Hi guys
I hope you are all having a good week so far! It’s almost weekend 😀
The bulky question is probably the most common question asked (mainly by ladies) before embarking on a new exercise program/journey. ‘Will weight training make me look big and bulky?’
The truth is
No, weight training, for most woman should not cause bulkiness. Reason for this is because :
Women don’t naturally produce as much testosterone as men do and testosterone is what causes muscle mass and size.
Woman have high levels of estrogen in their bodies which makes it very difficult to achieve a muscular look. When women lift weights, the changes to their muscles are mostly related to tone, strength, and endurance rather than an increase in size. The result is a firm and toned look. Not a bulky look.
A common complaint when starting a new exercise regime is that a couple weeks down the line, some people feel ‘bulky and heavier.’ The scale might show an increase in numbers. This is often where weight training gets all the blame.
If we step back and take a good look poor diet is to blame. It’s a simple maths equation. Calories in vs calories out. In other words if you eat more calories than you burn it will result in weight gain. (Not caused by lifting weights but by over indulging 😬🍕🍔🍟🥨🍰) sorry to be the one to say it! 🙈
I’ve often heard, and have used this excuse myself too. ‘I can have seconds because I trained today’
or
‘I can treat myself to a slice of cake because I had a workout this morning’.
It’s a dangerous path to follow because calories stack up very quickly and before you know it, you have easily eaten far more than you have burned in your session.
Hard training is usually accompanied with an increase in appetite and therefore many people increase their portion sizes. This is why it is so important to fuel your body with the best types of healthy food and supplements which will keep you feeling full and energized, all while giving you the strength and stamina to smash those workouts. Portion control is extremely important when training especially if you are looking to lose weight.
Here are a couple reasons why you should consider ditching the treadmil and those boring cardio routines and pick up some dumbbells instead 💪🏼
Weight training promotes:
* Increase in bone density and prevention of bone loss as we age.
*Increase in confidence.
*Promotes fat loss.
*Decrease in the risk of osteoporosis.
*Reduce in the risk of injuries and day to day aches and pains.
*Improvement in posture and reduced back pain.
* Increase in energy
* Promotes better performance.😉
* Eases joint pain.
* A healthy heart.❤️
* Weight control
* Shapes and tones for a kickass body.
Weight training is an incredible tool which you can use to sculpt and mold your body to the way you want it to be. It’s not necessary for woman to lift heavy weights to achieve great results. Pushing yourself to lift as much weight as possible could lead to injuries, especially if poor form is used. This means you might be forced to take time off from training. Nightmare situation 😱
Cardio still has its role in a workout. I like to add In short bursts of cardio exercises into my sessions aimed at pushing the heart rate up and then lifting weights in between.
At the end of the day, you should always listen to your body. Everyone is different and we respond to exercises and training methods in different ways. If you feel that your body is not responding or that your body is responding negatively to a specific style of training then the first step is to clean up your diet and then re-evaluate. If you are still unhappy then consider changing it and doing something else. You gotta figure out what works best for YOU and what will leave YOU feeling and looking YOUR best at the end of the day.
Have a fabulous Thursday 🐝
Sam
