When I was in high school, my sophomore year I took a weightlifting class. It was me, Lacey, and the varsity football team! I had no idea that it was an extra lift hour for the team. I just wanted an easy class (do they still call those cake classes?). Lacey did not last but I hung in there. It was a long semester, but I am glad I stuck it out. Here were the results of that class, I could bench press 3 times the amount from when I started, I could leg press more than most of the guys and I had a lot of senior friends (which as a sophomore is a pretty cool thing). Did you notice what I did not say? I did not say I learned anything about weightlifting. What a missed opportunity for that teacher. That class left an impression on me and maybe if he would have been preaching the benefits of weightlifting I never would have stopped.
What do you know about weightlifting? For most, it is not much. When you mention weights most people immediately think about body builders, steroids, and bad fake tans. And some might think that weightlifting is mostly for show. Build those muscles up really big and show them off! Beside the above a few other points pop into my head and I think you may think these too.
Myth 1 – it will make you bulky
Myth 2 – it is bad for the joints
Myth 3 – it will not help you lose weight
Myth 4 – it is all about the body
Myth 5 – it can only happen at a (commercial) gym
The first myth is the #1 reason most women will not lift weights. I thought this myself at one point when I was younger. I wanted to look like Cindy Crawford or Brooke Shields not Arnold Schwarzenegger or Ronnie Coleman. I would mention female body builders like Erika Andersch or Michelle Andrea, but most do not know female body builders. Honestly, I did not really know who they were either when I was younger. That world was not a widespread world, it still is a close-knit community. But now that I have been lifting weights for while I want to take some time to debunk the myths.
Debunking the myths
Myth #1 – Lifting weights will make you bulky. It 100% will and will not. If you are looking to bulk up you will not only be increasing the pounds you lift, but you will be increasing the pounds you eat. If you are eating around 1500-1800 calories per day, you may notice an increase in your appetite on the days you lift but you will only be increasing by a couple hundred calories. You will not bulk up because you are not eating in bulk. You will start to notice definition in your muscles as you start to lean out. That means the fat will be disappearing from around your muscles and you will start to see them!
Myth #2 – It is bad for the joints. This is true only if you are lifting improperly. In the beginning I would suggest that you work with a trainer or watch videos on proper lifting techniques. The opposite of bad is good and weightlifting is good for your joints! You are strengthening the muscles around the joints which will decrease your risk of injury and strain.
Myth #3 – It will not help you lose weight. This is tied in with weightlifting making you bulky. It can be a bit tricky to understand. 1 pound of fat and 1 pound of muscle weigh the same, right? The answer is yes, but the amount of room they take up is the difference. Fat takes up more space than muscle. As you lose the fat you will be gaining muscle mass, so your weight may stay the same, but you will look leaner. If you want to lose weight, you will need to create a calorie deficit. You can do this until you reach your desired weight but you will want to balance back the calories so you can start to create definition you want. This one is a bit complicated, so if you would like to discuss it more, please reach out to me.
Myth #4 – It is all about the body. This one is just not true. As with any exercise, it is about your body, but it is about your mental health as well. Do you remember last month when I wrote about the happy hormones (dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins)? Lifting weights releases those happy hormones. You will reduce your anxiety, depression, and stress. Think about this, you are just starting to lift weights, you are starting with 5s or may be 8s. You are doing full biceps curls. Then you increase to 10s and you can do a whole set without dropping weight. You will be so excited and happy and proud of yourself. The victory and accomplishment you will feel is unmatched!
Myth #5 – It can only happen in the gym. This is false. I solely exercise from home and feel as though I am doing a pretty good job. I do not own an extensive weight set. I did not feel as though I had to go out and buy all the things…weights, bench, barbell, weight machines, etc. In fact, I do not feel as though you need all of that stuff. My opinion is that the machines can stay at the (commercial) gym, and you don’t need a bench/barbell set because you shouldn’t be bench pressing without a spotter. You can start with set of 5s and 8s and build from there. In fact, you can start with soup cans and a milk jug (but remember that needs to be temporary because proper form is key, and it is hard to properly lift a milk jug). I have been building my weight set over the years and just recently started looking for a bench, the kind that lays flat, inclines and declines, not the kind that supports a barbell. The point is it does not need to be fancy. If you can afford it to be then by all means, but if you buy the machine my best advice is to use it!
Just try it!
The great thing about lifting weights is that it can be done anywhere! You start where you are, not where I am and definitely not where Arnold is! When I say on social media to lift heavy or that I lifted heavy today, I am not talking about lifting 40-50 dumbbells. I am talking about what is heavy for me right now. I started using 5s and 8s, in fact I still use them. I also use everything up to 30s (because that is as heavy as I own). I use those for the bigger leg muscle moves! You may think that weightlifting is not for you, but I seriously encourage you to broaden your horizons in your daily intentional movement. Strictly doing one type of exercise will not be sustainable and this is coming from the cardio loving queen. The faster and more intense the cardio was the better. As I age though I am learning that is not getting me the results I want nor what my body needs, blending in weights is doing that. Get these myths out of your head and start picking up some weights. I have the perfect place to start…it is with your fork as you dive into the recipe of the month!
Recipe of the month: Korean Chickpea Cucumber Salad
By veggieanh.com
Ingredients
1 cucumber
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp maple syrup
½ tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp gochugaru can sub with other red pepper flakes
1 tbsp sesame seeds
4 cloves garlic
1 tsp sesame oil
1 green onion
200 g canned chickpeas (7oz)
Instructions
Slice the cucumber thinly. Salt the cucumber and let it sit for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, drain the liquid from the cucumber slices and rinse the cucumber under cold water.
Add all the sauces to a bowl and mix with the cucumber slices, chopped green onion and chickpeas. Mix together and enjoy right away or marinade for longer.
Move of the Month: Full Bicep Curl
Let’s work on our arms. Biceps are the large muscle on the front of the arm between the shoulder and the elbow. The main functions of the biceps are the flexion and supination (outward rotation) of the forearm. In other words, they help you bend your arm and boy do we do a lot of that in day. Biceps also give great definition to your arms. A nice defined bicep looks great on both women and men. There are few different bicep moves that work your bicep in different ways but I want to concentrate on a full bicep curl.
Bend with your knees and lift the weights with your palms facing out. Stand with your feet hip width apart. This gives you a stable base. Bend your arm up, that is move your hand toward your shoulder. Your elbows need to stay tucked in at your sides, if they come forward as you get closer to your shoulder, either move them back into place or do not lift the weight as high. You may also want to lighten your weight until you have the proper form. Another key point is to not bend your wrists. You are curling your bicep not your wrists, keep them in line with your forearm. When you get to the top, lower the weight back down to the starting point. It is a simple but very effective move.
As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me. Starting and navigating a new journey can be intimidating and overwhelming. Working with someone who has been in your shoes is extremely helpful and encouraging. Journeys are better when in the company of others.
Jilisa Ghareeb has been a Beachbody coach for 6 years. Her favorite part of being involved with fitness and nutrition is watching her clients change and open up a whole new world. As a coach, she is able to help others by introducing them to a change that is often scary, intimidating, and full of “what ifs” to an encouraging and inspirational lifestyle full of “I cans”. She uses her own story to show others that everything is possible with hard work and determination. If you’re interested in reaching out to Jilisa for more information you can contact her via email, on Instagram, or Facebook.
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