I Can’t Lift Heavy…I Don’t Want to Get Bulky

You need to lift weights mommas…heavy weights and you need to not care what anyone says about it. Before you click away…here me out. Momming (is that a word) is freaking hard work. You are carrying around babies that grow into toddlers, car seats, strollers and more…all of which are, let’s face it, heavy things. So tell me again, why moms shouldn’t lift heavy weights when they are expected to lift heavy things throughout motherhood?!

Although I do believe that the notion that women should not lift heavy weights is starting to change, I also believe that there is still a lot of misinformation out there with regards to this topic. I have experienced women sitting down with me and saying some variation of “I can’t lift weights” or “weights will make me bulky” or “I don’t want to look like a man” time and time again. These women also in their next breath will say they want to be more toned (I will avoid going on a rant about how much this word makes my blood boil). The bottom line is that this “toned” look that so many women (moms and not) are chasing is actually building muscle…and how do we build muscle you ask…well we lift heavy weights of course.

I want to be clear that I am not blaming anyone who holds these beliefs because let’s be real…the fitness world has fed you misinformation and led you down these confusing paths all to sell products. I could turn this into a rant about how all fitness professionals aren’t created equal and you should do your research before purchasing fitness advice from anyone but I’ll save that for another day (if you want to know what to look for reach out). The bottom line here is that these women who say these things are not to blame for it at all. If you have said this before…don’t worry about it. You were fed this information likely for marketing purposes. Giving women this information is a complete disservice to women everywhere that are just trying to improve their health and ladies, mommas…you deserve better. But I digress…

We were talking about why you should lift weights…ready for this;

• It helps build muscle and strength
• It improves bone density
• It reduces risk of injury
• It improves your mood
• It helps relieve stress
• It improves your sleep
• It builds confidence
• It’s empowering

This is just a short list of some of the benefits of strength training but the biggest benefit I see in women when they start lifting heavy weights is the empowerment and confidence. It feels pretty freaking incredible to lift something heavy and if you have ever lifted heavy you know exactly what I’m talking about. If you haven’t it’s time you discovered this feeling, cause I’m telling you mommas…it is so worth it! Over time, as you gain confidence in this area of your life, you will start to see it translate to others areas of your life as well. Confidence breads more confidence and women can all use a bit more confidence.

With that said I do understand that starting out on this journey can be intimidating for so many moms and this is where coaching can come in to help you. Ensuring you are working with a qualified fitness professional who has the appropriate knowledge is key here. Great coaches want to teach you, they want you to feel confident in moving heavy weights around on your own so ensure that they are doing this for you. If you are looking for a coach please contact me…even if I’m not the right fit for you I would be more than happy to give you pointers on what to look for in a coach, because not all fitness professionals are created equal and I want to strive to educate people on what they should be looking for.

Being a mom is a physical job. You are required to move around more and more weight as your kiddos grow to be able to safely lift your them (and all the things that come with them). Strength training helps you learn safe mechanics for lifting and helps you build the strength required to do these things. Strength training will also help to build confidence for you. Overtime as you lift more and more weight you will feel stronger and more empowered. Further, strength training (and exercise in general) helps you teach your children that exercise is a normal part of life which is something that they will carry through the rest of their life if it’s modelled for them. Strength training will also help you build muscle which can give you the curves that you may be chasing (if this is your goal). So…I ask you now, why wouldn’t you add strength training into your routine?

Everyone, and I mean everyone can benefit from strength training, but it can definitely be intimidating in the beginning. Finding the right guidance can be important to build your confidence, but once you do you momma you will soar! If you are looking for guidance or coaching please reach out!