Women Need to Know This:
For women in their 40s and beyond, strength training is not optional—it’s foundational. Yet so many myths from outdated fitness culture still keep women stuck, under-trained, and more exhausted than empowered. Today, we’re busting the top 3 myths I still hear all the time—and showing you a more sustainable, strength-filled way forward.
Myth #1: "Lifting weights will make me bulky."
This is the most common fear—and also the most outdated.
👉 Truth: Building large, visible muscle takes a lot of time, calories, and intentional programming. What you’re more likely to experience is muscle definition, improved metabolism, and hormone support.
Ayurvedic insight: In perimenopause, muscle helps buffer the effects of shifting hormones and keeps your body more grounded.
Why Lifting Heavy Weights Matters for Women
One of the biggest myths in fitness is that women should avoid lifting heavy weights for fear of becoming "bulky." In reality, lifting heavy is one of the most powerful tools women can use to build strength, confidence, and resilience—especially as we age.
Here’s why it matters:
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Bone health: After age 30, women start to lose bone density. Lifting heavy weights is one of the best ways to combat osteoporosis and maintain strong, healthy bones.
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Metabolism support: Muscle is metabolically active tissue. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn at rest. Strength training helps support a healthy metabolism, especially during perimenopause and beyond.
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Hormonal balance: Resistance training helps regulate insulin levels, supports cortisol management, and boosts feel-good hormones like endorphins and dopamine—key for women navigating stress, burnout, or hormone shifts.
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Functional strength: Whether it’s carrying groceries, picking up kids, or doing yard work, lifting heavy improves daily life by building real-world strength and mobility.
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Empowerment: There’s something incredibly empowering about lifting heavy weights. It shifts the focus from shrinking your body to celebrating what it can do.
Lifting heavy doesn’t mean lifting like a bodybuilder. It means challenging your muscles safely and progressively—using proper form and appropriate rest. For many women, it's the missing link in reclaiming strength and vitality.
Myth #2: "I should just walk and do yoga—it’s gentler on my joints."
Walking and yoga are beautiful, grounding practices that support circulation, mobility, and nervous system regulation. I recommend both regularly to my clients. But here's the truth: they don’t build strength in the same way resistance training does.
👉 Truth: Strength training protects your joints by building muscle around them. That muscle acts like armor—stabilizing the body, reducing wear and tear, and helping prevent injury. It also stimulates bone growth, which is crucial for women post-40 when bone density begins to naturally decline. Think of it as an investment in future you—strong, stable, and capable.
✨ My seasonal take: In the fiery pace of summer (Pitta season), when energy is hot, sharp, and fast-moving, strength training becomes an anchor. It's a form of movement that builds internal steadiness amidst external intensity. While cardio and high-heat workouts might burn you out during this season, strength training offers contained power—a way to express energy without depleting yourself.
Instead of seeing strength training as “harsh,” reframe it as sacred discipline—a way to care for your joints, honor your strength, and root into your body’s innate power.
Myth #3 More cardio is better for fat loss.
This myth has deep roots in diet culture, especially for women. We’ve been taught that burning calories—usually through long runs, HIIT classes, or hours on the elliptical—is the best (or only) way to lose weight. But here’s the thing:
👉 Truth: While cardio can support heart health and endurance, it doesn’t build or preserve muscle—and that’s key for long-term fat loss and a healthy metabolism. In fact, relying solely on cardio can lead to muscle loss, which slows your metabolism and makes it harder to maintain fat loss over time.
When you lose weight through cardio and calorie restriction alone, you often lose a mix of fat and muscle. That’s not ideal. Muscle is metabolically active tissue—meaning the more you have, the more calories your body burns at rest.
Strength training helps you:
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Preserve and build lean muscle, so you look more toned and feel stronger
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Increase metabolic rate, helping your body become more efficient at burning fat
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Avoid the “skinny-fat” trap—where weight goes down, but body composition doesn’t improve
✨ Especially during perimenopause and beyond, when metabolism naturally slows and muscle mass declines, strength training becomes essential—not just for aesthetic goals, but for energy, resilience, and hormonal balance.
Bonus seasonal lens:
In the heat of summer (Pitta season), excessive cardio can exacerbate burnout, irritability, and inflammation. Instead of overexerting through constant motion, strength training offers a more balanced, grounded path—efficiently activating your body without tipping you into depletion.
Wrap-Up:
Strength isn’t about aesthetics. It’s about vitality, energy, and long-term resilience. And as we move through the shifting tides of midlife, we need grounded practices more than ever. Strength training is one of them.
📍Plus: Grab a free strength consult or join me in an upcoming Wise Woman Reset to deep dive into lifting weights for women in perimenopause from a holistic lens!
Why Strength Training is Essential in Perimenopause:
This stage of life brings hormone fluctuations, lowered estrogen, and higher stress loads. Strength training helps counter those shifts with:
- Increased lean muscle mass (supports metabolism)
- Improved insulin sensitivity (less sugar crashes)
- Elevated mood and confidence
- Stronger bones and heart health
- More grounded energy (Ayurveda’s version of inner strength)
How to Start—The Ayurvedic Way:
Start small. Focus on form. Rest as needed. Listen to your body’s cycles.
For example:
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Luteal phase (before your period) – focus on slow, grounding strength movements
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Pitta season (summer) – avoid burnout by doing shorter, smarter sessions
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Vata imbalance – train in a calm environment, avoid overstimulation
Weekly Challenge
How can you start lifting weights if you aren't already? Do you need to hire a trainer, go to a group class?
And if you’re curious about what Ayurvedic tips are best for your perimenopause journey, take my free Perimenopause Quiz.
Let’s stop chasing trends and start trusting timeless wisdom.
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