Okay, real talk: when was the last time you actually enjoyed a workout? 🧐 For years, I treated exercise like a punishment for eating pizza – endless treadmill sessions while binge-watching Netflix, “wellness” smoothies that tasted like lawn clippings, and that soul-crushing voice in my head going “burn those calories, girl!” 🏃♀️💔 Then one day, mid-plank (read: mid-collapse), I realized: Why does “fitness” feel like a toxic relationship?
That’s when I discovered strength training – and honey, it’s not about getting “toned” for bikini season. 💥 Studies show women who lift weights 2-3x weekly increase bone density by 13% in 6 months (take that, osteoporosis!), reduce anxiety better than meditation apps (Journal of Sports Medicine, 2023), and literally rewire their brains to handle stress. 🧠✨ My “aha moment”? When I deadlifted 80kg – my bodyweight – and suddenly understood what real power feels like. No thigh gap required.
Here’s the tea ☕:
1. Muscle is the new mindfulness: Forget “burning calories” – lifting teaches you to listen to your body. That shaky quad during a lunge? That’s your nervous system upgrading its software.
2. Progress ≠ punishment: I track PRs (personal records), not pounds. Last month I hip-thrusted 100kg while blasting Beyoncé – tell me that’s not spiritual. 🙌
3. The hunger games STOP here: Eating 180g of protein daily (yes, I’ll share my buffalo chicken salad hack 👇) made me ditch the binge-restrict cycle. My hair stopped falling out. My skin glows. Science-backed flex: muscle burns 3x more calories at rest than fat.
But wait – where’s the catch?
• “Won’t I bulk up?” Girl, we have 15x less testosterone than men. Those CrossFit goddesses you see? They WORK for that.
• “Gymtimidation is real!” I started with soup cans in my living room. Pro tip: play Lizzo at max volume – instant confidence boost. 🎶
• “What if I suck at it?” My first squat looked like a drunk flamingo. Now? I’m teaching my 58-year-old mom to do box jumps.
The revolution isn’t pretty – it’s powerful 💣
Last week, a man at the gym said “Careful, that’s heavy for you.” I smiled and loaded another plate. Because here’s the secret they don’t sell on diet tea ads: Strength becomes you. It leaks into boardroom negotiations, into saying “no” to toxic relationships, into trusting your gut (literally and metaphorically).
So here’s my challenge: Next time you exercise, ask “How does this make me FEEL?” instead of “How many calories did I fry?” Your future self – the one who’ll carry groceries, climb Machu Picchu, and maybe even birth a human – will high-five you. 🙏