This is a guest post from Dianna Scotece. She has 20 years experience in the business.
A few years ago I was working a corporate health fair. My task was simple. Use body fat calipers to give the employees their body fat percentages. Prior to this day I already had 10 years experience taking these measurements, mainly on athletes and people who regularly exercised.
Many of the young women who came to see me were in their 20’s, size 0 through size 6. They were shocked when I gave them the result of their measurements. Most of these women were over-fat!!!!!! I soon found myself having to explain to these women how this was possible. After all, to see them in their regular clothes they looked thin. How was I going to tell them that they were skinny fat? (For those of you not familiar with this term it means that while the circumference of a limb may be small the amount of lean tissue is also small. This leaves mainly fat and bone.)
Upon consulting these women on how their results were possible, I discovered one common link. They did not do any exercise. Not only that, but most of them had the idea that if they were to do weight training they would look like one of those “body building type women.”
Ok ladies, repeat after me – WEIGHT TRAINING WILL NOT MAKE YOU BIG!!!
1. Those body building women on TV that you are probably thinking of have dedicated years to achieving their look. Everything revolves around getting as lean as possible so that every muscle fiber shows. Not only are they spending hours a day working out but their diets are also mega regimented. Every gram of “carb”, protein, and calorie requirement has been planned out. This intense diet is needed to make them look big and shredded on stage. In some situations, some bodybuilders have also resorted to using artificial help to assist in their development.
Where most women in the general population miss the boat is in not understanding that body building is a way of life for these competitors because the act of participating in it requires nothing less. Growing up I had the pleasure of being mentored by a female body builder. I owe much of my foundation of basic lifts to her. I respect them for the dedication they put into their craft. The average woman doing strength training will not look like a body builder.
2. If it’s not body building then it’s usually some other muscular athlete that women will use as an excuse for not strength training. Certain sports require high volume strength training but it is nowhere near what the average woman would be doing in the gym. Remember, athletes train to improve their sport, that’s it! You should also understand that some female athletes may increase or decrease weight in order to make a certain weight class, but that is a different subject altogether.
3. I can not emphasize proper nutrition habits enough. I’ve been in the fitness industry for over 20 years and I’ll be the first to say that I can’t out-train a bad diet. If you are thinking to yourself that you have tried strength training and gotten big then my question would be: Did you also improve your nutrition at the same time, or did you continue to feed yourself the same things? If your diet did not improve then I can believe you looked bulky. I encourage anyone who feels like they get big when weight training to seek the advice of a health care or credited fitness professional to help. The problem is likely to be improper nutrition.
4. A woman’s body does not produce as much Testosterone as a man’s. So relax, you won’t look like one as long as you don’t try to eat like one!
So with the hang ups out of the way, here is why you should be weight lifting.
1. Increased bone density – I know thinking about this in your twenties may not be a big priority but it is during these years that you can make a huge impact in this area.
2. Help for pre-and post-natal. If you are pregnant or want to get pregnant it can aid in your recovery and set a firm foundation for constantly lifting your new bundle of joy…as long as your doctor clears you for this activity.
3. Increased metabolism. Increasing muscle mass and maintaining it takes energy. Your body will need the food or the fat storage in your body to feed muscles.
4. Joint health. Strengthening the areas around the ankles, knees, hips, and shoulders will help decrease the stress and dissipate some of the forces absorbed by the joints.
5. Improved Self Esteem. Many women who strength train report an increase in positive feelings about themselves. For some women, it helps them feel mentally and physically strong and in control of their bodies. The increase in both areas can lead to an improvement in their love lives as well.
In short, women can improve their health and lives by being physically fit. Realizing that strength training should be a part of that discussion is crucial.
yours in good health,
Dianna Scotece, BS Athletic Training, CSCS, precision nutrition level 1, NASM-CPT
