Over the last couple years, I have been strongly influenced by many popular females in the fitness industry. I have always been very interested in fitness and weightlifting, considering I was blessed with a strong, athletic body type. I have developed a love for lifting weights as well as building a positive body image for myself. There has always been the argument that lifting weights makes women bulky. I am a strong believer that it does no such thing, and here's why.
1. Lifting heavy will NOT make you bulky.
There are reasons why bodybuilders are as jacked as they are. They take supplements, eat food and train to specifically gain muscle mass. It takes years to build a significant amount of muscle mass. When you pick up heavy things, your muscles will get stronger, but not necessarily bigger. If you pump yourself full of testosterone and eat way more calories than you are burning every day, you will get bigger.
2. Cardio doesn't have to be your main focus!
If you are a firm believer that cardio will help you lose weight, I totally understand your mindset. However, I believe it's more beneficial to incorporate weightlifting into your workout routine, rather than just running on the treadmill or hopping on the elliptical. You can look hella sexy by lifting weights. I follow numerous fitness accounts on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter including Brittany Dawn Fitness (@brittany_dawn_fitness), Ashley Horner (@ashley.horner) and Ashley Nordman (@passion2befit) who train their asses off in the weight room and look amazing!
"When you strength train, your muscles are broken down, and then rebuilt over the next 24-48 hours. While your body is rebuilding those muscles, it’s recruiting more calories and energy to make the process happen (generally referred to as the ‘afterburn’ effect). What this means is that your metabolism operates at a faster level even while you’re sitting on the couch after a workout." (https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2013/09/11/7-stre...)
3. Women do not have nearly as much testosterone as men.
4. There is beauty in strength.
I have never been a tiny girl. I have always been strong. I was bullied as a kid because I was "manly" because at the time, I was stronger than most of the boys in my class. Looking back, I am so grateful for that. I was a successful athlete due to my strength, I lifted the heaviest out of the girls in my high school. I felt like a complete badass. Personally, I would much rather be strong than skinny and weak. Some people have different opinions, some people also have different preferences. I have nothing against skinny girls, because the majority of them are naturally that way.
I wish that young girls and women weren't so pressured to be thin. I am a strong advocate for body positivity. Body shaming is a huge issue in today's society. People should not be afraid to be proud of their bodies. Every single person in this world has their own body type. Not everyone is a size 0 or a size 8. Not everyone has big boobs or a huge ass. Everyone is beautiful in their own way, regardless of the number on the scale.
Ashley Horner
Ashley Horner is a wife, mother, and unbelievably talented athlete. She also owns a training facility in Virginia named American Sled Dogs and is the Editor-In-Chief of "Train For Her" magazine. Ashley is also the founder of the Unbroken Movement Foundation, owner of the Valkyrie clothing line, and author of 13 ebook trainers. Ashley is undoubtedly one of the most well-known and respected female voices in the fitness industry.
"The world pressures us to conform to a certain standard. I thought I had had to conform to that standard. Until one day, I realized I didn’t. I started embracing my body, my health, my strength. My wish for you, for all of us, is to crush ideologies that have made generations of women turn to diet pills, fad diets, and eating disorders. Today, right now in this moment, we can learn to FIND BEAUTY IN STRENGTH. That means we can fall in love with ourselves, our bodies—whether they are thin, thick, curvy, boxy, whatever. Set positive goals for yourself like hitting a new PR (personal record), run your first 5K, max out your pull ups, and continue to be your own biggest competition. Fall in love with your body, take care of it, and watch it transform in ways you never thought possible.
Be mindful of your use of the scale. Most of us fluctuate in weight by a couple of pounds daily. If the number on the scale is driving your sense of achievement or worth, take a break from it or try to just weigh in once a week or every two weeks. You are so much more than that number, and that number does not measure your strength. Go find beauty in your strength!" (http://www.ashleyhorner.co/beautyinstrength/)
5. Fitness marketing for women is a load of bullshit.
When you see magazine covers that say: Lose 10 lbs in 7 days with this workout regimen! or Toned Tummy, Arms & Thighs in 20 Minutes! Do not fall for it. Not to mention the hot female celebrity with a rockin' body in a bikini is on the front cover. If you haven't figured it out by now, this is a bunch of crap. You aren't going to get a toned tummy, arms and thighs in only 20 minutes. The celebrity on the cover is skinny and fit because she probably has a fitness trainer and eats like a rabbit every single day. It's part of being a celebrity, unfortunately. This is how the media makes their money. They come up with a "workout routine" and put a hot model on the front page and boom! There's the $$$$.
Let's face it, there's thousands of different workout regimens out there to follow. Some may include weightlifting, others may be purely cardio. My advice? Do what makes you happy and what makes you feel good. I may love to lift weights and absolutely hate running, but you may be the opposite. Regardless, your body will love you for it.
