Like many other female athletes, I know my way around the gym. No, I'm not talking about the elliptical or the stair climber (although there is nothing wrong with them), I'm talking about weights. While there are plenty of great things that come from lifting weights, there are a few struggles that every girl has experienced in the gym.
1. You are regularly asked to "flex"
2. Your hands are always a mess
Manicures sound like a great way to waste $45. Your hands are constantly calloused, chalky and bleeding.
3. Guys constantly come up to you while you're lifting to see if you need a spot
Thanks, but no thanks.
4. Speaking of guys, they won't stop staring at you while you're just trying to get those gains
There is nothing more uncomfortable than having to do squats when you know the guy at the rack behind you is staring.
5. You eat 10x more than all of your friends combined
One pizza, two caesar salads and half a loaf of garlic bread later... And you're still hungry. You have a love/hate relationship with your metabolism.
6. Getting the clip on the bar is harder than you'd like to admit
Like, why? Why must you be such a struggle, you stupid clip? Maybe our hands just aren't as in shape as we are, but I drop it on the floor at least three times before I get it on the bar.
7. Women's shirts are not made for muscles
I can't even count on two hands the number of lovely shirts I've ripped. Why do I have to buy an extra-large just to ensure that I can have mobility of my arms? Why do I feel like the Incredible Hulk when I wear a dress shirt?
8. Speaking of clothes, well-fitting jeans are hard to come by
Getting pants over your quads is the hardest part of your day.
9. Everyone assumes you're going to end up looking like this:
While some women can rock this look, weight lifting is not body building. They are two completely different things.
10. Running out of peanut butter is a surefire way to ruin your day
Peanut butter is everything. It is breakfast, it is lunch, it is dinner. Peanut butter is your family. There is nothing worse than opening a jar with less than a spoonful inside.
11. Your boobs are more like pecs
Sometimes weight loss happens in the most undesirable places. Most of your friends look bangin' in low cut tops, but when you put one on you look like a 12-year-old boy.
12. Your friends don't understand that you don't do it to look good, you do it to feel good
You probably hear, "You are already in shape!" on a daily basis when you talk about your love of lifting. While a nice figure is a definite plus, you do it because you're passionate about it. There's nothing quite like that hot post-workout shower, the feeling when you hit a new PR, or the love of your lifting buddies.
