weight on the scales means nothing; you need to focus on how your clothes fit. As you build muscles and lose fat, your body shape will improve and your figure will become more toned and lean. Isn't that what every woman wants!?
4. You don't need to lift weights or do cardio; you just need to eat less 
Although following a clean, healthy diet is essential for weight loss, you won't see the results you want just by cutting your calorific intake. Lowering the number of calories you consume will help you to lose weight, but it will also slow down your metabolism, because, when you cut the amount of food you eat by a significant amount, your body actually stores fat instead of burning it for fuel, meaning that you won't be losing weight as efficiently as if you were eating a decent amount of food and exercising regularly. Lifting weights and eating clean meals regularly will actually boost your metabolism, meaning that you will burn fat quicker!
5. Lifting weights makes women look manly
Many people believe that lifting weights will make women look like this... 
In reality, it will make women look like this... 
Does she look manly? In my opinion, she has curves in all the right places; a tiny waist and a bangin' booty! Lifting weights will help you to sculpt the perfect body; it will not make you look manly!
Sources: http://bodybuilding.about.com/od/womensfitnesstopics/a/womenmyths_2.htm http://www.livestrong.com/article/333249-myths-of-weight-training-for-women/ http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2013/09/11/7-strength-training-myths-every-woman-should-know/ http://dailyhealthpost.com/5-strength-training-myths-women-should-ignore/