This post is all about strength training, strength training exercises, strength training at home, sarcopenia, and strength training benefits.
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Does Strength Training Seem Intimidating to You?
It seemed super intimidating to me, especially when I thought about the idea of becoming a fitness instructor who specializes in faith-based strength training.
If you feel self-conscious about trying strength training, allow me to shed some light š.
Get ready to learn all about strength training, strength training exercises, and more. After learning about the top 3 strength training benefits, youāll approach moving your body with a completely different perspective.
This post is all about the strength training benefits that every Christian woman should know about.
The Relation between Strength Training ā Self-Sabotage ā Self-Love
As a Christian woman, itās frustrating not to have it in you to follow through with your commitment to love yourself well ā by taking care of your body.
Iām guilty of it too. Well, āguiltyā is not the right word because, thanks to Jesus, there is no condemnation for usā¦ On the contrary, there is an abundance of grace.
But, real talkā¦
You start with the best of intentions, you give it your all, and for one reason or another, you procrastinate. Your perfectionism gets in the way of working on your personal goals.
And before you know it, youāve self-sabotaged.
We have this paralyzing āall or nothingā mentality.
But why?
Why do you hold yourself to such an impossible standard? Who told you you have to be perfect in order to be loved?
My dear friend, itās time for you to take that self-sabotaging perfectionism to the throne of grace.
(No judgment here. Youāll see me right there at the throne of grace with youā¦)
The enemy wants to keep you down. Please donāt allow him to have power over you! Strength training is a form of self-love. Youāre taking care of your body and conditioning it for your benefit ā so you can be a healthy adult āĀ and do Godās good work.
I like to say: ātrain for ability ā not for vanityāā¦ Read more about vanity here.
So, letās get you familiar with what this is exactlyā¦
What is Strength Training?
Strength training ā also known as resistance exercise ā is a type of exercise that uses some kind of resistance to increase muscle strength.
Simple enough, right?
You can increase muscle strength with quite a few things:
- with your own body weightā for example, doing squats and planks
- I love these two bodyweight exercises because they work ALL of the major muscle groups in your body (well, I donāt ālove doing them, lolā¦ā, but I love that you get a good āentire body workoutā with just 2 exercises).
- squats target your lower body muscles
- planks target your upper body muscles
- I love these two bodyweight exercises because they work ALL of the major muscle groups in your body (well, I donāt ālove doing them, lolā¦ā, but I love that you get a good āentire body workoutā with just 2 exercises).
- with resistance bands (youāll love these) ā you can place them at your ankles when you
- do squats (get up off the couch between Netflix episodes and do some squats š)
- place your feet hip-width distance apart while you do dishes (bend your knees ever-so-slightly)
- and even dance with them on!
- youāre gonna love their versatility and benefits ā check out this article exclusively on resistance bands.
- with free weights ā even a lighter weight or set of dumbells like these can make a significant improvement
- Use them while watching TV ā you can do biceps curls, triceps extensions, lateral raises,
- kettlebells ā simple and perfect for improving your grip strength too
- weight machines
- medicine balls
- and even with items you have around your house
These muscle-strengthening activities offer a ton of strength-training benefitsā¦
And although thereās a long list of resistance training benefits, weāre gonna focus on the most important ones.
The Top 3 Benefits of Strength Training
I assume that if youāre reading this, you might be a woman whoās on a healing and restoration journey.
Perhaps, God is nudging you to start your journey toward overcoming your struggle with emotional eating, low self-esteem, negative body image, and loving yourself at any sizeā¦
If this is you, welcome home š
Part of overcoming self-sabotage is cultivating self-love.
And cultivating self-love includes honoring your body for Godās glory and for your ability to use your beautifully designed body efficiently.
š Explore Related Posts š
- Best Full-Body ā Printable Resistance Band Workout
- The Power of Grace: How to Overcome Self-Sabotage Through a Christian Perspective
- Self-Sabotaging Meaning, Signs, and How to Stop
These Are the Top 3 Reasons You Should Consider Strength Trainingā¦
- Sarcopenia ā is a fancy word for bone density loss. As part of the natural aging process, your bones become frail. But, you can reduce bone density loss by strength training.
- Bones give your body structureā¦
- Your older self will be SO gratefulā¦
- As women age, we lose muscle mass. Sadly, this means you slowly lose the ability to perform activities of daily living (also known as ADL).
- It helps improve balance ā and decreases your risk of falls and injury.
- Muscular strength allows you to move well.
Learn more about Activities of Daily Living here.
- It keeps your beautifully designed body functioning well. Your body is a masterfully complex creation. God designed your body to move.
- Youāll feelĀ an overall sense of well-being:
- Youāll sleep better.
- Reduce your stress.
- Increase your blood glucose utilization.
- Decrease your risk of illness such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.
- Reduce your resting blood pressure.
- Improve your blood lipid profiles (levels of fat in your blood).
- Increase your gastrointestinal transit speed (how long it takes for your food to get from your mouth to your anus).
- Your joints become more stable.
Also, if God has nudged you to lose weight ā strength training will help you with weight lossā¦
Because more lean muscle mass means your metabolic rate increases which means youāll burn more calories throughout the day.
Btw, this is not me telling you you have to get a gym membership, train 6 days a week, push yourself to the limits, be sore, and be miserable.
Not at allā¦ itās simply an invitation to incorporate any of the types of exercises Iāve listed or to simply add resistance to your everyday activities ā love yourself well.
š Super Helpful Resources š
30-Day Digital Self-Love Journal
Check out all of the FREE Body Image Related Resources here!
Even a Small Amount of Strength Training Helpsā¦
2 times per week ā low-intensity strength training has substantial benefits!
It doesnāt have to be an all-or-nothing situation.
Any physical activity is better than no physical activity at all. Even a couple of minutes per day matter, and small changes lead to significant improvements.
Start small and aim to increase your āstrengthening activitiesā in small increments until you reach 150 minutes per week.
Have fun with it.
Explore different exercises to find what you like to do.
Switch it up.
The important thing is to move your body ā and add some resistance for stronger muscles.
Remember to stretchā¦ Hereās more information on stretching
*Always warm up before engaging in strength exercises (or aerobic exercise) and cool down.
*The best way to prevent the risk of injury is to practice proper form when weight training.
*For best results practice proper technique in any strength training workout.
*Begin with body-weight exercises. Add resistance when you no longer feel challenged.
*If youāre new to exercising or youāre a full-figured woman, it might be a good idea to talk with a certified personal trainer. Ask them to develop a beginnerās fitness routine for you and teach you good form.
So, How Do You Know How Much Resistance or Weight Is Heavy Enough?
To decide the amount of resistance or weight you need to challenge your muscles (make them stronger), do thisā¦
- Start with light weights and work your way up to heavier weights.
- Choose a resistance or weight thatās just heavy enough to complete 12 repetitionsā¦
- And that by the tenth rep, youāre challenged just enough that youāre happy itās almost over!
This way, youāre sure to challenge your muscles so they can grow stronger.
All of what you just read leads us to thisā¦
Self-Sabotage is a Heart Matter
Iām SO glad youāve read this far my beautiful friend. Loving yourself, especially when you struggle with a negative body image, is a heavy feeling to carry. But so is love. Love is heavy.
Train as an act of love. As an act of compassion and kindness to yourself.
Have you ever struggled to work out but did it anyway, and then youāre so glad you did?
Itās such a good feeling, right?!
Think of that feeling and move your body ā even when you donāt want to. It doesnāt have to be perfect.
Embrace your physical weakness and imperfections ā take them to the throne of grace.
Prayer for Strength
Abba, thank you for pursuing me and loving me. Iām so grateful that You insist on loving me, even when ā especially when ā I donāt love myself.
Forgive me, good Father, for talking hatefully to myself. Forgive me for believing diet cultureās lies. And for not being in awe of this masterpiece You designed.
You command us to love others. I want to love others well, but first, I need to love myself. Please help me learn to love my body. Not as an idol but as an instrument to glorify You with.
I need you Jesusā¦
Please infiltrate the deepest-untouched parts of my mind and my heart ā the places that I donāt even know exist. The places that are closed off. And help me discover them with Youā¦
Lord, theyāre hidden for a reason. Maybe theyāre too hurtful. But I trust your grace and your strength to see me through my process of healing.
Align my thoughts with Yours. That I hear Your gentle whispers ā I only want to listen to Your voice, not the voice of diet cultureā¦
Youāre the only one that can heal, restore, and transform my mind and my heart.
I give it all to you Jesus, my struggles, and anything else in me that keeps me away from You. I love You and desire to honor You with EVERY part of me ā including my body.
Thank you for all the beautiful things Youāve done for me and in me. And for the great things that I will testify about!
I praise You because You are kind, gracious, and merciful, and You love me well.
In Jesusā name, amen.
This post was all about the strength training benefits that every Christian woman should know about.
My prayer for you is that my decades of experience of ā an all-consuming battle with the scale ā self-esteem struggles ā and how God has radically worked on my heart will bless and inspire you!
Youāre Invitedā¦
You have an open invitation to binge on all of my posts ā written with Holy Spirit-inspired words and filled with love just for you ā my beautiful friend.
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Thank you for joining me on this journey. You are loved, precious, and wonderfully made.