The Unconventional Inspiration that Changed My Mind About Women and Weightlifting & Boosted My Self-Confidence x100000

Several years ago when I decided that it was time to get myself "in shape," I, like many other women, assumed that more cardio would help me achieve my goals. I eschewed lifting weights because I didn't want to "get bulky." I thought, incorrectly, that lifting weights would made me gain weight and develop an unsightly jawline or some other equally-masculine and unfavorable attribute. 

How I used to think weight training would make me look...[Source]

Ha, I have to LOL just thinking about it. 

:-) [Source]

It also never occurred to me that what I ate could make or break my success to such a dramatic extent. I assumed that as long as I "burned off all the calories" I ate, I wouldn't have to give anything up. So I didn't. But I also didn't account for the way my excessive cardio habit would make me crave carbs constantly; experience intense and persistent cravings; and experience such extremely low-lows and high-highs in my energy. I never could have predicted all the nagging injuries that would plague me when I was running 15-20 miles per week (go figure), or how much the cycle would affect my self-esteem and body confidence. Plain and simply, I had very limited amounts of both and normal, everyday interactions with others would often send me into a tailspin of self-doubt. 

After I run, I wanted ALL THE FOODS! [Source]

It was so hard for me to see it then, but what I was doing wasn't working--for my health, my psyche, or my waistline! If you can relate to this at all, here's my advice to you: if what you're doing isn't working, it's time to reassess. For me, this mean reevaluating my workouts first: endurance running just wasn't getting me the results I was after, so I started strength training more earnestly. Of course, everyone is different, so if you're happy with your exercise regimen and it happens to involve a lot of running, more power to you and keep rockin' the  miles. If you like how you look as an endurance athlete and your physique leaves nothing to be desired, GO YOU! That's amazing! If you manage your cravings and your energy levels aren't all over the place, and nothing about how you feel physically seems off, you are doing something right and I commend you.

#truthbomb [Source]

However, if this does not describe you, take it from me: there is another--heck, there are many other!-- way to do fitness. If you're scared to try something new because of what you've heard, or what you've read, or what worked for your friend or your cousin or your neighbor, think about how much scarier it would be to be in the exact same place years from now than it would to just try some other way. Seriously, no one's holding a gun to your head--if you hate it, you can always go back to the old way; it will be there for you. I'm giving you the advice that I wish someone had given me or I'd encountered when I was really struggling because I was sososo reluctant to try anything different. I was scared because my self-esteem was so low that I actually didn't think that I deserved to feel better about myself, either physically or emotionally. I thought it was cross to bear, when in reality I deserve to be as happy, confident, and at peace with myself as anyone else does...

AND SO DO YOU. 


It's really, really hard to look past all the dogma of the fitness industry. Trust me, I know! There are a lot of barriers out there for women who are intrigued by weight training, but are reluctant to try it because of what they've heard from others or read online. And sometimes, it feels like your only options are to join a CrossFit box and it doesn't get more intimidating than that for a newbie! There are other options out there, don't get me wrong, but in my case, a stubborn sense of self-efficacy kept me from placing the responsibility of my results entirely in the hands of another. So I researched, and read and read read. I found blogs that I still read today that shifted the paradigm for me in favor of strength training as the more effective and fun way to burn fat, build muscle, and form a healthier relationship with my body. 

At the same that I discovered all these blogs, I also encountered the "fitspo" movement through memes and other images. At the time, I didn't realize how unrealistic these images were and how they imply a false sense of how weight training affects the average woman's body. I had no idea that the women in these images who appeared perfectly cut, chiseled, tanned, glistening, and beautiful, with body fat percentages in the very low double-digits, actually reinforced unhealthy relationships with food, dieting, and exercise. 

Source 

Lifting heavy weights can make your body look like THAT?
OK, I'll try it! [Source]

Looking back, though, it was a blessing that I didn't know what lurked behind these photos because "fitspo" is what helped me discover the transformative effects that weight training would have both my physique and my mindset. "Fitspo" bridged a gap for me that was formerly intractable. If heavy weight training got these women to look like that, I could certainly give it a try! And I never looked back. "Fitspo" helped me to  finally let go of the fears that were holding me back from the weight room. If it weren't for those "aspirational" images, I may have never experienced the sense of accomplishment that comes after a tough lifting session, and I certainly wouldn't have found the body confidence that had alluded me for so long. I had to have an image to cling onto in order to realize that I am my own most wonderful example of health. Even though the unrealistic expectations that "fitspo" imagery puts forth can be damaging, AT LEAST they are doing SOMETHING to change the paradigm about women and strength training. I can't begrudge it that, especially since "fitspo" was my path to a stronger, leaner, and healthier body that I love and want to care for. It was a conduit for my appreciation for women's bodies of all shapes and sizes that have been enhanced through weight training. 

All different body types, all beautiful and built with strength training!
[Source]