Don’t be afraid to strength train. Strength exercises and the muscles that come with them are a good thing! By “strength training,” I mean exercises like squats, lunges, dead-lifts, push-ups etc.
Some women are afraid to lift weights because they are afraid of looking bulky. The argument here is always that “women don’t have the same hormone profile as men, and therefore cannot gain enough lean mass to look bulky” – it is almost impossible for women to “get big” unless they really try – it is just not in our genetics.
Another important factor that is often ignored in the “bulky” discussion, is body fat.
Some of my clients reported that the number on the scale was going up instead of down. When I asked about their nutrition, they would admit that it hadn’t been great and that they’d actually been eating more, because the training had increased their appetite. When this is the case, of course, clients are going to gain size. They were eating more calories, and gaining something without losing anything else. This is why the DBM Clean Eating plan is so important.
Unless an individual is predisposed to gain muscle, bulking up takes dedication, and a concentrated effort to consume enough calories. You need to eat enough food to build muscle.
“Bulky” is completely subjective. When it comes to our bodies, it’s up to us to decide what level of muscularity we desire for ourselves.
What is wrong with being strong and having muscles? Strength is good! Strength will help you have better posture, protect your back, walk with confidence, perform everyday activities with ease, improve bone strength and improve your athletic achievements.
Weight lifting will result in an overall, sculpted muscle definition. Challenging yourself with the weight and lowering the reps is what will create the muscle definition you’re looking for when combined with a proper diet for fat loss.
The main takeaway is that working out is not just about how you look, it is about how you feel and your quality of life. Regardless of how you aesthetically react to exercise, moving will make you feel better. “Don’t put it off any longer. Get to the gym!”
