Should Women Lift Weights? An Expert Weighs In

How many times have you heard not to do weights and stick to cardio if you want to lose weight? Some even say doing heavy weights would make you look muscular. They ask you to do smaller weights with more repetitions if you desire a lean physique. However, this isn’t true. case in point being Disha Patani. The actor lifts heavy weights and has one of the fittest bodies in Bollywood. Dainty and pretty, she doesn't look muscular!  Jitendra Chouksey, founder of Fittr, an online fitness community, says, “the one question I keep getting asked again and again is this – should women lift weights? The answer is a resounding YES!”

He goes on to bust the myth women who lift weight would begin to look like a body builder or look like a man. He explains, “ Testosterone is the principal hormone that drives muscle growth. It is present in both men and women but in vastly varying amounts.  In women, testosterone levels are about 1/20ths of the levels present in men. So, unless women take anabolic steroids, it’s impossible to achieve a hulk-like physique.  Besides, so many women pick up their kids or grocery bags and carry them around which definitely weigh much more than those tiny pink dumbbells. How often do you see them with bulging biceps?”

Jitendra stresses that weight training is essential when you are losing fat because it helps you build muscles and boost your metabolism, which makes your body more efficient at burning fat. So if you are still not convinced here are some more reasons why you should lift weights.

 

 

 

 

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#throwback to the times when i was strong? 75kg 1 rep , 2nd set is 80kg 1 rep full range squat? @rajendradhole thanks for the motivation sir??

A post shared by disha patani (paatni) (@dishapatani) on Aug 17, 2020 at 2:26am PDT

Benefits of Lifting Weights

Arrests muscle loss and strengthens bones

 “Far too many women experience osteoporosis and sarcopenia and the way to safeguard your health in your later years is to lift weights when you’re younger,” says Jitendra. 

You don’t have to starve yourself to lose weight

Train hard, eat well and still lose weight! How? Weight training has a good “after burn” effect. Jitendra explains, “After exercise, your body requires more oxygen in order to return to its normal resting metabolic rate. So, when you do workouts that require more oxygen not just during the workout but also after you’ve stepped out of the gym, you’ll burn more energy – in other words, calories.” Weight training helps you burn calories efficiently. 

Improves strength

“Apart from the after-burn effect, weight training is also a good workout for your heart and improves stamina,” adds Jitendra. 

Takeaway

Weight training needs to be the cornerstone of a woman’s’ fitness regime. The benefits are numerous.