When it comes to fitness (well, undeniably, when it comes to most things) I'm an overachiever. And my main competitor is (as it is for most people, really) myself. That working out allows me to push my limits and discover my strengths while achieving measurable results is one of the many reasons I'm drawn to it.
And it's also pretty cool when — after you've upped the amount of weight you lift, as I did around the first of the year — people you work out with start to notice. Having that tangible proof of your efforts is definitely cause to celebrate.
This past Saturday, for instance, a longtime workout buddy who had just returned to the gym after a medical-related workout sabbatical, remarked: “Wow, you've really increased your weight, girl. You're going to be super strong!” At that point, I flexed my arms in a sort of cheesy Arnold-Schwarzenegger-meets-Jillian-Michaels style to emphasize just how much of fitness rock star I am.
Not really.
But what I did do is go home and write this blog. Why? Because my pal's comment sparked a thought and I wanted to point it out to my favorite reader friends. But this time, my blog is for ladies only. (Sorry, guys.)
Here's the deal, gals: No matter how hard we try. No matter the amount of pounds we pack onto our bars or how heavy of a hand weight we use. No matter that we do a gazillion repetitions or a sweat-inducing amount of sets. No matter what kind of physical calisthenics we do, when it comes to building muscles, we women don't bulk up. We just don't have enough testosterone flowing through our lovely female forms to create Popeye-sized muscles. (Spinach is great, but a muscle maximizer it is not.)
So if you shy away from lifting weights because you think you'll blow up into some sort of muscle monster, it's not going to happen; it's simply not in our design. But what will happen is that, because muscles burn calories even when you're not working out, your body will turn into a toned, lean, calorie-burning machine.
Plus, you'll gain the confidence we all need to view our bikini-clad bodies in a three-way dressing-room mirror. And I don't know about you, but I'd say that's some pretty darn good motivation right there.
