Reasons Women Should Incorporate Weight Training As Part of Their Workout

By Kenny Yates

Many women believe that the only way to lose weight is by means of some type of cardiovascular/aerobic exercise.  To complicate maters even more, there are millions of options to choose from including spinning, running, Zumba, etc.  So in many cases, what happens?  You sign up for numerous aerobic classes during the week and hit the treadmill for countless hours. While there is nothing wrong with incorporating this method, it must be understood that this is only part of the equation.  Aerobic exercise is important for good health, however if you want to look and feel your best, you will need to strength train in some capacity. It is essential for optimal fitness, longevity and developing a lean body. 

One of the top reasons why most women stay away from weight training is the fear of getting “big and bulky".  The reality is that due to women’s hormonal make up, without eating an enormous amount of calories every day or utilizing chemical supplementation, it would be impossible to gain a significant amount of mass as the male body can.  In fact, many women have found that weight training has lead to numerous positive results such as loss of body fat in those hard to lose areas, more energy and strength for day to day activities and chores, and a shapelier body to boost self-confidence.  Let’s take a deeper look at some of these benefits that women can expect from incorporating strength training into their workout routine.

1. Burn More Fat

Researchers at Tufts University found that when overweight women lifted heavy weights twice a week, they lost an average of 14.6 pounds of fat and gained 1.4 pounds of muscle. The control group (women who dieted but didn’t lift weights) lost only 9.2 pounds of fat and gained no muscle. When you perform intense weight-training, your metabolism stays elevated and you continue to burn fat for several hours afterward through an effect known as EPOC (Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption). On the other hand, during typical cardio exercise, you stop burning excess calories and fat shortly after the workout due to the lower relative intensity in this style of exercise.

2. Reshaping of the Body

You may think your genes determine how you look. While this is true to some extent, weight training can slim you down, add shape, and help avoid the “middle-age spread.” Dropping only 3% of your body fat could translate into a total loss of 3 inches off your hips and thighs. Combine this with a clean diet with just the right amount of food to help you burn even more fat.

3. Increased metabolism

The less muscle you have, the slower your metabolism will be. As women age, they lose muscle at increasing rates, especially after the age of 40. According to the National Strength Professional Association, when you diet without doing resistance training, up to 25% of the weight loss may be muscle loss. Weight training while dieting can help you preserve and even rebuild muscle fibers. The more lean mass you have, the higher your metabolism will be and the more calories you’ll burn all day long.

  

4. Get Stronger, Gain Confidence

Lifting weights increases functional fitness, which makes everyday tasks such as taking the stairs, carrying children and picking up heavy items much easier. According to the Mayo Clinic, regular weight training can make you 50 percent stronger in 6 months. Not only does it improve your physical activities, it builds emotional strength by boosting self-esteem and confidence.

5. Build Strong Bones

It’s been well documented that women need to do weight-bearing exercise to build and maintain bone mass to help prevent osteoporosis. Just as muscle get stronger with weight bearing exercise, so does bone. Stronger bones and increased joint stability will also lead to better mobility and balance, which is equally important for overall health and wellness.

6. Effects on Depression

You’ve probably heard that cardio and mind body exercises such as yoga help alleviate depression.  Well strength training has the same effect. The endorphins that are released during aerobic activities are also present during resistance training. A Harvard study found that 10 weeks of strength training reduced clinical depression symptoms more successfully than standard counseling did. Many women find that regular strength training in conjunction with psychological therapy helps lessen their depression symptoms substantially.

8. Injury Management

Weight lifting improves joint stability and builds stronger ligaments and tendons. Training safely with proper form can help decrease the likelihood of injuries in your daily life. It can also improve physical function in people with arthritis. A study conducted at the University of Wales in Bangor, United Kingdom found that mildly disabled participants who lifted weights for 12 weeks increased the frequency and intensity at which they could work with less pain and increased range of movement.

9. Heart Health

More than 480,000 women die from cardiovascular disease each year, making it the number-one killer of women over the age of 25. Most people don’t realize that pumping iron can also keep your heart pumping. Lifting weights increases your “good” (HDL) cholesterol and decreases your “bad” (LDL) cholesterol. It also lowers your blood pressure. The Journal of the American Medical Association reports that people who do 30 minutes of weight lifting each week have a 23 percent reduced risk of developing heart disease compared to those who do not lift weights.

10. Defend Against Diabetes

In addition to keeping your ticker strong, weight training can improve glucose utilization by as much as 23 percent. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16 weeks of strength training can improve glucose metabolism in a way that is comparable to taking diabetes medication. The more lean mass you have, the more efficient your body is at removing glucose from the blood, which can reduce complications from diabetes or even help prevent type 2 diabetes in the first place.

Additional Interesting Facts:

• 1991 William Evans and Irwin H Rosenberg, both professors at Tufts University, published a study titled Biomarkers.  It established a number of factors that influence how we age, one of which was that the more muscle a person has, and the more strength there is in those muscles, the greater their life expectancy.

• In 2011 the American College of Sports Medicine published guidelines prescribing adults of both genders an exercise regime that include muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days a week.

• NHS recommends bodyweight and weighted resistance exercises.  These activities build muscle, reduce the risk of osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and type-2 diabetes, and could even lengthen you life.

Interested in hiring a Personal Trainer? Contact Kenny Yates (kyates1@tollbrothers.com) or stop by the Fitness Center to schedule a consultation and get started today!