Why Women Should Lift Weights to Lose Weight

In my never-ending journey of weight loss and physical self improvement, my research brought me to the topic of weight training for weight loss.

Why, as a woman would I want to lift heavy weights? Won’t that make me get bulky?

But I found out that strength training has a ton of benefits, including weight loss, and no, it will not make you look like a bodybuilder.

Find out why women should lift weights to lose weight and how it can benefit your health overall.

*Disclaimer: Before starting any new exercise routine, please consult with your physician. This blog post is my opinion and does not constitute medical advice.

Benefits of Strength Training For Women

Why should women lift weights to lose weight? Resistance training on a regular basis will increase your lean muscle mass and help you burn more calories.

It also increases your body’s ability to burn fat during and even hours after exercise due to the body’s increased need for oxygen. That’s because more oxygen = more calorie burn = increased metabolic rate (yes please!).

Your body also burns more calories post-workout while repairing the muscles you’ve worked.

As your body builds muscle, it also needs more calories to maintain that muscle. The more muscle you gain, the better your body becomes at burning calories, even when sleeping.

 

Resistance training also helps promote muscle and bone health – both of which can decline in women as they age (screw you menopause).

Have a flat booty? While weight lifting might not guarantee you a Kardashian backside, it can help improve upon the curves you do have. Muscle building can lift areas that might be sagging and tighten areas that have a little extra jiggle.

After lifting heavy weights for the last six months, I also feel stronger in general.

Everyday tasks just seem easier and those stairs to my train platform don’t make my legs burn like they used to. I’ve also found weight lifting to be a great reliever of stress after a long day of work.

I also fall asleep faster and sleep better on the nights that I lift heavy.

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And No, You Will Not Get “Bulky”

The fear of getting bulky or too muscular is a common myth among most women when they start lifting weights.  My husband even expressed this fear when the heavy dumbbells and kettlebells I ordered starting arriving at my door. I explained to him that he didn’t have to worry about being married to a female bodybuilder.

Women will not get Schwarzenegger-sized muscles from lifting heavy weights; we simply lack the required amount of testosterone to build super huge muscles.

In truth, female bodybuilders have to work their ass off for their big muscles by spending hours each day in a gym, carefully monitoring their diet and taking additional supplementation to boot.

For most women, I’m pretty sure you would not get even remotely close to this type of muscle-building action when you lift weights to lose weight. And if you feel you’ve achieved the muscle building results you want, you can always adjust your strength training routine to maintain these results and not build further muscle mass.

Genetics also play a role in your ability to build muscle and contributes to the shape of those muscles as well. Some women will have naturally leaner muscles while others will build muscle more quickly.

What does contribute to the “bulky” look? FAT.

 

That’s right. It doesn’t matter how much muscle mass you carry, if it’s covered in a thick layer of fat, you’re not going to see the definition of those muscles. If you’re looking to get lean and ripped like Jessica Biel, you’ll need to get your body fat percentage to around 20% or less.

More Muscle = More Weight

I feel it important to mention that muscle weighs more than fat. Women starting a resistance training routine can expect to gain weight on the scale if they are successful at gaining muscle because of this principle.

Don’t let this “weight” gain put you off from resistance training; remember, you are gaining muscle, not fat. Focus on how your body looks and how your clothes fit instead.

I experienced three months of “no weight loss” with my scale when I started weight training in late 2015. But…I lost inches all over my body and finally fit into a pair of jeans that previously had to be sewn on.

I started to take measurements of my chest, waist and hips and monitored my results over time.

My weight on the scale didn’t budge, but my body got smaller and I could slowly start to see some muscle definition peeking out from the fat folds.

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My Results 

I’m currently 9 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight, but I’ve also gained a lot of muscle to boot.

I’ve dropped from a size 10 to a size 7 pant size (my goal pants are a size 6, and I’m really close! They zip up now!). More importantly, I can see the results of my hard work in my muscle definition.

While I still have fat to lose (I’m at around 28% body fat) my arms are slimmer and more toned, my butt has lifted and my legs are leaner.

More importantly, I feel more confident in my body. After having a baby, I never thought I’d be able to feel comfortable in my body again, but I’m actually in better shape now than before baby!

Not only can I see, but I can feel the progress. When I get to a point where a move isn’t as difficult on the last 1-2 repetitions, I increase my weight.

There are also certain moves (like lunges) that I had difficulty performing when I first started that I no longer dread. My balance, endurance and flexibility have all improved.

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Weight Training Tips

Just realized you should lift weights to lose weight? I suggest you read my post on how to pick the right weight.  I also incorporate cardio and HIIT workouts to burn more fat and I track my calories to ensure I’m not overeating.

Many of the HIIT workouts I follow on YouTube incorporate weights for a higher calorie burn (I’ve included links to my favourite YouTube fitness channels in the HIIT post linked above).

Have you tried to lift weights to lose weight yet ladies?

*Disclaimer: Before starting any new exercise routine, please consult with your physician. This blog post is my opinion and does not constitute medical advice.