Whether lifting in a competition is on your bucket list, or you’re in it for life, if you lift and you’re a lady, you already know. You already know that lifting is the best thing you can do for yourself. When you stop seeing the gym as something you have to do, and start seeing it as the wonderful sanctuary it can be, that amazing shift in mindset transpires. You can probably add to this list of reasons why lifting weights just rocks, but here are some of mine…..
- As Stan Efferding is fond of saying, ‘Movement is Medicine.’ Indeed, our bodies are made to move and the more you move the better you feel. Training improves how you feel both mentally and physically. No need to cite the science stuff here…we all know that training releases endorphins, and endorphins boost our mood. There are countless studies about how the mind and body are connected, and how your physiology effects your psychology and emotions. So basically, the days you don’t want to train are probably the days you most need to do so. The only gym session I’ve ever regretted was the one I did not do.
- The time I lift is my time, for me! When I am in the gym, my work phone is not with me. No emails or calls. No kids or partners asking for something…Nothing is present unless I want it to be present and this is my time for myself, my investment in my health and future self. And we all know that we cannot pour from an empty cup, so if you have a hard time taking time for yourself, see it as a top up so you can be a better more healthy, stronger and less stressed version of you that can in turn be even more for those that rely on you. Or, just let go of that guilt and remind yourself that it’s OK to take time just for you! And while there’s nothing wrong with that glass of wine or chocolate, an even better treat, that will keep on giving for longer, is a date with the weights!
- Lifting imparts lessons that are transferable to all areas of life. The simple acts of making a plan and following through to achieve a goal is something that once done, is more easily replicated in other areas of life. By holding myself accountable to a commitment to train twice a week, I create neural pathways and mental habits that are also applicable to every other area. I make a commitment to myself, and I keep it. Simple as. Interestingly, most agree that it takes a full six months to create new neural pathways, or ways of thinking. Good habits take time to form. So, stick with it. You deserve this.
- Another easily transferable aspect of lifting is the confidence it imparts. As I repeatedly set goals and reach them, my confidence grows, and this cannot help but spill into other areas of my life. And life will happen. Beautiful things happen. Horrible things happen. But I have the confidence in my own abilities now that is a quiet constant. When you’ve stood up with three times your body weight on your back in a squat, suddenly you don’t find speaking in front of an auditorium of people or making a proposal to a board quite so intimidating. Confidence that comes from consistently taking care of yourself and achieving goals spills over into all aspects of life.
- Focus is the third transferable lesson from lifting. We all know that wherever your mind goes, your energy will follow. When you think about something, your mind does not know if it is a positive, (like an exciting goal or something you’re looking forward to) or a negative (like a fear or ‘what if’ invasive thought). It only knows that this is where we are focusing, so it does as it’s told and acts accordingly, doing everything to make to manifest that concept. So, training my brain to focus on a positive goal and the continuous improvements that come with consistent training is a strong mental habit that is useful in every aspect of life.
Accountability, Confidence and Focus are only three of the transferable takeaways I’ve gleaned from lifting. Couple this with the better mood and of course increased confidence, in both myself and my physical body, and you can easily see why I am a lady that loves lifting. Why do you love it?