How did weight training improve your life?

[1newname]

I run on and off but need a kick up the arse with weight training.

Please motivate me by sharing all the amazing ways weight training has changed your life!

It’s hugely improved my mental health since I started last year. I was signed off for work related stress and started when I was off and I really don’t think I could keep going at work if I didn’t weight train.

I also have a 50% chance of developing diabetes too based on my own medical and family history and it’s definitely made me fitter and stronger plus it’s a real sense of achievement when you do a personal best. If someone had told me I could deadlift my own body weight and more last year I wouldn’t have believed them!

It also inspired my husband to start training and getting fit too. His dad and grandad both died in their 50’s and he wants to do as much as he can to not share their fate. Our sex life has definitely improved too. Much more stamina for both of us! And we both feel so much more confident in our own skin. We eat much healthier as a family too, are more active and I like that our kids see eating healthy and exercising as normal.

I follow an online training program so upload how I am doing and get a new plan every 4 weeks which keeps it fresh and has definitely helped me build up at a good pace. You do need to eat a good diet with right protein intake, stay hydrated and make sure you are sleeping well to make the training more effective too.

I’ll never look back!

Hi Op! Runner here too. 🙂 I started adding strength training/ core consistently into my week as a New Year resolution. It's a habit that can be formed. I found the trick is to add a 15 mins arm or 10 min abs YouTube video after an easy run and a 10 min glutes/longer legs video after a harder run (so your legs can recover the day after). I like people like Caroline Girvin (lower weights than her though!), Pamela Reif and MadFit. I started with 3 kg dumbbells and I'm now up to 6-7kg for upper body, more for lower body (neoprene are the most comfortable). Nothing too heavy or you'll be too sore to run! I have glute bands too. Some workouts don't need equipment obviously. This book is also good: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Quick-Strength-Runners-Weeks-Better/dp/1937715124/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=JB0ZTPHB3WRJ&keywords=quick+strength+for+runners&qid=1696882526&sprefix=quick+strength+%2Caps%2C91&sr=8-1

I do 15-30 mins most days. I got an 11 min PB in my last marathon in April and I've been running for years. I've had no injuries. It's definitely helped.

I’m a total beginner, only joined a gym last month so I’m just using the machines at the moment. I feel good about it though & I’ll work up.

I do it as research has shown it's essential for older women. I have a personal trainer, and work with her once a week for big weights. The rest of the time, I do classes which use weights and am slowly moving these weights up as I get stronger.

I do feel a sense of achievement each week I lift heavier.

Weights made me well. Got rid of my knee pain, improved my metabolism - I have excellent blood sugars for anyone let along someone my size. Lifting heavy takes inches off my bum. Ab work protects my back. I did do lots of CrossFit and Olly lifting but now I stick to power lifting and do light squats. Definitely improves my sense of well being and also improves my appetite i.e. makes it less about craving calories and more about needing fuel.

Late 50's and I'm in the best shape I have ever been. Muscles defined and my posture is much better. I actually look better in a bikini now than I did 20 years ago.
It's so relaxing and great for confidence.
I have a trainer every so often to review my program and techniques.
I like the discipline of it, how interesting the different ideas are on muscle building are - there's a load of variety in the stuff you can do with weights, the focused diet. It bores my DH witless 😂

😂😂

This thread has inspired me to get back to the gym! Weight training really lifts my mood and I'm so low on energy at the moment. I think it's what I need to feel energised again and this has given me the push so thank you

I'm lazy. I hate cardio, hate the gym. The only exercise I do is walking, and about 5 minutes of hand weights a day. Even that 5 minutes has made a big difference, my core feels more stable, my posture is better and it just feels good in general to do it.

I'm in my 60s and did 30 pull ups last week for the first time...I have had a mental block for ages about them. I strutted around for hours 😀
I love weights and strength training.

It helped me fall in love with training all over again! I like that training is about improving / pbs etc and not what you look like! Mentally I feel so much better when I train regularly

Just back from my pt session where I did some new stuff for the first time. I was a beginner a few months ago.

For me it hasn't been some big revelation and I've struggled a bit with expecting it to be. But I feel powerful when I lift or pull or push something new (even if it's a light weight for others) and that makes me smile.

Well I am grumpy about weights this morning as I’ve pulled my neck. Although to be fair I didn’t do it during the weights but doing my own extra stretches at the end 🤦‍♀️

I have loved doing weights in my 40s..feel so much healthier, stronger and helped me stay on track with diet. Be careful of injuries though…build up weights slowly and make sure you stretch properly. I am now mixing it up with some yoga to make sure I stay flexible and mobile…was starting to seize up a bit with just doing weights and spinning.

@1newname Hope you don't mind me jumping in here? I don't have any positive stories, but have been thinking recently that I need to start some weight/strength training.

Does anyone have any recommendations for where to start? I need things I can do at home (not in a gym). I don't want to get too big/bulky but think I definitely need to build some strength. I'm a healthy BMI (but with some tummy fat that is refusing to go), I walk around 150000 steps a day, but not much other exercise.

I do a group weights session, not full on weight lifting, but exercises based around lifting weights (5-16kg depending on the exercise). I've done it for around a year and I feel so much better mentally, it lifts my mood, I feel great afterwards. I no longer suffer with back pain and I can lift my kids and swing them around with no problem. It's a fun way to exercise and I love it. I'm in my 40s.

I started lifting in a small group with a team eg about 4 months ago.

I am surprised at how much I love it. I m visibly more toned and have lost a little weight. I like that I can see progress every few weeks in pushing my max for each excercise, lots of little milestones keep giving!

I'm in my 50s and a couple of stone overweight. I chose to go to a PT to get some supervision/coaching to reduce the likekyhood of injury.

its a big misconception that women will become bulky by doing weights, it takes a lot of hard work and strict diet to build muscle like that so I wouldnt worry about that part, and heavier weights won’t equal to bulk.

for starting I would look at kettlebells exercises or get some adjustmentable dumbells, look up youtube videos.

i started with caroline Girvan beginner ones.

you wont regret starting weight lifting/strength training

I've been weight training for around a year now. And do some cardio in between. I started with a personal trainer just to get confident in the gym but now it is about strengthening as much as I can (and I still have the PT).

I love it. I am stronger, fitter and my body looks better. I'm more motivated to eat better. My posture has improved. My back issues (historic prolapsed disc) are still there but twinges heal faster.

Thanks for all the inspiration!

I'm 57 and was a long distance runner for years, ran every day and was in complete denial about the benefits of weight training. I finally took it up in January following surgery which meant I couldn't run for a few months and it's changed my life, gardening, bending down, so easy now! Incredible body transformation, I have muscle defintion I never though was possible and I'm running faster and stronger than before, running up hilsl is so much easier! I follow Caroline Girvan's programmes, just using dumbells at home.

You won't get big and bulky. Ask a bodybuilder how easy it is to build big muscles! It's not...

.... and today I wore a skirt that has been too small for a few years.

What weight Dumbbells did you start with? I have some but they're only 1kg 🙈

Lifting weights 3-4 times a week has made me fit , strong and feeling awesome. At the age of 54 I feel better than I did at 34