The theory that women who lift heavy weights will get too bulky was debunked ages ago (via Insider). Now more than ever before women are lifting weights as part of their workout routine, flaunting their flexes on Instagram, showing off their strength with back squats, and hashtagging their posts with #strongissexy.
The cardio craze of the 70's and 80's, albeit an outstanding time to be a fitness enthusiast, has seemingly been replaced by weight lifting and high intensity interval training (HIIT). Some of you may already be aware of the physical body changes weight lifting can produce, and some of you have yet to be convinced
Stronger is Better and here's why:
1- The more muscle your body has the more fat your body burns. The Mayo Clinic states: "Muscle tissue burns more calories than fat tissue does." So if you are trying to lose a few pounds, start lifting weights, it may not be the Holy Grail of weight loss...but yes, it pretty much is.
2- The older we get, the more muscle mass we lose. Harvard Health reports that you lose as much as 3% to 5% per decade after you hit 30. This leads to an increase in falls, weakness, injury and puts you at risk for other health conditions like obesity. Lift weights to combat this.
3- Your heart will thank you. A recent study in the Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise found that women who added weight lifting to their workout routine had a 17% lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease than women who did not lift weights.
While there are other reasons to add weight lifting into your fitness plan, from improved mental health and confidence, to better balance and coordination, these three are enough for me!