Whenever you think of an addicting feeling, I’m guessing the gym doesn’t come to mind. I hope to change that. I’ve been weight training (on and off) for about six years. More recently, when I have started to train consistently, I’ve noticed that I am now addicted. Addicted to the four physical and mental benefits that it has given me – and the reasons that you should start now. One – it has profound effects on your confidence. Two – you build mental resilience. Three – your sleep and energy levels will improve. Four – you will be stronger and have a higher metabolism. And if that’s not enough to convince you, think of all that eye candy. So start lifting those weights, girl.
Confidence
As women in the gym, we are often outnumbered. This can feel intimidating at first. I hope it assures you when I say that stepping into the gym is the hardest part. The first day that you increase your weight (even if it’s from a 5kg dumbbell to a 6kg), you will feel a sense of achievement. And from that moment on, you won’t care about anyone else anymore. Confidence comes from doing something hard, and doing it well. The more you progress, the more you will believe in yourself. That’s all it is. Just remember that no matter who you see in the gym, regardless of how strong they look, they started where you are now.
Mental resilience
Confidence ties in well with the next benefit – mental resilience. With anything challenging, your brain is primed and ready to quit at any moment. It’s easier to give up than it is to push through when it’s hard. Training can give you accountability and grit, if you so choose. James Clear (author of Atomic Habits) says it so well – “There will be days when you don’t feel like coming into the gym. There will be sets that you don’t feel like finishing… And if you keep showing up anyway, then you’ll develop the mental fortitude to get past failure, work when you don’t feel like it, and discover what you’re really made of mentally and physically”.
Sleep & energy
Like I mentioned here, exercise will improve your sleep. For the longest time, I was convinced that the less I did during the day, the more energy I would have. Turns out, that’s not actually the case. Consistent, moderate – high aerobic exercise (including lifting weights) enhances your deep sleep, overall sleep quality, and boosts your energy during the day. I know how it feels to want to nap every single afternoon. When I commit to the gym 2 – 3 times per week, that wanting goes away almost completely. I must admit, napping is quite enjoyable. But endorphins and energy are even more so.
Strength & metabolism
When you lift weights, you get stronger. Crazy, right? What you might not know is that muscle helps to increase your metabolism and balance your blood sugar. The reason is this – muscle tissue requires more energy (glucose) to build and maintain than fat tissue. Increased muscle and strength also benefit you as you age and start to become weaker. Strength comes with slightly less important positives, too. For example, feeling confident enough to challenge every male you know to an arm wrestle. Or constantly showing them how big your bicep is so they get scared. My biggest achievement was beating the 13 year old I used to nanny in several arm wrestling matches. Winning.
Getting started
Like I said, the hardest part is getting in the gym to start with. You may have no idea what you’re doing, but that’s completely fine, because that’s all of us. My advice – get on YouTube or Instagram and start watching videos created by personal trainers that show you how to perform an exercise. Whitney Simmons is a great one – she posts a lot of her workouts online. And if you’re in the gym and you don’t know how to use a particular machine, just ask a PT or a gym manager. They will always be happy to show you how a machine works. Don’t be afraid to be bad at something new. Then, get good and conquer the world. Good luck!
Yours,
Kait x
Cover photo by Cottonbro Studio