By: Sydney Griffin
So you’ve started your journey to weight loss. Not only have you changed your diet, but you plan on adding the gym to your schedule. Of course, the gym can be a confusing place when you arrive. Everyone has a goal body and every girl wants to know what machine will get them to that body. If you’re like most girls, you’ll avoid the weight room full of sweaty adrenaline pumped men and stick with the cardio. However, contrary to popular belief, hitting the weight room will not give you the physique of a professional WWE fighter. In fact, weight lifting can play a key role in helping you on your weight loss journey.
The main reason it's difficult for women to bulk up is because of the lack of testosterone we have. Men are much more likely to bulk up due to their incredibly high levels of testosterone. Unless you crush anabolic steroids into your orange juice every morning, it’s nothing to worry about.
On top of that, the bulk you see on men comes from a lot of work that I will assume you’re not doing. 20 minutes of lifting light weights repeatedly will not have the same effect as lifting extremely heavy weights for about an entire gym session every single day. And if you’re attempting to lose weight, you, unlike a man trying to bulk up, will not eat 5-6 full meals a day.
Fitness Professional John Sifferman says, “Basically, you need to live and act just like a professional bodybuilder – for years. It’s not something that can just happen accidentally from a few workouts at the gym during the week. You need a rigorously planned regime – just like any other professional athlete.”
Achieving a slimmer body will definitely come through cardio, but toning up is also very important (especially if you want to look good naked!). Toning comes from gaining a small bit of muscle mass and working away the fat that hides it. Sifferman also points out “It’s ironic that the very thing women need most to help them achieve their goals is also what they tend to fear the most. We have this stigma in our society that women who lift weights or do any form of strength training will transform into a big, bulky bodybuilder.”
According to Fitness writer & personal trainer Kellie Davis, Not only will strength training help boost your weight loss, but it contributes to gaining curves, increasing quality of sleep, heart health, bone health, and is an incredible stress reliever.
Next time you hit the gym, don’t be intimidated by the room with sweaty men and clanking dumbbells. Add weight lifting and strength training to your routine to reach that goal body!
By: Sydney Griffin (Follow her on Instagram)
