There is a persistent belief that women should avoid heavy weights during workouts. Some of the supposed reasons for this include loss of figure, weight gain, and getting a bulky, mannish look. These myths are easily dispelled with the aid of a few facts backed by scientific evidence.
Muscle and fat weigh exactly the same. The reason that this myth is so preponderant is that if you were to place two similarly sized chunks of fat and muscle on a scale, the muscle would weigh much more. However, If you measured a 5 pound chunk of fat and a 5 pound cut of muscle, the fat would appear to be twice the muscle’s size. This is because muscle is much denser than fat, meaning it packs more cells into a given volume than fat does. So, by building muscle in your legs and thighs, you may only lose a few pounds, but your legs would look remarkably thinner.
There is also the benefit that a pound of Muscle burns between 10 and 20 calories per day, while a pound of fat only consumes 5 calories. Thus, people with high muscle mass have a higher metabolic rate, which means they consume energy faster, meaning it will be less likely the body will convert the energy to fat. So by maintaining good muscle mass through weightlifting, your body will convert less energy to fat and consume more just maintaining itself. Fears of bulking up like an action star are unfounded, as females do not have enough testosterone to build unladylike physiques with a regular weightlifting routine. Building muscle mass will result in a toned look, a slim waist, firm legs, less fat and much higher energy levels are some of the rewards of a regular weight-lifting program.
The weight gain that is associated with heavy exercise is mostly water weight. This is just a temporary retention of water by the muscle tissue after a strenuous workout. New muscle is not built on the gym floor, the process continues long after and a great deal of it in your sleep. Your muscle’s hold extra water so that your body can easily build new muscle cells and repair microscopic tears that occur with every workout. Weight gain that occurs during diets is also classified as water weight. It usually occurs a result of what studies refer to as ”Famine edema”. The body, for reasons not perfectly understood, will retain much more water when food intake is limited. It is because of this phenomenon that many diets end in failure in spite of limiting caloric intake to 1000 calories a day. This is easily avoided by understanding the fact that is is nearly impossible to build muscle without energy, food. This is why a balanced exercise routine is important in getting the body you want. Weightlifting is an essential part of it. Even if it contributes to some overnight water retention, remember that if you are overweight it is because of overeating. The short term gains of water weight will be more than offset by the slimness won through higher muscle density, and the higher metabolic rate offered by high muscle mass.
Weightlifting while pregnant is usually not recommended, as some studies find it poses a risk to the child’s health, An article in the September 1997 issue of “Medical Anthropology Quarterly” drew a link between the heavy physical work undertaken by women in modern Albania and the relatively high rates of miscarriage. However, this is not the position of the medical community at large, a University of Georgia study has found that a supervised, low-to-moderate intensity program is safe and beneficial.
The research was recently published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health.
Whether you are male or female, it is critical to follow safe procedures in order to minimize your risk of injury. For example, The Mayo Clinic stresses the importance of lifting weights of the appropriate mass, as in a weight it is possible for you to lift 12 and 15 times without discomfort.
Once becoming a little bit more acquainted with the science regarding weight lifting and weight gain, it becomes quite clear that the benefits clearly more than outweigh the risks.