Most people know why the male species wants to build bigger and stronger muscles…it all comes down to survival of the fittest. If we go back to the caveman days, only the strong survived. And, it seems that even after thousands of years, the male species has retained this need to be bigger, stronger and ready for the hunt. But what about women, why should they lift weights?

The answer, you could say, also falls into the survival-of-the-fittest category, but it goes beyond that. The following are just a few of the benefits strength training can bring to women:

• First, as women get older they go through menopause and often deal with osteoporosis, which is the weakening of the bones. Research has found that weight bearing exercises help maintain and even improve bone strength and density.

• Also, with strong bones come strong muscles, which in turn assist in fat loss. Yes that’s correct, the more lean muscle mass you have, the easier it is to shed fat and keep it off. The science behind it is simple, muscles burn calories and if you don’t burn off calories, they are stored as fat. This is why so many people today are overweight; they eat all these calories and maintain inactive lifestyles. Studies have shown that a pound of muscle burns at least 30-50 calories a day. Think about it, a body that has more lean muscle tissue can burn calories while even at rest, versus a body that has less muscle tissue having to be active to burn off the same number of calories. Lean muscle tissue will assist you in losing fat.

• Something I hear quiet often from women is, “I don’t want to look bulky.” Ladies, there’s no need to fear and this is why...because fat disappears with muscle gain. Also, the weight you lift doesn’t have to be heavy, just challenging—giving you a good workout with around 8–10 repetitions. The best thing to do is to start small, find out what works for you, eat right and stick to it.

• We all want to have more energy, sleep better, have more confidence and look and feel good. Strength training accomplishes all of these things; this is why it’s increasing in popularity. Go to any gym and you will find men, women, teenagers and elderly all lifting weights. Women weight train because it’s empowering and muscle is sexier than fat.

• Another reason why women are becoming more active is because this is a time of equality. Women today want to show the world that they can do anything, whether it’s holding a corporate position, athletics, serving her country in the military or meeting the demands of a full-time job and her family. With all these demands, today’s woman needs all the energy she can get. Building a stronger body provides you with more energy and stamina. Strength training also helps your body work more efficiently, helping to fight off disease, prevent injuries and improve overall health. And, strength training has one other benefit, helping you look better in your clothes as well as out of them.

So ladies, don’t be afraid to pick up a dumbbell or two and pump out some reps…you might just be surprise how good you feel and the outcome down the line is definitely worth the effort.