*FEMALES CAN LIFT WEIGHTS WITHOUT GETTING BULKY? HUH? REALLY?*

Believe it or not…I NEVER used to lift weights!  Not even when I played Basketball in College!  I always thought that it would make me bulky and that was the last thing I wanted!  Well, little did I know, that wouldn’t be the case!  I would lift weights here and there, but never really knew what I was doing and wanted it to be over as soon as I started.  Now I have a completely different outlook!  I love it and can’t imagine a week without my 3 days of weight lifting.  My program of choice?  Les Mills PUMP!  It has opened my eyes to a whole new world of exercise!  I have not gone a week without having it in my workout routine ever since I got it LAST YEAR!  Yep, a year straight and still going…it has always been in my hybrid routine!  I am a HUGE Les Mills PUMP fan!  One of the biggest positives is that I don’t even have to leave the house to get my lifting fix because they provided me with the tools and equipment I needed and they tell me exactly what I need to do!  Since I am working on my patience that was a HUGE plus in my book!  Also, as a result of owning this program, no one sees my pathetic facial expressions as I struggle to finish that last rep! 

Sure, cardio will help you torch those couple hundred calories, but not until you pick up the weights will you see the complete body transformation that you want!  It has been the perfect non-cardio day workout! 

Ever since I have really started to lift weights I have noticed a significant change in my speed when I run, my swing of a softball bat, the strength of my throwing arm, and the fact that I don’t need to really jump when I shoot a basketball anymore unless I am trying to get fancy in my old age.  However, the most beneficial changes, in my opinion, because I am in fact too old to go “Pro” anymore, are the definition of my arms.  I am actually proud to show off my arms now.  It has completely transformed my body and toned areas I didn’t even think could get tone.  I have always had thicker legs, but now they are leaner and tone.  The one body part that I didn’t think really was affected from lifting are your abs.  You “embrace your core” and “tighten your abs” a significant amount when you lift and I love to feel that burn! 

I never thought I would ever cross over to the other side and love lifting, but now that it is done the proper way, the results have been unbelievable and exactly what I have been looking for!  I decided to discuss this topic because Less Mills PUMP is actually one of the March promotions from Beachbody and I feel so strongly about this program and I know there is a common misconception about weight lifting (for females).  The barbell and weight plates are even included in the Challenge Pack as well as your first month’s supply of your daily dose of dense nutrition, Shakeology! Despite the fact that yes, I am a female and wrote this post tailored to females, this program is obviously effective for men too and for all of the reasons I discussed below!  So what’s the deal? Why, as a female, won’t I get bulky from lifting weights?  How and why is lifting weights so effective for everyone? Well, I will tell you...

*WHY FEMALES WON’T GET BULKY FROM LIFTING WEIGHTS:

• Women don't have the testosterone levels to pack on tons of mass.  Men have higher testosterone levels than women; women have higher estrogen levels than men.  Women do produce the hormone, but it comes from our ovaries and adrenal glands in smaller doses.  Testosterone is the primary muscle-building hormone in the body.  Since women have significantly less of this "Hercules Hormone," they cannot put on muscle mass as easily as men.  Even women who want to build bigger muscles and work extremely hard to bulk still build muscle mass at a fraction of the rate that men do.  So stop worrying and start lifting - you won't turn into the Hulk overnight! 

• Most women don't consume enough calories to create the mass.  Think about it this way: when was the last time you purposefully over-ate to gain weight?  Christmas dinner over-indulgence doesn't count.  We're talking purposely consuming more calories than you need, not because of enjoyment, but because you want to gain.  When was the last time you forced down extra servings of protein at dinner because it fit your mass-gaining goals?  Chances are, never.  Most women are born restriction eaters.  They have a built-in tendency to want to be slimmer.  To become the bulky beast you needlessly fear, you would have to eat excessive calories daily, add supplementation, and then lift heavy weights on a regular basis.  Many women hardly eat enough calories to maintain their current body weight.  The fact of the matter is, getting huge isn't easy.  It won't happen to you just because you learn how to bench press.

• Women typically won't generate the degree of force that men will.  There are some strong women out there who push themselves to the max.  For the most part, though, men have a larger degree of drive to push their bodies beyond the limits of comfort (ie: Testosterone).  Building significant amounts of muscle mass requires pushing yourself past the point of comfort and many men go on, sometimes to the point of injury.  The force factor keeps most women from generating extremely large volumes of muscle mass.

*PERKS FROM LIFTING (that I have experienced and why I keep doing it):

Higher Metabolic Rates:
Heavier weight offers women a higher metabolic rate.  Since you work against a high degree of resistance with heavy weights, you create tiny muscular tears throughout the body.  You will expend a greater number of calories post-workout to repair those tiny tears, thus increasing your overall calorie requirements.  Most women want to get lean and shed body fat.  Doesn't a high metabolism sound like something that might help you achieve that goal?  Yep, sure does.

Greater Muscle Definition:

The next benefit to lifting heavier weights is that you'll see greater overall muscle definition.  When you lift such a light weight as most women typically do, the muscles are barely challenged.  As a result, your muscles won't feel any need to adapt (grow) since they can easily handle what you throw at them.  If you push yourself harder and increase the weight that you lift that is when you will see the improvements.  Also, that is provided you also follow a proper diet for fat loss, heavy weights will create the greatest change to how your body looks.

Improved Functional Strength:

Since you get much stronger by lifting heavier weights, everyday activities will get much easier over time.  You won't need to call your brother to move a couch anymore, or even have your husband carry your suitcase.  Muscularity also means a lower chance of injury if you participate in sports or other activities.  Do not fear heavy weights any longer.  What you should fear is being old and weak.  What you should fear is wasting more time doing training regimes that won't get you where you want to go.  Push your body - you are stronger than you think.

There you have it folks!