Pick those weights up, girl!
 Most women with gym memberships tend to show resistance when asked to join the boys in the weight room. Society has fed us this horrible misconception that if women do weight training they will immediately look like the female version of Arnold Schwarzenegger, that is bullshit. Ladies, the weight room isnât only reserved for boys and girls trying to pursue a bodybuilding career, it is there to provide vast health and aesthetic benefits for all of us! The most important factor to consider when lifting weights is to set a specific goal and tailoring your training based on that goal to avoid unwanted or unachieved results.
Most of you saying ânoâ to weight training because of your need to look âleanâ or more âtonedâ are unaware of the vast benefits weight training provides. The benefits of weight training may fall into the following categories:
Physical
Emotional
Mental
Medical Â
 Obviously weight training provides one with physical benefits or else no one would be training, but itâs more than just adding muscle mass and tone to your figure. Aging causes hormonal changes that some women experience; they naturally lose bone density, making them prone to develop conditions osteoporosis, arthritis and even increase the risk of injury. Regularly lifting weights slows bone deterioration and can help your bones grow stronger, maintain strength, and reduce your chance of developing skeletal conditions or slow down their effects. Weight training also plays an important role in fat loss because of its ability to speed up oneâs metabolism, making it easier to burn calories. More muscle and less fat means that youâll burn more calories out of the gym because muscle tone helps you get lean, look lean, and stay lean. Letâs face it, wouldnât it be awesome if you were physically strong and could carry your own groceries home?
 Weight training has both emotional and mental benefits; they are factors that go hand in hand. All I can say is that nothing beats confidence built by having physically strong and fit. Itâs not only about your body being fit ,itâs about the self-fulfillment you get by seeing results and knowing you had to sacrifice to get your body to where it is, lift after lift. We all know that unshaken confidence kills depression and feelings of low self-worth. There is also a scientific side to it, an example is the release of endorphins caused by weight training. Endorphins are the âhappy juicesâ released from the brain, which stimulate feelings of happiness within you  J . Often, they are released when we are happy, such as when laughing, or after periods of stress, like weightlifting, as a way of relieving the stress. When you finish a weight training session, you may feel happy, relaxed, and proud of the work you have accomplished due to the release of these happy juices.
 Guess what? It gets betterâŠ.Weight training also keeps the ladies away from hospital beds. Pumping weights helps you work your muscles especially the most important one of them all, which is your heart. Strengthening the upper body's muscles means decreasing the workload of the heart and lungs, and putting less stress on these vital organs makes them healthier and functional in the long run. Each rep you squeeze in the weight room decreases the chances of you developing a heart attack, so squeeze it to ease your heart!
Prevention of heart issues isnât the only medical benefit of weight training; this act also helps prevent type 2 diabetes. Weight training activities trigger muscle cells to utilize more glucose for energy, which can lower blood sugar levels and avoid insulin resistance. This combined with regular cardio workouts help prevent type 2 diabetes in the long run.
Next time you hit the gym, donât hesitate to visit the weight room, the boys wonât bite! Pick those weights up ,girl :)