Dare to be different ...? (Be different to be daring)

Hi there,

Why would I want muscles as a woman?

Well, allow me to elaborate.

Having muscles not only leads to incredible changes in body composition and a multitude of health benefits, but it also means being at the peak of your mental, emotional, and physical game.

It's about feeling empowered, determined, and unlocking a whole new level of confidence you never knew existed.

And the best part? You can start this journey at any age.

Sure, you might need to learn some new skills along the way, but that's what makes it exciting! So why not embrace the challenge and unleash your inner strength?

This is what we will be discussing in Bolder Women today.

But before we dive in ...

A message from Rhoda Lucas

Is it still possible to live happily ever after?

Maybe, maybe not.

But what’s inevitable is that without mastering our body economy as mature women, we will gain fat, lose muscle, lose bone, and get weak.

And without mastering our body economy our health span will decrease along with our lifespan … but only 100% of the time.

Honestly, there is not one woman alive who won’t benefit from mastering her body economy.

Whether you’re an athlete, a health and fitness enthusiast, or a complete newbie … no one can escape the essential need for body economy mastery.

It’s even more important if your life is already impacted with other health problems, like injuries.

If you don’t fight back now, it’ll just get harder.

This month I have created a free video training series on mastering your body economy.

There is no credit card required and nothing to buy.

All you need to do to access the video training is complete a short quiz.

That’s it.

All that stands between you and a better version of you is some honest answers.

Go now, take the quiz, unlock the free training and edify yourself. The training is only available this week.

Deep Dive: Why would I want muscles as a woman?

Here are some amazing reasons to start resistance training and building muscle as a woman.

☑️ Look amazing, define your shape and step out as your best beautiful self

☑️ Great for an increase in confidence, self-control and willpower

☑️ Longevity - helps you age youthfully

☑️ Increase lean body mass so that you burn more energy even at rest

☑️ Better metabolic health as it changes the way your body uses protein, fat and carbohydrates to power your mitochondria and burn fat more efficiently

☑️ Scientifically shown to increase your bone health

☑️ Great for decreasing age related cognitive impairment

☑️ Prevents high blood sugar and helps reduce insulin resistance

☑️ Reduces inflammation by producing hormone like compounds known as myokines

☑️ Lifting makes it easy to have a full, enjoyable and flexible diet without stressing about calories

Will I get too bulky?

There is a common misconception that women and muscles are incompatible.

People believe that muscles make women appear "bulky" or "masculine."

However, it is crucial to distinguish between women bodybuilders who compete in extreme size categories and women who simply develop lean and natural muscles for optimal everyday functionality.

It is important to note that most women will never achieve such a physique of extreme body builders unless they engage in intense training and utilize anabolic steroids.

For most women, who train three to four times a week, the goal is to become strong and shapely.

As we age, particularly after the age of 40, we naturally begin to lose muscle and bone mass due to the decline in estrogen and progesterone.

Therefore, when we engage in muscle-building activities, we are essentially trying to replace what we are already losing.

While it is possible to build additional muscle on top of this, it is highly unlikely that women will develop a "huge" and "manly" appearance.

When I see a woman who exudes strength, a multitude of qualities come to mind.

Firstly, it is evident that she possesses an unwavering determination.

She possesses unrelenting persistence that propels her forward. It is clear that she has encountered what she believed to be her limit, only to discover the power within herself to surpass it.

A strong woman embodies both willpower and self-control, attributes that are often overlooked by many.

What many fail to comprehend is that these qualities are not innate, but rather acquired through the process of becoming strong.

It is a revelation that empowers women, as it signifies that the very things they desire or find dissatisfaction in can be transformed through the cultivation of willpower and self-control.

This realization serves as a beacon of hope, illuminating the path towards personal growth and transformation. It signifies that the power to shape one's life lies within, waiting to be harnessed and unleashed.

By embracing the journey of strength, women can unlock their true potential and manifest the life they envision.

Willpower: The strength of will to carry out your decisions, wishes, or plans. Strong determination that allows you to do something difficult.

Self-control: The ability to control yourself, in particular one's emotions and desires, especially in difficult situations.

It is more than the outside …

The most important thing about being strong is that you only get to look amazing on the outside, because of all the incredible changes that have happened on the inside.

At its most basic, being strong means you have larger muscles cells.

It also means that your muscles are healthier ... they're more sensitive to insulin which means your blood sugar levels are more stable.

Being strong and increasing your lean muscle means your liver doesn't have to work overtime to turn glucose into fat ... and your fat cells don't have to keep adding more and more fat into storage.

The most common struggle women have during perimenopause and menopause is the immediate large gain in fat around the midsection and decrease in muscle mass as a result of declining estrogen and progesterone.

The relative imbalance of these hormones compared to cortisol exacerbates insulin resistance. Excess fat and decreased muscle mass is not inevitable.

We can change this around through powerful stimuli from dietary changes and resistance training.

Your own internal fat burning furnace

When you have more muscle ... you use up more energy every single minute of every single day.

Having more muscle means you burn more fat when you're not exercising ... and that's the opposite of how most women are living!

While most women are concerned about the calories they burn on the cross trainer, or in their cardio class ... I'm relaxed knowing that I burn more calories while I spend the afternoon taking the kids for a relaxing walk along the beach.

The scientific term for all this is your 'Basal Metabolic Rate' or BMR. The more muscle you have, the higher your BMR.

We want muscles because then we will burn more fat than we could ever burn by just trying to 'lose weight' through cardio.

I shared this graphic in the last newsletter, and I really want to emphasize the point that times are changing and a woman now in her 50’s looks and feels totally different to a woman in her 50’s decades ago.

Science has shown us the way forward to age as strong as possible.

Thriving instead of coping

Have you had those thoughts ...

"Oh, if I could just drop a dress size ... if I could just lose a bit of weight and keep it off"?

These are the thoughts of someone who is just trying to cope ... and that's because so many of the things they've tried to 'lose weight' just haven't worked.

And so, they give in to this idea that they'll never really lose weight ... and they'd be happy to settle for losing 'just a little bit'.

For the vast majority of women in this situation ... the reason things haven't worked in the past is because:

they've been given the wrong information, or they haven't properly understood the information they've been given, or they haven't been taught the skills.

So, we need to up-skill or learn new skills and we can!

With the right information, the right understanding, and the right skills ... your body will naturally become strong, muscular and lean.

And maintaining your new physique will become just as easy as maintaining the physique you had before.

I used to do a lot of cardio, mainly aerobics and pump classes.

My shape never changed, I still had cellulite and a flabby bum.

I was hesitant and unconfident about going into the weights room with all the men. I was unsure of the equipment or how to start lifting.

All I can say is once I decided to step up and learn how to lift, I began to feel more and more confident.

Now I can walk into any gym weights room because I know what I want, and I know what I am doing.

MEME OF THE DAY

Building muscle helps with fat loss and you get stronger with beautiful shape.

Ready to Change the Things You Can Change?

Why do women want muscles?

Because being strong isn't just about physical power, it's about being a badass in every aspect of life.

It's about having the mental and emotional strength to conquer any challenge that comes your way.

A woman wants muscles because she knows that when she's physically fit, she's also mentally and emotionally fit.

She's got the willpower and self-control to take on the world and face it with confidence.

Having muscles is a symbol of empowerment and self-love. It's about wanting the absolute best for yourself and refusing to settle for anything less.

Reflection

Are you going to start off 2024 strong?

The Team at Bolder Women