About a year ago, I made the decision to start weightlifting regularly and it genuinely changed my life by positively impacting my mind and body. However, I’ve noticed that women are largely outnumbered in the gym by men. This may discourage women who wish to start lifting because they are too intimidated to do so. However, things can only change if things change, so if you were looking for a sign to start lifting, this is it.
Dismantle the idea that women don’t belong in the gym
You’ve heard it before and you’re probably still hearing it: “women don’t belong in the gym” or “having muscles is too masculine.” These ideas deteriorate women’s potential in the weightlifting community. Gyms are male-dominated spaces that often create an atmosphere that makes women feel that there is no room for them to occupy. There is a heavy stigma surrounding women who weightlift, as it’s generally seen as a masculine activity that would defeminize women. Despite contrary belief, weightlifting is not a male-exclusive hobby and an affinity for moving heavy objects does not make you any less feminine. More women in the gym would change these perspectives and change the norm for women. Also, it’s important to remember that lifting will not make you “too bulky” and it certainly will not make you any less of a woman.
Boost your confidence
Lifting weights and building muscle can boost your confidence, enhance your already gorgeous features, and improve your relationship with food. Because building muscle requires a greater intake of calories and protein, it’s easier to perceive food as something that allows the body to do incredible things as opposed to something to stress over or vilify. Personally, lifting has allowed me to improve my perspective on body-image and my relationship with food. This is because it contrasts the desire to consume less and look thinner that is often perpetuated by diet-culture. Furthermore, weightlifting can make you feel much more confident, as you’ll feel empowered by the physical improvements in your strength.
An abundance of health benefits!
Everybody knows that exercise is extremely important for our health and longevity, but its other benefits are not discussed frequently enough. Weightlifting obviously improves your strength, but it also increases bone density, flexibility, and much more that can be beneficial when undertaking other movements. In addition to its physiological benefits, weightlifting is an incredible stress reliever, as it allocates time just for yourself and releases endorphins that allow you to decompress.
What’s not fun about it?
For me, lifting is the least demanding form of exercise I’ve ever done. In fact, most of the time I spend in the gym is dedicated to resting between sets. Not only do I enjoy the benefits of lifting, but I also enjoy the process because it feels good! As previously mentioned, weightlifting releases endorphins that can improve your mood and elevate your energy levels, enhancing your sense of well-being. To make things even more enjoyable, I recommend going to the gym with friends; it’s a great way to catch up and it provides someone to spot you and push you further.
GIRL POWER ✨🏋️♀️
This one is kind of self-explanatory, but weight training will allow you to lift much heavier objects outside of the gym, which is very rewarding. It’s empowering to be able to carry around heavy objects without assistance and to think to yourself, yeah, I really did that! Imagine how wonderful it would feel to open a pickle jar all by yourself.
While not all of these things will come right when you begin lifting, you will see progress gradually if you are patient with yourself and keep showing up. Lifting is such a wonderful form of exercise that I am so grateful I started, and I’d love to see these benefits extended to more women. If you’ve been thinking about starting and you haven’t, there’s no better time than now.