Why women should lift weights

Women often shy away from lifting weights for a
number of reasons, from fear of bulking up to thinking they're not strong
enough, but none of these fears hold any weight (pun intended). The fact is,
weight training is an ultra-effective way for women and men to get in great
shape.
Many women despair to see the number on the
scale creep up as they grow older, especially once you reach your 30’s.
But they don’t realise that as they’re gaining weight, they’re losing
something too: muscle.
Here
are 5 reasons why women should lift weights:
1. You'll gain muscle and burn fat.
By developing your muscles through weight training,
your body automatically becomes more efficient at burning fat. For every single
pound of muscle gained, your body burns 30 to 50 more calories just to maintain
it.
2. Your metabolism will speed up.
Weight training speeds up your metabolism, and this
heightened "afterburn" effect can continue for more than 24 hours
after you finish your workout. This means more calories are being used up. And
remember, as you gradually gain more muscle, your body naturally burns more
calories, too. Longer term, your body's calorie requirements will increase
through regular weight training.
3. Your bones will get stronger.
Bone mass begins to decline gradually with age, but
women are four times more likely than men to develop osteoporosis. Weight
training builds bone density, and the national osteoporosis foundation recommends
weight training two or three times per week to build and strengthen bones.
4. Weight training fights heart disease.
Weight training strengthens not only your muscles
but also your ticker. The Heart Association recommends weight training at least
twice per week to improve heart health. The heart association also recommends that
lifting weights can reduce the chances of people having another heart attack
5. Weight training strengthens the mind.
Probably the most underrated benefit of weight
training is how amazing it is for the mind. A healthy body means a healthy mind
because the two are absolutely connected. Exercise releases endorphins—feel-good
chemicals in the brain—to boost your mood and relieve excess stress. Staying
committed to a weight training program and experiencing these benefits
regularly helps maintain a more balanced you.
And….. before you say it you can forget
about "becoming bulky"—that won't happen. Women bodybuilders who end
up with the bulky, overdeveloped bodies consume large amounts of calories, supplements,
and have been training intensely for long periods (years, in many cases).