Ask the Trainer: Women and Weight Lifting

One of my most frequently asked questions is:

As a woman, will lifting weights make me big?

The  answer is a simple NO! The explanation is not as simple as the answer. Incresing muscular size is called hypertrophy. To get a muscle to increase in size, you must first stress it beyond its present capability. More importantly, you must consume more calories than you require to maintain your body weight. In response to the stress, muscle overcompensates and becomes stronger.

In order to hypertrophy, there must be additional calories present. Muscle growth can only take place if you eat more than you need. Think of someone that's obese; they grow in size—not necessarily muscle—because they eat more than their body requires. If you eat above your caloric requirement, you will get bigger. If you eat below your caloric requirement, you"ll get smaller. Eat at your requirement, you'll maintain your weight.

Think of a 114lb weightlifter—you may catch one during the Olympics. They lift crazy heavy, yet they stay at 114lbs. They eat enough to support their bodyweight and fulfill energy requirements. Hence, they neither gain, nor lose size and weight. It's not the weights you lift that make you bigger, it's the excess calories you consume. As long as you're medically sound, you'll only get bigger if you eat more than you need! Strength training, done correctly, burns more fat than aerobics. Don't deny yourself the numerous benefits of proper strength training, because of an outdated myth!