By Lifting weights has been one of the most impactful and profoundly outstanding decisions I’ve ever made. I didn’t always start off lifting weights, and like most females. I was chained to the cardio equipment day in day out. I don’t know what possessed me one day to start a body pump classes – but I did. At the time, I gave birth to my daughter, feeling fat, flabby and not particularly great. I was sleep-deprived, and I felt terrible about the way I looked. During my pregnancy, I was eating absolute rubbish, and now I had to go through the journey of weight loss and shape my body. The first day I ever did body pump, I couldn’t walk up and down the stairs without pain and discomfort in my muscles. I still remember it today and laugh. My mum would ask me why I was doing something like this to myself, and I couldn’t answer her. I just felt great – and that’s when my journey towards lifting weights began. There isn’t one particular catalyst as to why I believe you or anyone else should start weight training – What I have found is true from my experience is that it’s one of the simplest ways to gain confidence and self-belief yourself. I never thought that I would lift the weight I currently do – or better yet, look as I do at age 42. But after years of training and slowly building up, I have come to see that weight training is a never-ending cycle, and you can always get better, lift more and increase your inner strength. I see it as a life long journey of self-discovery in and of itself. There isn’t a week that will go by without lifting me lifting any weight. I feel that something is missing, and it doesn’t feel right. This is why during the covid outbreak, it was so hard for me. Shutting the gyms was heartbreaking, and the anticipation of them opening up again was HUGE! Weight training, to me, is like a form of therapy I cannot describe without endless waffling. Some people need to see someone talk about their problems, and people like us use lifting the bar and going within ourselves to quieten the mind and solve the problem. It’s our meditation and our soul food. Perhaps we are addicted to the chemical changes in our bodies after the session is complete. Perhaps it’s a combination of everything together. I can’t get this wonderful feeling from anything else, apart from weight training.It isn’t all about touchy-feely stuff – there is also a lot of science to back this up.
3 Top reasons why everyone should lift weights
- Diminishing body fat. I have always said that building muscle increases your bodies capability to burn more calories at rest. It’s like the furnace that keeps burning day in day out. Cardio is not the same. As soon as you finish your session – that’s it. The caloric burn does not extend far beyond your time on the treadmill. Weight lifting, on the other hand, is a completely different ball game. Your best bet at targeting the most muscle mass on your body is using multi-joint lifts. They are deadlifts, squats, bench presses and pull-ups. Some of these are more challenging than others, but that’s why they are so beneficial. If you can master these multi-joint lifts, you will be the last person smiling on the gym floor. It pays to put in a little bit more effort and go through those sore days and nights – so you can get all the benefits most people are missing out of.
- Fight ageing. As we age, our muscle mass declines rapidly. It doesn’t have to be this way. As the saying goes – use it or lose it. This is definitely the case for building muscle mass. The great news is that it’s never too late to exercise. Even if you begin training later on in life, the benefits still apply to you! Just remember that muscle weakness is linked to an increased risk of death. Lifting weights also help you to strengthen those old bones and reduce your risk of osteoporosis. If you are a menopausal woman, this will signal you to get back into the gym. Now, you don’t have to go crazy in the gym, follow a suitable program and give it you’re all. You will have good days and bad ones, but the goal is to lift weight and keep doing it 3–4 times a week.
- Boost your confidence, and diminish depression. This is what I was referring to in my post above. Lifting weights helps you through those tough times, eases your anxiety, depression and increases your positivity and happiness vibes. You can’t help walking outside of the gym (after a great weights session) without a smile on your face and a positive outlook towards your day. Most exercises provide this amazing feeling, but weight training sure does surpass them all (in my own option anyway).
I hope this encourages you to take the plunge and start weight training as soon as possible. If you do need help, there are so many resources online, and you can definitely seek a professional personal trainer. I would love you to upvote it if you did. Please also join me on my various social platforms and do go ahead and download your Empowering habit changer guide. I’m also on Instagram.