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Women Lifting WeightsFat loss workout routines must be safe and sensibleWomen lifting weights is now an acceptable way to burn belly fat and create a more feminine body. Weight training for women, however, can be filled with myth and misinformation. The three main keys for a women's fat loss program are: (1) Creating a calorie deficit (2) lifting weights to naturally increase metabolism, and (3) integrating interval training into your cardio sessions. Women who have great intent and follow through for adhering to the fundamental ways to burn belly fat, many times find themselves totally confused by (unsolicited) advice they get in the gym about training with weights. It seems like every male in the gym, as well as the personal trainers (armed with a high school education and a 2-day certification program) feel they can offer authoritative fitness advice for women. For some reason, women lifting weights are like walking targets for totally misinformed males, Reebok Romeo's, and guys who just like to hear themselves talk. 
Weight training is very beneficial to women who want to lose body fat. As long as you are creating a slight calorie deficit, each week, you will lose fat and still build lean muscle tissue. Let's look at some of the nonsense surrounding women using weights in their fat loss program. * Myth: You can get all the cardio you need from lifting weights. Wrong. Some sets and rep schemes may make you breathe hard and get a little red in the face, but they CANNOT replace the benefits of interval training for burning belly fat. * Myth: Women need to keep their reps between 10-15 so they do not get bulky. Baloney. Since women CANNOT naturally produce quarts of testosterone like males, this won't happen. Throughout the year, you need to change the poundage, number of sets, and reps in your workout to keep building strength and lean muscle mass. * Myth: Women lifting weights will have that muscle turn into fat later in life. More nonsense. Fat cells and muscle cells are as different as a nickle and a $100 bill. Fat is accumulated from poor food choices and a reduction in activity. If you stop lifting weights for awhile, reduce your caloric intake accordingly. * Myth: As long as you lift and do cardio, you can eat anything you want. No way, ladies! Yes, your caloric intake may go up a little because of the extra activity, but you still must STAY AWAY from sugar, processed foods, calorie-dense bread and pasta, and big portions. Making intelligent food choices is the key to elimminating belly fat and thigh fat. * Myth: Use dumbbells to "hit specific body parts hard" to reduce fat in that area. More stupidity. There is no such thing as targeted fat loss. You can use dumbbells as an alternative to a barbell or weight machine, but still stick to fundamental, multi-joint lifts. * Myth: Balancing one toe on a Swiss Ball while you lift will recruit more core fibers? Oh please! This is just a marketing tool used by personal trainers to get money for their services. You WILL NOT see this done at the Olympic Training Center. (However, it is good to use the Swiss Ball for crunches.) * Myth: Women lifting weights will increase their bust size naturally. Sadly, this will not happen. The female breasts are made up of fatty tissue so weight training will not help in that area. (Do NOT believe any idiot male personal trainer who tells you otherwise. This is another marketing ploy.) * Myth: Women who lift frequently and consistently will become more masculine and bulky-looking. Good grief, Charlie Brown, we thought his idea went out with "The Twist." Since women CANNOT produce anywhere close to the amount of testosterone as guys, this WILL NOT happen. Professional female bodybuilders look masculine because of their disturbing steroid use. Women who get bulky are making poor food choices that are giving them a calorie-surplus, resulting in increased fat storage. * Myth: Just about any male or personal trainer at your gym can give you solid information on weight training. Ha Ha Ha! We all need a good joke to make the day go better. Women lifting weights, who also combine intelligent food choices and structured cardio that includes interval training to establish a calorie deficit, can see significant body changes in a 6-month and 12-month period. Changes are not instantaneous. They are progressive and take time, but they will be worth your commitment. We wish you the best in your journey of a life without fat.
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* Myth: Weight training makes you stiff, robotic, and musclebound. This is truly ignorant. If there was any merit in it, why would all the women on the Olympic Team, plus ballerinas, figure skaters, female golf and tennis players lift weights? Remember, a COMPLETE workout program includes stretching (and practicing your sports skills if you still compete).