Why Everyone (Yes, Everyone) Should Lift Heavy Weights

When I look back on my fitness journey, It’s hard to believe there was a time when I didn’t lift weights. Believe it or not, I actually didn’t start strength training until my thirties! 

At the time, I was working in television and I was the queen of aerobics. My cardiovascular health was outstanding, and sure, I was thin, but I had no muscle mass or tone to speak of. I was skinny, but I wasn’t what I consider now to be fit. It wasn’t until one of my colleagues at the station said, “You know, you would be great at lifting weights,” that I decided to give it a try. 

The first time I touched that weight, there was so much power in it, and it really excited me! And the way strength training changed and sculpted my body...it was something I could never have achieved by just doing aerobics. Today, at 64, I have the same body composition that I had when I was decades younger, and I credit that to lifting weights. But to be clear, I’m not talking about light weights—like three or five pounds—I’m talking about lifting heavy weights. 

Here’s why I lift heavy, and why you should too. 

1. Lean muscle mass burns fat—which can aid your weight loss efforts. 

I recommend weight training to anyone, regardless of what your goals are, but especially if you want to change the way your body looks. The reason I say that is because the more lean muscle mass you have, the more your body is going to burn fat. (And statistics show that 80 percent of women have too little muscle and too much fat.) 

If you do a lot of cardiovascular exercise (running, aerobics, spinning, etc.), but you’re not also doing weight training, you’re going to burn through your muscle—which is the opposite of what you want to do. You want to keep as much lean muscle mass as you can, because that increases your basal metabolic rate (the baseline number of calories you burn at rest). In fact, without strength training, you can expect a 3 percent drop in metabolism per decade, which equates to an average of 15 pounds of weight gain per decade, or more. 

It’s also worth mentioning that we lose muscle mass as we age. Women naturally lose five to 10 pounds of muscle per decade after 50, so having a consistent resistance training regimen becomes even more vital as time goes on. Fortunately, this muscle loss and the slowing of our metabolism can be reversed by strength training and building lean muscle. 

So, how do you build lean muscle? By lifting heavy weights—as heavy as you can do safely for six to eight reps (10 reps maximum). Keep in mind that what’s heavy for one person isn’t heavy for another; you have to lift for your specific body. If you’ve never lifted before, don’t pick up the 20 pound dumbbells. Start where you are and progress as you go. 

2. Strength training can improve your mental health. 

It’s common knowledge that exercise releases endorphins, giving us that sort of “high” feeling during and afterwards. The benefits of exercise for combatting depression, anxiety, stress, and more have been studied and proven a million times over. So if you struggle with any of those (who doesn’t?), developing an exercise routine could enhance your quality of life. 

That said, I’ve found that strength training has even more of a positive impact on my mental health than cardio—and there’s science to back it up. There’s a significant mental component to strength training. The satisfaction and gratification I feel when I challenge myself to lift is unlike any other. The fact that I achieve feats of strength in the gym makes me believe that I can achieve anything. This confidence overflows into other parts of my life, like when I think I can’t do something. When I lift heavy, I’m reminded that I can. 

3. It can improve your bone density. 

The older we get, the more bone density we lose—especially women, and especially after menopause. When women reach menopause, our estrogen levels drop severely, and the rate at which we lose bone increases. As a result, it’s not uncommon for post menopausal women to develop osteoporosis—a disease in which our bones become fragile and are more likely to fracture.

Strength training is one of the best ways to combat age-related bone loss. Many studies have shown that lifting weights (which puts some stress on our bones) encourages our bone-forming cells to react by creating stronger and denser bones. In other words, by adopting a strength training routine, even just a few times a week, we’re able to decrease our risk of developing osteoporosis, slow bone density loss as we age, and even strengthen our bones by putting our cells to work. 

Where and how to get started lifting weights

If you’re wondering where to start, here’s what I recommend. Beginners (as in, brand new to fitness) should start with two full-body strength training sessions a week, lasting between 30 and 40 minutes. For those who have an established fitness routine but don’t strength train, you can likely take on three or four sessions a week, each session focusing on a different part of the body (upper body, lower body, etc.). 

In terms of the best exercises to do, I center all of my strength workouts around compound exercises—movements that work more than one muscle or muscle group. Some of my go-to exercises are squats, pushups, presses, and rows. If you haven’t done these before, you can consult video tutorials online (just check your sources), and then gut-check with a trainer to make sure you’re doing them correctly. 

Also, remember that you need to work every muscle in your body, not just your favorites. I personally love training my upper body, but I know that in order to hit my fitness goals and maintain the health and physique I want to, I have to dedicate time to training my lower body, and all my other muscles. 

What to know before you start

Before jumping in, I encourage you to get your bone density checked by your doctor, and if all is good, sign up for a session or two with a certified personal trainer. Not only will this teach you how to perform exercises with the proper form and avoid injury, but it’ll also help you determine how heavy of weights you should be using. 

And to be clear: Lifting heavy weights will not make you bulky—it’s incredibly difficult for women to bulk up in the same way men do, because our testosterone levels are much lower. So lift heavy! 

My final tip is to enjoy yourself! The best workout is the one you do, but if you’re going to do one, why not try strength training? 

In the meantime, if you want more workout inspiration and a group of like-minded women who are there to support you and hold you accountable, join our Pure Joy Wellness Private Facebook Group! Simply visit the group here and click “Join Group.” From there, I’ll accept your request and you’re in! 

Let’s get stronger together. 

xo

Renata