Fat 2 Fit: Should Women Work Out With Weights?

Listen up ladies: The notion that weights make you bigger is a big myth. On the contrary, adding weights means losing weight.

By: Carole Carson | Source: AARP.org | 2008-12-18

One commonly held myth is that lifting weights is not good for women who want to lose weight because the workout will make them "bulk up." I didn't work out with weights at the beginning of my makeover because I was intimidated and uncertain of the benefits.

In fact, working with weights was the last element I added to my fitness regimen. And when I discovered how much weights slimmed me down, I wished I'd added them sooner.

Working with weights and doing strengthening exercises, such as push-ups and crunches, helped me lose, and then maintain, my weight loss. Strengthening activities build muscle, and muscle burns more calories than body fat. If you have more muscle, you burn more calories—even when sitting still.

In addition to doing at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity (like walking two miles in 30 minutes, or, as in my case, playing doubles tennis) on most days of the week, I also try to do strengthening activities two to three days a week. I lift weights, use large rubber bands (resistance bands), do push-ups or sit-ups, or find household or gardening tasks that engage my muscles.

Although I added it last, almost as an afterthought, I believe that weight lifting is an essential part of my exercise routine.