I have yet to meet a woman who didn't want to be more toned in their effort to lose a few pounds. After all, what female does not want to have some muscle tone and look "in shape".

But, 9.9 times out of 10, with just a mention of weight lifting the response is always along the lines of  "I don't want to get big or bulky".  (and this is where most health professionals roll their eyes, shake their head and sigh as this is one of the biggest myths in the "shaping up" industry)

This is the common concern of women who seek professional coaching and help and want to lose weight and keep it off.  BUT, if your like most you only look at the scale as an indicator of success.

And unfortunately, this misconception is holding many back from really getting results, more importantly maintaining your success.

NOW, PAY ATTENTION HERE:

* Fat takes up more than four times as much space as lean muscle mass.

* Lean muscle burns more calories when you are awake

So what does this mean? It means that some added muscle and strength is good and will help you burn more calories, lose weight and increase your chances of keeping that weight off!

Now, this takes us back to the beginning and the point of this.

You don't want to get big a bulky ... ya ya I know.

Here's something to think about:  Take a look around the health club, a TV show star, or the cover girl on a magazine at the grocery store  — the leanest, most sexy star-like girls you see probably weigh 135 to 145 pounds . . . but you'd think they weigh 115 to 120 pounds. That extra weight is pure lean muscle!  (with that being said you should also not be afraid of putting on a few pounds, as that is lean muscle and will only benefit you as you continue to shape up)

I am here to tell you that you won't get big and bulky so FORGET IT ALREADY! 

It's Not Gonna Happen! Why?

The hormone testosterone. It's nearly physiologically impossible for women to get "big and bulky" without the protein and testosterone supplements female body builders use.

But you say: "But I see women that ARE big and bulky on TV or at my health club?"  Answer: It is possible,  (for the sake of not offending anyone or getting into this topic as this is for another subject all together) these women that are "big" do so by making bodybuilding their life and spend hours upon hours in the gym and many of them take many supplements to achieve this look. If you go to the gym and simply do some resistance training, you will NOT be doing what they are doing, don't even worry about it.

FACT: Women do not have the needed hormonal support to gain muscle mass like men.

Now this is not to say that you won't gain some muscle. You will, this is the point of weight lifting, but you are NOT going to gain mass like a man. 

Even if you lift heavy weight that challenges you, you'll become toned and shapely. And this is only going to tremendously help your weight loss efforts as muscle burns more calories then anything else!

So PLEASE, quit worrying about getting big and bulky by lifting weights. It's not going to happen and remember, the more resistance training you do, the greater chance you will have to lose wight, and more importantly, keep it off!