LADIES...LIFTING WEIGHT WILL NOT MAKE YOU BUILKY
"I don't want to get bulky."
I mean NO disrespect when I say this... but if you have ever said this, you have NO idea how hard it is to actually BULK UP!
Let's dive in.
First of all... this conversation usually begins when I am in the initial phase of Personal Training with someone. I mainly work with women and typically have weight loss clients - that is my forte! :) So I ask the question, "What is your goal? What do you want to accomplish during our training together?" And more often than not, people will give me a response like: "Well, I just want to lose weight. I want to get stronger, I don't want to get bulky though." To follow up that response... I always educate my clients on why this should be of NO concern [for women especially] when we begin a strength training program.
So, to educate you all out there... read on.
Strength training has an endless amount of benefits: increased lean muscle mass, increase basal metabolic rate [more calories burned throughout the day], improves our ability to burn calories of fat, reduced risk of injury, increases overall strength, makes you feel like a badass and sooo much more! ;)
To build muscle mass, we have to bring about an added stress to our muscles. This causes our body to react to these stressors and adapt to the change. In this adaptation.... our macronutrient intake, metabolism, hormone production/regulation etc has a lot to do with our bodies ability to build muscle. As women, we have a different make up and body composition than men. We tend to have higher body fat percentages [normal and necessary] and carry less muscle mass [again, normal].
Women do NOT have the high testosterone levels that men do, which makes it almost impossible to get that "bulky" look without taking a testosterone supplement. When you see female body builders who have ripped arms and shoulders that could lift a house... trust me... she is NOT in the gym casually lifting weights to get there. I can guarantee that she is in the gym 6-7 days a week, lifting HEAVY weights, and eating 2500+ calories per day! It takes a LOT of dedication and a LOT of hard work, food, sweat etc. to get there.
So unless you are going to be doing a body building show... we won't be training, eating or supplementing that way.
What you can expect to see, however, is a leaner and more 'toned' figure. You can expect to have higher self confidence in yourself and your strength on a daily basis. You can expect people to ask you "What have you been doing? You look great!". And you can expect to stop asking your significant other to open that d@mn coconut oil jar.
So ladies... once again, let me make it clear.
You are NOT at risk for looking bulky from lifting weights.
Not sure where to start?.... try out my KICKSTART eBook or get yourself a PERSONALIZED WORKOUT PROGRAM today!
***If you are in the Maple Grove, MN area, come meet with me for a FREE Consultation to get you started on your way to a fit and healthy life at Life Time of Maple Grove!***