Health, Taken Seriously

I was reading Women’s Health magazine at the gym a couple weeks ago when I ran across a statistic–only 17.5% of women lift weights two or more times a week. Less than 1 in 5! What a shame. I absolutely love lifting weights and I think it’s one of the best exercises for our bodies. So here are my top ten reasons why more people should start hitting the weight room:

1. The metabolic rate of muscle is very high. So the more muscle you have, the higher your metabolism, the more calories you burn all day long, and the more you can eat without gaining weight. This is one of the main reasons why men have a higher metabolism than women–they have more muscle!
2. You see results quickly. As opposed to cardiovascular exercise, where results may take longer and be less pronounced, you will see quick changes in your muscle strength and endurance. One week you’ll be only able to lift 50 lbs, and then just a few weeks later you’ll be up to 60 or 70 lbs. I love these concrete, fast results!
3. You can literally reshape your body with weight lifting. Want a tighter, higher butt? Strengthen your gluteus medius. Want a 6-pack? Do exercises for your rectus abdominus.
4. You’ll burn more calories. You may burn more calories during a 30-min cardio session than you would during 30 min of lifting weights, but your metabolism will stay raised for hours after lifting weights so in the end, many weight lifting sessions burn more calories than cardio ones.
5. You can get very lean with weight lifting. The manner in which you lift weights affects the outcome. Want strength? Lift such heavy weights that you can’t do more then two sets of 4-6 reps. Want bulk? Lift heavy for 10 reps, then do 3 sets with only a minute rest in between. Want to be toned? Lift for endurance–do 3 sets of 12 reps to the point of fatigue on the last set.
6. You can correct imbalances. Are your hamstrings stronger than your quads? Is your right arm stronger than your left? Are your abs strong, but your lower back weak? All of these can be corrected through lifting weights.
7. You can gain confidence in your abilities. I do not like being the “weaker sex.” But lifting weights regularly gives me confidence that I’m strong enough to help lift that couch, or carry that suitcase, or lug my baby around.
8. It clears my mind. I’m the type of person whose mind runs a hundred miles a minute. At night, I lay there thinking about anything and everything for hours it seems. But when I lift weights at the gym, I’m focused on the lifting and I don’t think much about everything else. I find this really relaxes and recharges me.
9. Weight bearing exercise stimulates bone growth. When muscles pull on tendons, they pull on bones and this stimulus causes bone building cells to lay down more bone mass. All women are at risk of osteoporosis and really only weight lifting can make a significant difference (cardio exercise, while great for your heart, does little for your bones).
10. You can slow down aging. We loose muscle mass with age, and this lack of muscle can cause a decrease in metabolic weight (and therefore weight gain), poor posture, and weakness. Weight lifting works wonders for the elderly. Have you ever met an older person that exercises regularly, including lifting weights? They seem much younger than their sedentary counterparts!