women should lift weights

I have been lifting weights consistently for about 8 years and as a perimenopausal women, I have definitely found strength training to be beneficial. I am aware that my body is changing and that Cardio alone just won’t cut it, here are some of the benefits that I have personally experienced.

The list of benefits that I have provided are also very closely related to the menopause so if you are peri/menopausal or post menopausal, these symptoms will definitely feel familiar!

Disclaimer: This list is by no means exhaustive and your experience may be different to mine.

Increase Bone Density

Improve Mood

Increase Strength

Improve Sleep

Help with period pains

Increase Bone Density

Our bone density starts to decrease once we reach the age of 30 and weight bearing exercise such as walking, running, cycling but especially lifting weights, can help to increase bone density. This significantly reduces the risk of developing osteoporosis and improve our overall quality of life.

Improve Mood

When we exercise, our body releases chemicals called endorphins, also known as happy hormones. This is a natural mood lifter, which can also help with anxiety and depression, and who doesn’t like being in a good mood?!

Increase Strength

Lifting weights consistently will improve your strength, which in turn will improve muscle definition, reduce risk of injury and aid fat/weight loss. It will also improve your quality of life as it will enable you to do more at home e.g. lift heavier items.

Improve Sleep

If you lift weights regularly, you are using a fair bit of energy so if you struggle to sleep, this kind of exhaustion will be beneficial for you when it comes to bed time! You will be able to fall asleep more easily and your overall quality of sleep will be much better.

Help with Period Pains

Believe it or not, but exercising during your period can actually help to relieve pain, such as back pain, cramps and headaches. It can even help to regulate your periods when done consistently.

There are many more benefits but these are some of my favourite ones!

Here is a video that I did about this topic and i include some equipment recommendations in it too.