There is an unfortunate common misconception of women and bodybuilding and the subjective notion of “femininity.” When I mention that my hobby or sport, so to speak, is bodybuilding, 9 out of 10 times I get the same bloody reaction. And I’m not going to lie it drives me BONKERS!With a hint of intrigue people usually react by saying “Ooo don’t get huge, alyna, like those beefy chicks” or “really? But it’s so not feminine. You’re fine the way you are” Urg! First off, it is HUMANLY IMPOSSIBLE for women to get “huge” unless they take anabolic steroids or other performance enhancing drugs; and secondly, WTF is feminine? Is that dainty? Fragile? Sweet? Soft? Because to me that ain’t feminine; and if that is what your perception of “female” or“feminine” is, then I advise you to get on the bandwagon of progression because you’re going to be left behind with your primitive thought process and unfortunately shallow and benighted philosophies. It really is so deplorable how feminine ideologies are so deeply rooted in us human beings and the media keeps pumping fuel into these sad ideologies. Women are seen to have big boobs, tiny waists, no strength or muscular definition, and soft skin. Well guess what,MAJORITY, and by majority I mean CLOSE TO ALL women DO NOT fit this image. I have nonexistent tiny boobs, and guess what? I freaking love them. If I had big honkers I would not even look real because it is biologically impossible – athletic chicks should be flat chested(unless of course you are genetically created with a heavier bust and have not dropped a fair amount of body fat). I can probably lift heavier than a handful of guys who enter the gym and guess wat? I love being strong, it allows me to practice every day mundane tasks pain free. I have traps, lats, bis, tris, delts, quads, hammys, and almost visible abdominal muscles (woot! Time and effort will only make them more visible)…and GUESS WHAT? I freaking LOVE my muscles. I work my ass off at the gym so I can get them to be hard and chiseled, and if some dude thinks that’s intimidating or gross then f”ck off. My philosophy in life is LOVE IT or LEAVE IT. I love the person I am too much to alter myself and my ideologies for someone else, whether it is my man or my mother. When I tell people I want a 6 pack and obliques that pop out and wrap around my waist, they often react by saying “omg, you mean like a man?” And every time I want to reply by saying LIKE A MAN???? If it was “like a man” then how on earth do women have abdominal muscles and oblique muscles? No I want a 6 pack and obliques like a WOMAN because women have the same exact muscles as men. It is not like men have deltoids or obliques and women don’t. Ahh my blood boils every time. I want to represent women and femininity in this ever so slowly changing yet still backward world, because I am a WOMAN, I AM FEMININE and I HAVE MUSCLES!
Okay, enough of my ranting. I did not mean to get so fired up. I sat down to explain how women can’t get huge and then my fingers started jabbering away. To the women who do not want to lift heavy weights in fear of bulking up…ladies, you are missing out, ESPECIALLY if your goals are to lose weight or body fat. So many women go to the gym and do copious amount of laborious, vexatious cardio in hopes to sweat away their fat. FAIL. I mean yah you may lose weight on the scale, but your body will still look flabby and out of shape (ever heard of skinny fat? well thats what you will be!), and it will probably take you a lot longer without the heavy lifting. Now the REASON we cannot get massive bulging muscles is because we lack the male hormone TESTOSTERONE, which boosts muscle growth. Don’t get me wrong, women do produce testosterone, but we produce 30 times less testosterone than men. Once you start lifting heavy weights, you may see the number on the scale increase, but this should not discourage you. Muscle weights more than fat; therefore, when you gain more muscle tissue, and lose more fat, you often gain weight or see no change in the scale. I personally do not use the scale as an indicator of anything. I look in the mirror or use a tape measure or use my clothes as an indicator.
Also, the beauty of more muscle means you burn more fat at rest. Muscle has the magical power to incinerate calories at rest. Research shows that for every 2 pounds of muscle you gain, you will burn 70-100 more calories per day. So what does that mean?? The more muscle you have the more fat you lose!!! WOWZA! Right?! Having more muscle also aids in STRONG BONES. Women are more inclined to get osteoporosis than men, a disease caused by low bone density and airy porous bones.
Skeletal muscle is the muscle that hugs to your skeleton – your bones. When you increase the tissues of these muscles, your bones are forced to adapt and increase in density. Now who wouldn’t want stronger bone?! So remember, BE INFORMED…BE EDUCATED…do not listen to sally and debby at the gym when they tell you not to lift heavy weights in fear of “looking like a man.” If you don’t believe me, then look at my body. I am a living example. Cut the 2 hour cardio sessions, increase the weight and I promise you will see results. Oh and of course, I always say this: nutrition is key. If you eat like a starving child at an all-you-can-eat buffet, I guarantee, you will see no results!
sweatpantsandeggplants 