5 Reasons Why Women Should Lift Weights

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I saw this on Pinterest, read it, and then proceeded to freak out joyfully about how true this is. 

First up, women are afraid of themselves and the amount of work put into lifting heavy. They don't want to look "bulky" or "too muscular", not realizing that muscle is beautiful, your body operates so much better when you have it, and that anyone who takes a chunk of time out of their life to obtain this muscle kicking their own booty in the gym deserves a lot of respect. Women for so long have been obsessed with this stick-thin presence. You can't go anywhere in public without seeing some Victoria's Secret ad with a tiny model with no figure plastered somewhere. When women watch TV, they get programs from Dr. Oz and other sources telling them to eat "low-fat 100-calorie Oreos" and eating a diet of 1,200 calories. Oh, and then doing 2 hours of cardio per day. This will get you that stick-thin figure! But is it worth it?! NO. If only I had my own television program. Y'all would hear my rants about lifting heavy and eating REAL FOOD in the amount you NEED TO FUNCTION. See? I've already got my own gears running. Ladies, muscle is beautiful. Strong is beautiful. Embrace it.

As for the second part of this quote... the men. I'm sorry if you are a male reading this, but some of you men are so critical to women in the weight room. Where is the sign that says "No women allowed"? Yeah, I can't find it either. A lot of the antipathy men feel towards women who lift is directed towards their ego. God forbid that a women can lift heavier than a male. I get it, males have that need to be the dominant species. But that doesn't mean that men have to call women with muscle and strength "gross and manly". Puh-lease. How about you appreciate the woman's hard work? Do you realize that for a woman to be able to lift heavier than a man takes a lot of time and effort in the weight room? Men are naturally stronger than women. This is an accomplishment. Men go around wanting to be the heavy lifters in the weight room. Gosh, by this point I can't even count the amount of dudes (notably younger guys) that are so concerned about the amount of weight that others are lifting that they hurl heavy weights over their head and can't even move them an inch. The point is, women have a place in the weight room just like everyone else. Worry about YOURSELF when you lift and focus on improving your own strength. And no, men, women who are strong and muscular aren't the antithesis of being a lady.

With that all being said (phew!), here are six legitimate reasons why women should lift heavy (and no, pink-coated 5 lb. dumbbells don't count):

1. It boosts metabolism.

Yes, I feel like I have to start out with this point because women are more concerned how lifting heavy will affect their bodies (A.K.A. "Will I get bulky?!") First of all, doing endless hours of cardio will get you a 'skinny-fat' body. This means you have a 'skinny' frame but you have more fat than muscle. Cardio doesn't build muscle, I hate to burst that bubble. By lifting weights, you really tax your body. You use so much energy and damage your muscle tissue, which means that your body after a good weightlifting session is begging for some quality nutrition afterwards. Your body will be burning calories all day, even when you're sitting doing nothing. The minute you got off that elliptical, your calorie burn ends right then and there. The minute you put down the dumbbell, you body is a furnace burning calories left and right. Pretty cool, right?

2. It shapes your body.

I kid you not, I legitimately heard a woman say "I really want a curvy butt, so I'm going to focus on increasing the crossramp on the elliptical." Well that's dandy and all, but nothing will build a booty like your squats, lunges, deadlifts, and step-ups. You will not build any 'curves' from lazing around on a cardio machine. You will not have the flat abs you desire from spending an hour and a half on the treadmill and then proceeding to do 100 sit-ups. You will not have beautiful V-shape to your upper body if you don't pick up a weight. I could go on and on and on. Basically, the weights give you a beautiful body.

 It's the difference between THIS:

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And THIS:

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You choose.

3. It makes you strong.

What is so bad about being strong, I ask? If you have kids, it's that much easier to tote around heavy diaper bags and rambunctious babies. If you travel a lot, it's that much easier to lug around your heavy suitcases. How epic would it be if say you had to help someone lift an incredibly heavy object and you easily could hoist it up? I don't know about you, but I'd feel like a BEAST. Embrace strength and feel proud of it. Would you rather be weak and wasting away? 

4. It improves your confidence.

Before I lifted weights, I was the mousiest, quietest girl you could ever imagine. I kept to myself a majority of the time and didn't speak up. Ever since hitting the iron, I have a voice. I make my voice heard. When someone pushes me down, I don't just take it, I fight back. I feel better about my body. I look in the mirror and I point out all the hard-earned muscle that has come along. I look at my eyes and appreciate their unique almond shape. I look at my smile and see how it radiates confidence. I am not trying to sound cocky, but confident; there is a major difference. Weights have been a godsend to me. Confidence attracts people and makes you feel satisfied in your own skin.

5. Bye bye stress.
Sure, doing endless cardio can relieve stress but have you ever released stress by lifting weights? It's a whole different experience. It's better. Hurling super heavy weight after being angry or frustrated? You feel like the Hulk, trust me on that one. Not only are you doing your body a favor, you are doing your mind a favor. My best workouts come when I am super stressed or angry; it's not hard to see why. If you've had a long day, got in a fight with a loved one, have too much work, WHATEVER your problem is, I guarantee you lifting will solve that problem.

So there are obviously a lot more than five reasons. A lot more, friends. But these are some pretty good points, right?! LADIES (and men too!), don't be afraid to lift HEAVY. Get to it. Go to the gym and hit the iron!!!

Questions: If you are a lady, what is holding you or has held you back from lifting heavy?

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