For many years, the media and fashion around the world taught us what a
beautiful woman looks like. Watching women, slender like a stick, walking
through the ramp for a few minutes made us believe that being thin is the gold
standard for beauty.
Strength was never in the picture. Because a ramp-walk did not demand
strength, and only the look and the number on the weighing scale mattered.
It is only when she bears a baby, and in the life after, strength decides her way
of life.
Women are bearers of another human. To grow the little being in our womb
and deliver, weakens our body and declines our overall health. Instead of
finding ways to regain our better selves, we accept obesity, lack of strength,
and back pain as a normal part of our postpartum life. Maybe you did not
know it was possible until now.
But it is very much possible and a necessity. Let’s understand more.
Strength Training and Body Building:
The common perception for women about Strength Training is to hit the gym,
lift heavy, bulk up, and build a hulk-ish body. This intimidating thought is one
of the main reasons for women not lifting weights.
And this is an absolute misconception. The amount of muscle a person can
build mainly depends on the testosterone levels, and women have less
testosterone. So, a woman building muscle like a man requires years and years
of workouts.
What actually is Strength Training:
If you take care of your skin, your skin glows. If you eat healthy, your gut health
improves. Likewise, if you take care of muscles, they grow and reward you with
long-term health.
Strength Training is the only way to take care of your muscles. This muscle is
very specifically termed as skeletal muscle -The muscle that surrounds our
bones, and this muscle is all over our body, from our shoulders, elbows, hands,
thighs, knees, hips, glutes, lower legs, neck, back, and core. And their role is
enormous in our daily lives.
Muscle Mass and Muscle Loss:
Healthy muscle mass of women in the ages of 36-55 is 29% to 31%. For
women, muscle mass loss is 3%-8% every decade, called sarcopenia, and
during menopause, it only worsens because of the loss of estrogen.
Knee pain, though you are active and healthy, back pain, lack of energy, as you
reach 35+, poor mobility, poor stability, needing others’ help for daily tasks as
you age 55+, is not merely because you are aging. It is because your muscle
mass is deteriorating, and no counteractions were taken.
But as you do strength training, muscles retain. Gradually, muscle growth
happens through the tear-repair mechanism and by consuming enough
protein. Challenging your muscles is the key to muscle growth.
Bone Density and Strength Training:
The density of the bones reflects your bone strength. People with less bone
density need extra attention in their daily movements as they are prone to
fractures, poor posture, and poor mobility. Loss of bone density is termed
osteoporosis.
Women especially have less bone mass than men, and bone density declines
up to 20% as we hit menopause due to the decrease in estrogen. While
strength training, the workouts not only challenge muscles but also bones,
thereby helping in maintaining the bone density and joint strength.
Strength Training and Long-Term Health:
Many women underestimate the value of strength training, observing their
current body condition. “I am super active and pain-free. Why should I train?”
But we have witnessed our grandmas and mothers worrying about knee pain,
weakness, and the inability to even lift grocery bags.
To be able to do that confidently, we need to build a healthy lifestyle that
includes strength training.
To get up from the floor requires muscle.
To walk for long periods without tiredness requires muscle.
To avoid falling or slipping as muscles react quickly.
To climb stairs effortlessly or to prevent damaging the knees.
To maintain a good posture requires working the back muscles.
To travel independently with luggage, muscle power helps.
To recover better from any fall that happens.
Strength Training and Weight Loss:
Strength Training builds muscle, and muscle uses more energy. Therefore,
there is high caloric expenditure, which helps in fat loss.
Building a house in beach sand is how our body will look with a lack of muscle.
So, even though overall fat is reduced, without enough muscle, the body has
no definition.
Whereas building a model house with a proper base and beams gives it
structure and solidity. This structure for our body and the firm or toned look
comes only with muscle.
Strength Training and Hormonal Health:
Incorporating strength training helps to stabilize estrogen levels, testosterone
levels, and insulin sensitivity. Everything around menstruation, like the pain,
mood swings, tiredness, flow, and cravings, shows up in various intensities for
each woman.
It is always best to take it easy with workouts during this phase. Even though
you started lifting heavy, reducing volume and intensity for 2 to 3 days around
the cycle is advisable.
The follicular phase(first 2 weeks after your period ends) is the best time to
add intensity to your training. If you want to try lifting more than usual, this is
the time.
Protein and Strength Training:
Though protein is a must for both women and men, it is non-negotiable for a
woman to understand the adverse effects of doing strength training without
the necessary protein.
During the tear and repair mechanism in muscle growth, our muscles require
fuel, which is specifically protein. Without enough protein, your body lacks fuel
for muscles to get strong and lift heavy. This will lead to exhaustion and zero
benefits.
Muscle Growth = Progressive Strength Training + Enough Protein
In women, it will also affect our hormonal health and worsen our existing
health and lifestyle. Lifting heavy with poor nutrition can also lead to injury.
Beginner tips:
30-minute strength training sessions.
3 sessions per week.
Full-body workouts with low volume and low intensity.
Doing body weight or dumbbell workouts.
Physical Activity Guide NASM
Important:
Overtraining leads to exhaustion and poor recovery.
Poor protein intake will lead to poor performance in workouts.
A very low-calorie diet, along with strength training, will ruin our health.
Significant results can’t be seen without progressive overload.
Conclusion:
A body possessing less fat alone cannot be considered healthy. It is less fat and
more muscle that makes one healthy. Being strong is the new gold standard
for beauty. Get strong, eat better, stay active, and that’s what a healthy
lifestyle is. Take care.
Author Bio
Sebasty Lavanya is a NASM-certified fitness coach and fitness content writer
specializing in strength training, women’s fitness, nutrition, fat loss, and
healthy lifestyle education. She is passionate about creating evidence-based
fitness content that is simple, practical, and relatable.
