Don’t Forget Exercise!

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cake2go pop art lady with heart hands

Gaining Strength Without Bulk is Easier than We Think

by | Jan 12, 2022 | Don't Forget Exercise | 0 comments

Until very recently, I had no idea that it was possible for a woman to build strength without bulk. I can admit that I have avoided working with weights – or I’ve used lighter weights or fewer reps than was likely appropriate for me – because I didn’t want to get big. After all, I love to bake and I love to eat, my goal for a long time has been getting smaller, not larger!

My Misunderstanding of Building Strength Without Bulk

Before I get to really talking about how to build strength without bulk, I just want to say that I have every respect for women who muscle up. Powerful women – whether or not it shows physically – are amazing. Particularly now that I know how much more challenging it is for us to achieve those types of goals than it is for men.  It really is! Read on!

I want strength without bulk because that’s what I feel is right for me. It’s the look and outcome I want for my body. If you want massive muscles or if you want to be slim and willowy, that’s all up to you. For me, I want to be solid and capable but not outwardly largely muscular. I don’t mind having some tone and definition to my muscles, but I don’t want to look like I’m going to be in a bodybuilding competition either.  The good news, it’s nearly impossible to do that accidentally if you’re a woman!

Getting Stronger Doesn’t Mean Getting Bigger

As it turns out, women build strength without bulk far more readily than we build big muscles.  It’s just not something we do to any extreme degree without serious focus and regular attention to building workouts, special diets, and a lot of time and effort. Those women you see in competitions didn’t get that way by using hand weights three times per week. They put in some major hours with an extreme focus on what they eat and what they do.

This is great news for someone like me, because I’d love to get stronger and, this year, it’s one of my goals. While my muscles will likely (hopefully!) get some definition, I now know that getting strength without bulk isn’t something I need to specifically have to aim to do. Because the female body has far lower levels of testosterone than the male body, we just don’t build large visible muscles like many men do simply by doing regular average workouts.

So, if you’ve been avoiding getting stronger because you thought that with strength comes bulk, then join me this year! Let’s take some healthy, straightforward steps to strengthen our bodies, enjoy what it is to be strong, and not avoid it because of a misunderstanding around muscle growth!

Most of Us Think we’re Making Far Better Healthy Food Choices Than We Are

Most of Us Think we’re Making Far Better Healthy Food Choices Than We Are

I like to think that I’m making some healthy food choices, for the most part. I know my diet isn’t perfect. I don’t even aim for perfect. I’d have to give up too much of my favorite treats to get to that point. I don’t even think that focusing too much on nutrition is great for your overall wellbeing. A bit of fun has its place now and then. That said, according to this new study I’ve read, we Americans think we’re doing far better than we are, and it’s really holding us back!

What Exactly is a Calorie Deficit for Weight Loss?

What Exactly is a Calorie Deficit for Weight Loss?

I’d heard about the need for a calorie deficit about a million times before I actually looked into what it was. Now, I understand that the name pretty much explains what it is. I got it on the most basic level. If I wanted to lose weight, I needed to burn more calories than I was taking in. That said, when it comes to putting things into practice, the situation became less obvious to me. I admit that it took freaking forever for me to actually look it up.

What Exactly is a Calorie Deficit for Weight Loss?

What Exactly is a Calorie Deficit for Weight Loss?

I’d heard about the need for a calorie deficit about a million times before I actually looked into what it was. Now, I understand that the name pretty much explains what it is. I got it on the most basic level. If I wanted to lose weight, I needed to burn more calories than I was taking in. That said, when it comes to putting things into practice, the situation became less obvious to me. I admit that it took freaking forever for me to actually look it up.

Running and Dehydration: A Brutal Combination

Running and Dehydration: A Brutal Combination

Running and dehydration pretty much go hand-in-hand during the summer months. As someone who has taken up running relatively recently and is facing her first summer with the sport, this is very new to me, though not unexpected. That said, as I’ve been researching, I’ve also discovered that the combination, while brutal, isn’t exactly what many of us assume it is, particularly when it comes to difficulty level.

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