The Power of Strength Training: From Self-Sabotage to Self-Love

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 😉.

Get ready to learn all about strength training, strength training exercises, and more. After learning about the top 3 strength training benefits, you’ll 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 — Self-Sabotage — Self-Love

As a Christian woman, it’s frustrating not to have it in you to follow through with your commitment to love yourself well — by taking care of your body.

I’m guilty of it too. Well, “guilty” is not the right word because, thanks to Jesus, there is no condemnation for us… On the contrary, there is an abundance of grace.

But, real talk…

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, you’ve self-sabotaged.

We have this paralyzing “all or nothing” 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, it’s time for you to take that self-sabotaging perfectionism to the throne of grace.

(No judgment here. You’ll see me right there at the throne of grace with you…)

Train for ability — not for vanity…

The enemy wants to keep you down. Please don’t allow him to have power over you! Strength training is a form of self-love. You’re taking care of your body and conditioning it for your benefit — so you can be a healthy adult — and do God’s good work.

I like to say: “train for ability — not for vanity”… Read more about vanity here.

So, let’s get you familiar with what this is exactly…

What is Strength Training?

Strength training — also known as resistance exercise — 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 weight– 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 don’t “love doing them, lol…”, but I love that you get a good “entire body workout” with just 2 exercises).
    • squats target your lower body muscles
    • planks target your upper body muscles
• with resistance bands (you’ll love these) – you can place them at your ankles when you
  • do squats (get up off the couch between Netflix episodes and do some squats 🙂)
  • place your feet hip-width distance apart while you do dishes (bend your knees ever-so-slightly)
  • and even dance with them on!
  • you’re gonna love their versatility and benefits — check out this article exclusively on resistance bands.
• with free weights – even a lighter weight or set of dumbells like these can make a significant improvement
  • Use them while watching TV – you can do biceps curls, triceps extensions, lateral raises,  
• kettlebells – 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 benefits…

And although there’s a long list of resistance training benefits, we’re gonna focus on the most important ones.

I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I can’t. I do what I don’t want to—what I hate.

ROMANS 7:15

The Top 3 Benefits of Strength Training

I assume that if you’re reading this, you might be a woman who’s 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 size…

If this is you, welcome home 💖

Part of overcoming self-sabotage is cultivating self-love.

And cultivating self-love includes honoring your body for God’s glory and for your ability to use your beautifully designed body efficiently.

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💖 Explore Related Posts 💖

1. Best Full-Body – Printable Resistance Band Workout
2. The Power of Grace: How to Overcome Self-Sabotage Through a Christian Perspective
3. Self-Sabotaging Meaning, Signs, and How to Stop

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These Are the Top 3 Reasons You Should Consider Strength Training…

1. Sarcopenia — 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 structure…

2. Your older self will be SO grateful…

• 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 – and decreases your risk of falls and injury.
• Muscular strength allows you to move well.

Learn more about Activities of Daily Living here.

3. It keeps your beautifully designed body functioning well. Your body is a masterfully complex creation. God designed your body to move.

• You’ll feel an overall sense of well-being:
  • You’ll 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.

 Bodily exercise is all right, but spiritual exercise is much more important and is a tonic for all you do.

1 TIMOTHY 4:8

Also, if God has nudged you to lose weight — strength training will help you with weight loss…

Because more lean muscle mass means your metabolic rate increases which means you’ll 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 all… it’s simply an invitation to incorporate any of the types of exercises I’ve listed or to simply add resistance to your everyday activities — love yourself well.

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💖 Super Helpful Resources 💖

30-Day Digital Self-Love Journal

Check out all of the FREE Resources here!

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Even a Small Amount of Strength Training Helps…

2 times per week – low-intensity strength training has substantial benefits!

It doesn’t 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 “strengthening activities” 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 – and add some resistance for stronger muscles.

Remember to stretch… Here’s 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 you’re new to exercising or you’re a full-figured woman, it might be a good idea to talk with a certified personal trainer. Ask them to develop a beginner’s 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 this…

• Start with light weights and work your way up to heavier weights.
• Choose a resistance or weight that’s just heavy enough to complete 12 repetitions…
• And that by the tenth rep, you’re challenged just enough that you’re happy it’s almost over! 

This way, you’re sure to challenge your muscles so they can grow stronger.

All of what you just read leads us to this…

Self-Sabotage is a Heart Matter

I’m SO glad you’ve 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 you’re so glad you did?

It’s such a good feeling, right?!

Think of that feeling and move your body — even when you don’t want to. It doesn’t have to be perfect.

Embrace your physical weakness and imperfections — take them to the throne of grace.

Train as an act of love. Train to love yourself and love others well.

-WANDA lambert-

Prayer for Strength

Abba, thank you for pursuing me and loving me. I’m so grateful that You insist on loving me, even when — especially when — I don’t love myself.

Forgive me, good Father, for talking hatefully to myself. Forgive me for believing diet culture’s 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 Jesus…

Please infiltrate the deepest-untouched parts of my mind and my heart — the places that I don’t even know exist. The places that are closed off. And help me discover them with You…

Lord, they’re hidden for a reason. Maybe they’re 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 — I only want to listen to Your voice, not the voice of diet culture…

You’re 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 — including my body.

Thank you for all the beautiful things You’ve 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 Jesus’ name, amen.

This post was all about the strength training benefits that every Christian woman should know about.

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Thank you for joining me on this journey. You are loved, precious, and wonderfully made.