If you would have asked me 2 years ago how much I squat or bench I would have thought you were crazy. I used to be someone who thought that women do not belong in the weightroom and should stick to cardio. I used to think that if I would lift a dumbbell a few times that my arms would immediately start looking like a man's. I still regularly get weird looks when I tell people that I lift weights, this is also mostly followed by ''be careful not to get too big and bulky!''.
I have been lifting for more than a year now, but I have only been taking this serious for a few months. I have never felt better about myself and I have definitely not gotten too big and bulky. A few things that have happened however:
*I am the smallest I have ever been, even since my high school days.
* While I am smaller, I feel strong. There is nothing more empowering, especially being a woman, than feeling strong. A few days ago I was at the gym doing squats and one of the regular muscle dudes stopped what he was doing and watched me and as I finished he gave me the nod and a thumbs up. I offcourse politely smiled back and gave him a thumbs up back (while thinking in my head DAAMNNNNNN RIGHT DUDE!). That there is an awesome feeling!
* I feel feminine. I keep seeing curves which I never knew existed. Can you say BOOOTAY?
* I appreciate my body so much more. While I still occasionally have a love-hate relationship with my body, I definitely respect what I have put it through and what it is possible of.
* I am proud of myself. Last week when I picked my daughter up from daycare she asked me to come with her to a room which they made into a dark and spooky haunted house for halloween. I took her hand she told everyone that her mommy is very strong so she can handle the dark. Proud mommy moment right there!
I never imagined that I would love lifting as much as I do right now. I have always enjoyed working out. Even when I was bigger I went to the gym often and I even did Step Aerobics up untill I was 37 weeks pregnant! My diet was rubbish though and I was training incorrectly. I never thought that you would need to lift weights to get a firm and toned body. I wish I knew what I know now much sooner. Lifting is now my therapy and makes me happy and I can not imagine my life without it. So here is to many more years with my iron friends!
xxxNatasha
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