Okay, real talk: Last week at my local coffee shop, a woman stopped me mid-oat-milk-latte-sip to say, “You look so strong.” Not “You look thin,” not “Have you lost weight?” Strong. Let me tell you, that compliment hit different – like discovering your leggings have pockets. 💥
For years, I chased “fitness” through numbers: calorie math, obsessive weigh-ins, and that soul-crushing moment when PMS water weight made me avoid mirrors. Then, during lockdown, my dumbbells became therapy tools. I stopped caring about “burning off” croissants and started chasing things like: Can I finally do a push-up without faceplanting? (Spoiler: Yes, but the first attempt looked like a wounded seal.) 🦭
Here’s what happened when I stopped worshipping the scale:
1️⃣ My grocery store arms became superhero arms 🦸♀️
Last Tuesday, I carried a 40lb bag of potting soil and my whining 4-year-old niece through a parking lot. Pre-strength-training me would’ve needed a forklift. Now? I felt like Rosie the Riveter’s cooler cousin.
2️⃣ My brain got jacked too 🧠💪
Turns out, lifting heavy things teaches you to breathe through discomfort. When my work deadline moved up 2 weeks, I didn’t spiral – I treated it like a mental squat rack. “Okay, 3 deep breaths. Let’s load the bar and lift.”
3️⃣ I discovered secret life hacks
Need to open a stubborn pickle jar? Wrist strength. Hauling luggage up 5th Ave during a NYC downpour? Grip endurance. Carrying 12 Trader Joe’s bags in one trip? Full-body functional fitness, baby.
The juicy science bit 🧪 (Don’t worry, I’ll keep it snackable):
Studies show women who strength train 2-3x weekly improve bone density by 1-3% annually – crucial when osteoporosis risks skyrocket post-menopause. Plus, building muscle mass revs your metabolism better than sad treadmill marathons. But my favorite stat? 78% of women report better mental health after 8 weeks of resistance training.
My “Eureka” moment:
Last month, I helped my 65-year-old neighbor lift her new sofa. As we celebrated with lemonade, she said, “Honey, muscles mean freedom.” Mic drop. 🎤 Because real strength isn’t about gym selfies – it’s about:
– Carrying sleeping kids to bed without waking them
– Moving apartments without crying
– Hiking that stupidly steep trail in Iceland just to see the view
– Feeling like a titanium-coated badass during life’s chaos
So here’s my challenge: Next workout, chase a feeling instead of a number. Can you lift 5lbs heavier? Hold a plank through the chorus of your hype song? Celebrate what your body does rather than what it subtracts.
Final thought: My scale now collects dust under the bathroom sink. But my dumbbells? They’re front and center – right next to my favorite snacks. 🏋️♀️🍫