Strength Training for Women: Lift Heavy, Live Easy

Imagine if a single pill could help you burn fat, sculpt muscle, strengthen bones, balance hormones, and even extend your lifespan. You’d take it in a heartbeat, right? Sadly, we are yet to come up with this miracle pill, but there’s another way for you to get all these benefits from one thing: weight lifting.

It’s been wonderful to see more women start weightlifting in the past few years and I hope that trend only continues to grow. The myths that lifting weight will make women bulky are dying (finally!), and it’s only for the best! I do still see many women who doubt whether they truly need to lift weights or believe that other forms of exercise are enough. However, strength training for women is essential for overall health, providing benefits that no other workout can match.

We can all agree that any physical activity is better than none and that it’s important to find movement you enjoy. BUT, I also believe that ALL women should incorporate strength training into their program, even if it’s just short workouts or two days a week. Weightlifting is unrivaled in how it benefits your body—there’s almost nothing else you can do that gives you all these benefits in one form of exercise.

This article explains why every woman, at any age, should incorporate weight training into her life for long-term health, strength, and confidence.

Weightlifting is a Game-Changer for Women’s Health

Many women view weightlifting as a form of physical activity geared towards men or bodybuilders, those seeking strength or a Herculean body. Strength training for women is about more than aesthetics; it’s about functional strength, longevity, and hormone health. Whether you want to carry groceries with ease, lift your kids without strain, improve posture, or stay strong as you age, weightlifting builds practical strength that enhances daily life.

Weightlifting can also help women achieve the adored ‘toned’ look they strive for. Toning your body is in simple terms: building muscle while reducing body fat.

Many forms of exercise can help you lose weight, but none can build muscle like weight lifting. Without the weights, you won’t be able to get the defined and sculpted look that a ‘toned’ body has.

Key Benefits

Personally, strength training transformed my health. When I’m consistent, I feel stronger, more energized, and mentally clear. I’ve also seen the impact of consistent strength training and proper nutrition/supplements improve my PCOS symptoms. I lift 4-5 times a week and am currently focused on increasing my lean muscle mass.

Strength training can give you a unique full-body transformation on many levels:

It burns fat more effectively than cardio alone.
It builds lean muscle, creating a toned, sculpted look.
It protects bone health, reducing the risk of osteoporosis.
It boosts metabolism and increases resting metabolic rate, making it easier to maintain a healthy weight.
It regulates hormones, improving insulin sensitivity and even easing PCOS and menopause symptoms.
It improves mental health, reducing anxiety and depression.
It increases longevity, helping you stay strong and independent as you age.

Burn Fat Faster

We are conditioned to think that forms of cardio (like running, cycling and HIIT) are best to lose weight and while they do have their benefit, these forms of cardio neglect a very important organ: our skeletal muscle mass. Increasing and maintaining our muscle mass is absolutely vital and supports every aspect of our lives – including fat loss and a faster metabolism. Relying mainly on cardio-focused exercises to lose weight has been shown to cause muscle loss and slow metabolism over time. Excessive cardio can also cause increased cortisol levels, which leads to fat retention, especially around the waist.

On the other hand, strength training preserves and increases lean muscle mass. This helps us lose fat by raising our Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR). Our RMR represents the number of calories we burn at rest – if we increase our RMR, we can burn more while maintaining our ‘usual’ activity level.

More muscle = more calories burned daily

A 2017 study showed that weightlifting improves fat oxidation (fat burning) and metabolic flexibility, meaning the body becomes more efficient at burning fat instead of storing it.[1]

Improve Bone Health & Prevent Osteoporosis

As women, we are at a higher risk for osteoporosis, especially after we hit menopause and experience a decrease in our estrogen. The loss of bone associated with osteoporosis increases our risk of bone fractures, leading to reduced mobility, chronic pain, and loss of independence in later years.

Strength training stimulates bone growth by putting controlled stress on bones, signaling them to become denser and stronger. In fact, a 2018 study in The Journal of Bone and Mineral Research found that high-intensity resistance training significantly improved bone density in postmenopausal women – without causing fractures.[2] Research has also shown that strength training is one of the most effective ways to prevent and manage osteoporosis in women.[3]

Menopause is an inevitable stage of our lives as women. If you’re thinking you’re too young to worry about it, think again—strength training when young stimulates bone growth when your skeleton is most responsive to mechanical stress. If you have great bone density, you won’t have to worry as much about losing it as you age – especially if you continue to lift weights.

Balance Hormones & Improve Insulin Sensitivity

Hormones are involved in nearly every function in the body, including metabolism, energy levels, mood, appetite, and fat storage. Strength training for women is key to balancing these hormones, leading to better overall health, fat loss, and improved well-being.

Strength training stimulates the release of growth hormone, which helps in muscle building. If you haven’t realized by now, we love muscle and want more!

Weightlifting effects on hormones:

Insulin

Insulin is a critical hormone that is responsible for regulating blood sugar levels. High insulin and insulin sensitivity can cause many issues, from fat storage to insulin resistance and diabetes. Needless to say, it’s a hormone we all need to be concerned about and one that women with PCOS especially tend to struggle with a lot. Insulin resistance makes managing PCOS symptoms and losing weight harder than usual. Weightlifting can balance blood sugar and improve insulin sensitivity. Resistance training improves glucose metabolism, helping the body use insulin more effectively, which reduces fat storage and sugar cravings.[4]

Androgens

A group of male hormones that women have as well but at different levels than men. When high, androgens can cause many women with PCOS to struggle with acne, hair loss, facial hair, and weight gain. Strength training can reduce androgen levels, in part by reducing body fat percentage, which may indirectly improve adrogen levels by influencing hormone-binding protein.[5]

Cortisol

We all need cortisol to help us manage stress, regulate blood sugar, and reduce inflammation – but like most things, too much of it can be detrimental. If you’re dealing with chronic stress, high cortisol for an extended period can lead your body to store more fat and break down muscle. High levels will also affect your sugar cravings and mood. Weightlifting has been shown to lower baseline cortisol levels and enhance emotional resilience. It helps the body adapt to stress, making it more resilient daily.

Estrogen & Progesterone Balance

Both of these hormones fluctuate during each menstrual cycle and significantly affect a woman’s mood, metabolism, fat storage, energy levels, and cravings—too much estrogen (relative to progesterone) is linked with weight gain, PMS, and bloating. There’s a lot of talk on social media about women trying to balance their hormones through diet and supplements. Weightlifting is a very impactful way for women to support their hormonal health. It helps regulate estrogen and promote progesterone production, preventing excess fat accumulation and reducing PMS symptoms like bloating, fatigue, and mood swings.

Serotonin & Dopamine

These hormones play a major role in our mental health. Serotonin is our feel-good hormone, and dopamine is responsible for motivation and focus. Low levels of these hormones can lead to depression, anxiety and mental health struggles. Weightlifting is a miracle drug when it comes to these hormones – it triggers serotonin to be released in the body and boosts dopamine levels. Researchers have found that it can be just as effective as antidepressants for mild to moderate depression.[6]

Invest In Your Strength – The Return Will Be Worth It!

If we could take a pill that impacted our body in the way strength training does, we would run to get it. No other form of exercise offers such a comprehensive list of benefits—from burning fat and sculpting muscle to balancing hormones, strengthening bones, improving mental health, and increasing longevity.

Strength training for women is still very underrated, with many women prioritizing other forms of activity like cardio, pilates, and yoga. Any physical activity is better than none, and while each type has its own benefits, none can help women build muscle like strength training does. Weightlifting and maintaining lean muscle mass can be life-changing for better health, confidence, and longevity.

One of the best things about weightlifting is that you can start anytime and reap tremendous benefits.

Strength training in your 20s and 30s helps establish a strong foundation for your health by building muscle and bone density.
As you enter your 40s and 50s, weightlifting helps balance hormones, prevent weight gain, and maintain metabolism as hormone levels fluctuate (especially estrogen!).
In your 60s and beyond, resistance training will help you preserve your independence, prevent falls, and reduce the risk of osteoporosis and chronic disease.

Regardless of your age or fitness level, you can benefit from strength training! Even short sessions a couple of times a week can make a profound difference – make sure you maintain consistency though!

If you’ve never lifted weights, I encourage you to grab a pair of dumbbells and even do a home workout (YouTube has great free options to start). Better yet, if you have a gym membership, check if they offer a free personal training (many of them do), and ask a trainer to show you the basics.

No matter where you are – just start! Pick up a pair of dumbbells, try a simple workout, or join a strength training class. Consistency is the goal!

If you want to nerd out a little:

[1] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5513193/

[2] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jbmr.3284

[3] https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/how-does-resistance-training-prevent-osteoporosis#effectiveness

[4] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7739243/

[5] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7739243/

[6] https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/exercise-is-an-all-natural-treatment-to-fight-depression