There is still a common misconception that lifting weights will make you bulk up, and that the only way to look slimmer is to do tons of cardio workouts. The truth is that exercising your muscles a few times a week with resistance training can boost your overall health and physique, without creating muscle bulk. Beyond improving shape and tone, here are a few great reasons why women should incorporate weight lifting in their routines.

8 Benefits Of Resistance Training for Women

Torches more calories

Your body will require more energy (calories) as you build lean muscle mass. The muscle contractions that you make during your strength training will contribute to the number of calories that your body burns each day. Basically, frequently lifting weights will result in more calories burned and increased muscle mass. Your body will also continue to burn calories, even after your training session.

Fights stress and improves mood

Exercising, in general, helps the body release endorphins or the happy hormones. They are neurotransmitters that help improve mood, prevent pain, and fight depression. Increased endorphins will naturally reduce anxiety and stress, as well as improve alertness and energy level. Weight training will further enhance this benefit.

Boosts energy levels

As mentioned earlier, lifting will trigger increased energy expenditure, even hours after your training. Researchers have found that a steady increase in energy consumption, even with minimal weight training sessions, may impact fat oxidation and energy balance. When you want to grab a cup of coffee to keep you awake in the afternoon, try flexing your muscles, instead.

Gives you toned muscles

One of the most common reasons why women do not lift is because they fear that they might become bulky. This is a common misconception because it will not happen. Women typically do not have enough testosterone to build muscles as large as men and in addition, growing large muscles from weight training requires very specific and targeted lifestyle overall (diet, eating patterns, sleep etc), not just the lifting weights itself. This is also the reason why building muscle is a slow and ongoing process. Women who lift will typically gain muscle strength and definition, without the bulky look.

Improves performance while reducing injury risk

Weight training will help increase muscular and joint strength. It is important to strengthen the joints, tendons, and ligaments in order to prevent injury and combat osteoarthritis. In addition, lifting to strengthen the connective tissues and muscles will reduce your likelihood of injury from routine exercises and daily tasks. It will even improve your athletic performance.

Promotes fat loss

Many people lift weights because they want to look larger, but strength training is more than just getting ripped arms. Combining resistance and cardiovascular training will allow your body to use more calories, including the stored fat, resulting in fat loss. Resistance training allows your body to burn fat during and after training. You continuously consume extra oxygen for your body to recover, increasing energy expenditure and metabolic rate.

Helps improve bone health

The risk of your body losing muscle and bone mass increases as you age. Postmenopausal women are more at risk for osteoporosis as their bodies no longer produce estrogen. Weight training will help reduce this risk, and keep your bone health in great shape later in life.

Lets you sleep better

Lifting will help you sleep better each night. Your body releases endorphins each time you workout, resulting in improved mood. Adding strength training to your routine will further improve the quality of your sleep and allow you to wake up each morning feeling great and energised.

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