This is a great topic to explore specifically for women of
all ages. The secrets to a toned body have been right in front of our faces for
a very long time and we don't see it. We tend to ignore it and do other
physical fitness activities because we don't believe that this method is for us
or will work for us. Even today, when advertised commercially there is a
specific way it is handled so that it is more palatable and won't send us
walking or running the other way cringing.
Looking back on my fitness journey, I can say that I was one
of these people. I thought that it began and ended with loads of cardio, sit-ups,
push-ups and then one day pull-ups along with yoga & Pilates would
eventually get me fit. It was odd for me what actually worked was really the
last thing I expected: resistance training aka lifting weights...as in lifting
HEAVY weights involving dumbbells, cable machines, barbells, kettlebells, etc.
Nothing of substance or of great significance actually happened until I
accepted that! I had discovered that in 2016, walked away from it only to
successfully embrace it as fact back in 2019 to reap the benefits of it
today... long lasting benefits. It has been a love/hate and an uncomfortable
relationship but one that was well worth it. I had to overcome a lot of my
misgivings about weightlifting such as:
1.
At 40 it was too late (too old).
2.
It wasn't meant for women:
a.
Not feminine
b.
Myths about weight gain & bulking up
3.
That foreboding section of the gym: free weights
area:
a.
Intimidating
b.
Only meant for men
4.
It's dangerous for women to lift heavy.
1. It's too late (Too old at 40).
Nothing could be further from the truth. You can begin any
time but the sooner the better. At a certain age there does begin a declining
factor of attainable muscle strength and mass, but the average person can
generally turn back the hands of time by about 30 years! When I was studying
for my certifications, I had to read that factoid twice. It sounded like an
infomercial line of dialogue, but it happens to be true. When I started
correctly and consistently training with weights, my body started transforming
in ways that I didn't anticipate. I became stronger and my endurance improved
beyond expectation. It began making me wonder what else I am capable of, and I
certainly plan on lifting heavier and learning more about powerlifting. I never
thought that my confidence would ever improve or to even think I would want to
weightlift but here I am. I lift heavy and benefit from the results at my age.
I am proud to say that age is not a factor. I live that proof.
Health Benefits for Lifting:
1.
Helps slow down the aging process.
2.
Assists with lowering the risk percentage at
risk for health issues related to heart disease, obesity, diabetes,
osteoporosis, arthritis, etc.
3.
Improve muscle tone and strength.
4.
Assists with muscle imbalances associated with a
sedentary lifestyle.
5.
And many more! (There is far too much to discuss
on this topic in one blog post.)
2. That intimidatingly foreboding section of the gym: free weights
area.
The very first day of walking inside of a gym facility is
very nerve racking. You feel out of place as it is, you don't know where you
belong, you don't know who to talk to and the equipment is odd and foreign
looking.
I know that way back when, without a personal trainer to
show me around the first few times, to get use to where everything was and what
each piece of equipment could do, I would be by the aerobics machines or the
isolation machines trying not to feel too awkward. Perhaps even placate myself
with daydreaming and people watching. Besides, as a woman where it is not
typically expected, we just don't tend to see a lot of women of a diverse range
of age, size, shape, and weight in the weightlifting area. What I saw were fit
people lifting nonchalantly looking like they belonged on a magazine cover. Comparing
where I was to where those fit people were currently made me feel intimidated
and kept me in an area where I felt most comfortable. It is easy to feel like
you don't belong when you don't see a cross representation of people that you
can relate to when you feel that you are the "Before Photo" all the
time. So, one big hurdle was how I felt as an out of shape woman being inside
this area, the other was just my knowledge and experience with weights. I
floundered and did not know what to do at first for many years. It is only recently
that we are seeing through social media that women of all shapes and statures
do lift and can be an active part of the weightlifting area. And information on
what to do and how to do it is finally being openly shared more and more for general
public consumption. Unfortunately, the average woman for the most part still stays
unaware and considers lifting weights as the least viable choice. Instead opting
for cardio, bodyweight exercises, light dumbbells, ankle weights, resistance
bands, etc. We women would benefit the most because we are the ones that put
our bodies through pregnancy, osteoporosis affects us more, back problems, etc.
I got over my misgivings by becoming more knowledgeable, went into the area
with a certain level of determination and my own game plan and got at work. I
stayed focused and remembered that people were busy tending to their own
fitness routine to be watching me or judging me. And I needed to get out of my
own way by not judging myself and others and by concentrating on where I was at
with my own fitness journey and health concerns.
3. It's not meant for women.
"Oh! I don't know about weights! I don't want to bulk
up!" I am sorry to say that I was one of those uninformed people that
thought this way and vocalized this on quite a few occasions. I was so wrong
about this. But, like a lot of women, this is what I was taught from a way back
and until I did the research and backed it up with my studies, it was difficult
to accept without further reservation. Physiologically, it is very difficult
for the average woman to bulk up. When you lift, you get stronger and more
toned but not like a man but like a woman would. Although there are women out
there who genetically can build up huge muscles, they are uncommon and not the
average women. Also, women who train to gain massive musculature are training
in a very regimented and specific way to gain that level of muscle mass and to
also keep it. Not a lot of us are that disciplined and can manage the time and
effort to do it. Also, muscle growth only occurs when you are in a caloric
surplus, not a deficit. It also happens progressively over time, not over night
or 30 or 90 days as they claim in a generic and gimmicky weight loss program
for sales.
4. It's dangerous for women.
I was afraid of dropping a weight or lifting wrong and
injuring myself. I didn't think that it looked safe. But what people don't
understand is there are factors that make it completely safe when you begin.
You have a knowledgeable professional trainer help you begin
so that you can learn proper form and safety precautions when lifting. You
begin to lift at the level you are at and wouldn’t take on more of a challenge
than you should. If need be and you have health problems, make sure you are
cleared by a doctor and you share this information with your personal trainer.
Provided that you don't try to sumo deadlift 400 pounds on your first day, you
should be okay.
Speaking of which, if you have decided that this just might
be for you and you want to give it a try, I got a free
PDF for download that covers getting started as a beginner. It is a checklist
that helps you get organized with regards to your schedule, where you will
train, how you will train and more! You can download the PDF here!
Please feel free to check it out and don’t be afraid to
reach out to me and let me know what you think!
I’m always here for
you when you need me to be!
Until next time… Keep it Fired up Superstar!™
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