Ep #14: Why Strength Training Should Be Part of Your Routine

You are listening to the Strong as a Working Mom podcast, Episode #14. Want to know what’s more powerful than medicine to make you feel better? Tune in and find out.

Welcome to the Strong as a Working Mom podcast. If you’re balancing career, family, wellness, and some days sanity, you are in the right place. This is where high achieving, busy working moms get the tools they need to eat, move, and think. I’m your host, physician, personal trainer and Certified Life Coach Carrie Holland. Let’s do this.

Hey, how are you? What’s new, what’s good? So, I would guess, that if you were to ask my fourth grader what’s good, he would tell you that he just got his recorder from music class. So, when he pulled that thing out of his backpack, it immediately brought me back to my own experience in elementary school playing the recorder.

And truthfully, all I can say about that, is the recorder has now been banned from entering our house; but it’s all good. And truthfully, if I hear Hot Cross Buns, one more time, I may just lose my mind. But let it be known, I’m all about the humanities. I’m all about learning music.

I will have you know, during the pandemic, we actually ordered a ukulele and I taught myself how to play Bootylicious; I’m not even kidding. But anyone who has been through this, knows what I’m talking about. And, this is painful in our house at this time. I totally get it.

The recorder, it is small, is portable, it is cheap, fine, but man, that screech. That screech, if you know, you know. It just straight up hurts my ears. And to add to that, his little brother, not to be shown up, has since pulled out his kazoo. So, suffice it to say, we are having a rockin’ good musical time over here.

But now that my musical rant is over, what else is good here, is that we are going to talk about exercise. And, I’m really excited to get into this with you today. So specifically, we are going to get into the specifics about strength training and why it is so important.

So, for many of you, it’s; I’ll do whatever I get in, after I do my 45 minutes on the Peloton®. Or, I’m runner, I don’t need to do any lifting on my legs. Or, I am a cardio queen, I don’t want to give up my sweat session for the sake of lifting weights. And there are loads and loads of other reasons that people have for not strength training.

But here is the thing, so if you have hung out with me at all by now, you know that there is no one right way to eat, right? There is also no one right way to exercise. There is no one truth to any of this, no matter what anybody tells you.

However, if you are not currently strength training, or if you are and you want to learn more, please listen to this episode today and open up your mind to the idea of the benefits that strength training can bring you. Especially, if you are 40 years of age or over, please, please, please consider strength training.

Okay, so here’s what we’re going to cover. So, we’re going to talk about why strength training should be part of anyone’s routine. We are also going to bust up some common myths and misconceptions that you might have about strength training. And this is going to be especially useful for my cardio queens out there. Okay. And then, we are going to talk about how to get started, and what to do if you have never done any sort of strength training before.

All right, so let’s go. So, why on earth should you strength train? And to be clear, I do not mean that you have to go and join your local Gold’s Gym™ and grunt it out with the bros. Okay, that’s not it at all.

So, what’s cool is, as I was digging into the literature to prepare to chat with you today, I found an article from the British Journal of Sports Medicine. So, it was a systematic review and meta-analysis. And it found that muscle strengthening activities were inversely associated with the risk of all-cause mortality and major disease. Including cardiovascular disease, total cancers, including lung cancer, and diabetes.

So, in plain English, it makes you healthier and it decreases your risk of dying. Okay, so and this is specific to strength training, which is awesome. This is all to say that lifting weights will give you longevity. All right. And we know this. Strength training is good for your heart. It’s good for your joints, your bones, your endocrine system and your brain.

So, I’m not going to get into all the nerdy scientific details about that, but know that there is plenty of good, repeatable research to back this all up. Okay. What was also found was, that doing a combination of both strength training and cardiovascular activity was better than either of those alone. Alright, so it’s not one or the other. It is most definitely both. All right.

So, if that is not reason enough to pick up your dumbbells, let me share a couple of other reasons to start strength training now. All right, so first and foremost, strength. This may be stating the obvious, but I like to do that. Lifting weights will make you stronger. So, I’m not going to belabor this point too much, but I will just say that it feels good to be strong, strong beats skinny, period. End. Alright. It feels good to know that I can go and move boxes and groceries and furniture and I don’t need help. And especially the older you get, the more important this becomes.

So yes, strength training will make you stronger, but it also helps prevent the age-related sarcopenia, or muscle loss, that is inevitable for all of us. So, when we get older, we lose muscle. And when we lose muscle, we lose power, we lose strength, we lose mobility, and then we become frail and weak; no good.

And this muscle loss begins once we turn 30, yes, 30. We start to lose anywhere from 3-8% of our muscle mass, for every decade once we turn 30. And it gets worse once we turn 60.

So, in one of the articles I read, it stated that adults can expect to lose four to six pounds of muscle per decade. But don’t be fooled by this, because it is not reflected in the scale as weight loss. Instead, that muscle gets replaced with fat. But here it is, you can decrease the impact of that age related muscle loss by strength training.

So, I’m going to share this quote from one article, which, after everything I read, I really felt summed it up best. The article said, “When combined with appropriate nutrition, strength training is probably the single most powerful medicine against sarcopenia.” Sarcopenia is just a fancy word for muscle loss. All right, strength training.

Alright, so number two; metabolism. So, I have mentioned this before, I’m going to mention it again, muscle burns more calories than fat because it is more metabolically active. Again, plain English, it means muscle requires more calories to sustain itself than does fat. So, think of it this way, if you have two women who both weigh 150 pounds, the woman with more muscle mass will likely have the higher metabolism. And what it means is, the more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn to sustain that muscle even when you’re sleeping.

So, think about what happens when you lift weights. You are literally ripping up your muscle fibers when you strength train, and this is a good thing. And then, in order to repair those muscles, your body uses calories. So, here’s the other great thing, this happens after you strength train. So, as you’re walking out of the gym, your body is not done yet, because there’s still work to do, there’s muscles to repair. And, that’s what boosts your metabolism.

Alright, we’re gonna get some more on this in a few minutes, but hang on. Number three is body composition. When you strength train, and especially if you are brand new to strength training, you are going to build muscle mass. And what that means, is you are literally changing your body composition, you are literally changing what you’re made of.

So, combine this with proper nutrition and you’re going to lose body fat, too, so this is a win-win; you build muscle and you lose fat. Another really cool thing about strength training is that it has been shown to decrease abdominal fat. So, for my perimenopausal and menopausal women listening out there, this especially applies to you because menopausal women tend to carry fat in the abdominal region, and strength training can help decrease that.

So, strength training also decreases the amount of fat that surrounds your organs. And we know that too much of this fat can lead to chronic disease like heart disease, fatty liver, diabetes, certain cancers. And strength training also improves your bone density.

So, the other thing I’ll say about body composition is that strength training, just straight up makes you look leaner. So, this is speaking to the skinny-fat concept, I’ve had this happen. A client will make dietary changes and she’ll lose weight, but she’ll be bummed because she doesn’t look lean. Or, she’ll ask why she’s not toned; it’s strength training.

So, lifting weights is what will make you look toned. So, I think of it this way, even more simple, so strength training is what builds your muscle. And then, with proper nutrition, you lose the fat that is covering the muscles that you worked so hard for in the first place. And, that’s what gives you the lean appearance. Okay, all right.

So, number four; strength training can help prevent falls, prevent injury, and it can make you more flexible. And I know this sounds counterintuitive, but hear me out. There’s solid evidence to back this one up, too. When you lift weights, with proper form, what you’re doing is you’re putting your joints and muscles through a full range of motion, flexion and extension, internal and external rotation.

And when you do this, the key here is to do your strength training properly, so that you are improving both your mobility and flexibility, and increasing your joint range of motion. So again, the key here, do it properly. You know what I’m talking about.

If you have ever seen someone overload the squat bar, only to squat down 2 inches, shouting, bright red, and grunting; no. No, that is not full range of motion, that is machismo and that’s not going to get anywhere. Okay? So, think about it this way; when you put your knees, hips, elbows, shoulders, etc. through strength training, what you are doing is reinforcing the strength of those joints.

So that they can handle the everyday stuff like walking, getting up and down the stairs, bending over to carry a box ,and these things are essential, especially as we get older.

Alright, five; you will feel like a badass. Okay, so I know the literature does not specifically state that you will feel like a badass, however, if I were the author of the studies, I would most definitely say that. But to put it more scientifically, there are studies that have shown the positive impact of strength training on your mood, and decreasing depression and anxiety symptoms.

So, let me be clear, these studies were specifically related to strength training. So, you’re likely familiar with the term “runner’s high”, and that’s the feel-good endorphins that you get after a really great run or cardio workout. Well now, we’ve got science to suggest that there’s a similar feel-good vibe to strength training.

And truthfully, the benefits are way deeper than that. So, I’m going to go back to self-efficacy here. I’ve mentioned this a few times, and it bears repeating: When you have a goal, whether it’s to do a pull up, bench-press two 45-pound plates, squat 225, whatever it is, and you do the thing, you do the pull up, or you push the weight without falling, it feels good.

So sure, you get stronger quads out of the deal, but what’s even better is that your brain and your belief in yourself gets stronger, too. So, it’s reinforcing self-efficacy; your belief in your ability to do the thing. And again, the science backs this up. People who believe in their ability to succeed are more likely to go and achieve their goals than people who don’t, and it makes sense.

Think about it; it’s about proving yourself correct. And, humans love to prove themselves right. Meaning, your thoughts matter. If you think you can do the pull up, you will go and find evidence to prove yourself correct. Meaning, you will show up, week after week, and keep practicing and grinding through your workouts. And on that day, when you get the pull up, you are on fire.

So, whatever you choose to think, you will go and prove yourself correct. And for me, I choose to believe I can do the pull up. It takes some belief in yourself to show up under the squat bar, in the first place. It takes belief in yourself to jump up and grab the pull up bar. Otherwise, why would you try? Why would you try something if you didn’t believe it would work?

So, when you show up for yourself physically, and you do the thing you set out to do, it feels good. When you believe in yourself, you’re more likely to put in the time, the practice, and the consistency it takes to reach your goal. And that is true for every area of your life, not just strength training, okay?

So, very simply, you are more likely to put in your reps when you believe in your own ability to succeed. And, that is a really great cycle. So again, to put it even more simple; strength training improves your quality of life. And I know that’s a bold statement to make, but don’t just take my anecdotal experience as truth. All right, I did my homework.

There are studies to back this up. People report improved mental and physical well-being, improved functioning, decreased pain, and better general health when they strength train. There are no drugs that can do all of these things for you, trust me. So, go grab some dumbbells instead. All right.

So, I hope that after hearing all of these benefits, that I have made a convincing argument for you to start incorporating strength training in your life. So, just to review; it is good for your body, it’s good for your brain, it makes you stronger, it boosts your metabolism, it will change your body composition, what you’re made of. It will increase your mobility and flexibility; it will decrease your risk of injury. And last, it improves your self-image, your mood, and just frankly, makes you a badass all round. Okay.

However, if you are still on the fence, let me address some of the most common concerns and misconceptions that I have encountered coaching many women around this, okay. So, first and foremost, my cardio queens, I am talking to you.

If you are someone who feels that if it’s not a 30-minute or more killer sweat session on the treadmill, or out on the trail, or on the StairMaster™ in your hit class, please listen up. Okay. Cardio is good for you. There is no question about it.

However, if you have any fear that if you were to decrease the length, or even give up one of your cardio sessions in order to do strength training, that all hell will break loose, please hear me out. You’re not going to gain weight and you’re not going to lose all of your progress, if you decrease your cardio for the sake of strength training, you really won’t.

If you are worried that if at the end of your workout you are not soaked in sweat so it didn’t count, please let me assure you that your strength training session most definitely counts. And if you’ve never left a leg workout sweaty, come hang out with me and let me put you through leg workout. Some of my former personal training clients will attest to this. You can sweat lifting weights, I promise.

Okay, so let me raise another important point for my cardio queens, and I’m not picking on you. I say this because I was there, I was one, I used to think that there was no place for strength training, but hear me out. I was totally wrong. So, here’s another thing I commonly see; if you are worried about the metabolic or caloric impacts, which many of you are because I’ve had this conversation hundreds of times, let me help you out.

So yes, in general, you will burn more calories during your cardio session. Meaning, you burn more calories during your 30-minute run than you do during your 30-minute-long strength training session. But let’s talk about what happens after.

So, once you put the dumbbells away, your body then gets to work repairing those muscles that you just ripped up during the strength training session. And depending on how hard you go, it can take a few days for your muscles to fully repair themselves. So again, that takes work. And that takes calories.

And there are studies that suggest your resting metabolism is elevated for anywhere from 36 to 48 hours after a strength training session. So, this is not the case with straight-up cardio activity. So, the increased metabolism that you get from your cardio, will generally last about 30 to 60 minutes depending on the intensity. So, there is a big difference here.

So, if you are worried that you’re messing up your calorie needs, or if you’re not going to be able to eat as much because you only lifted for 30 minutes instead of ran for 30 minutes, please let me assure you, you are not losing out on anything, by trading a cardio session for strength training.

Okay, you’re missing out by not strength training. Okay. So, another thing to know, is that strength training will improve your cardio performance. So, if you’re a runner, learn from my mistake, lift your legs. It will improve your power. It will improve your endurance, your strength, and your speed.

If you are a biker, lift your legs, you will see results. Okay, I use myself as an example. I kept squatting, and deadlifting, and lunging, up until the last two weeks before my triathlon, and I most definitely believe it made a difference.

So, I’m short, and I have stubby legs. But because of all the lifting, the same quads that squatted a boatload of weight just a few weeks prior, helped me get up some of the most challenging hills in my race, both on the bike and in the run.

For my swimmers out there, lift weights. You need your back and you need your shoulders to move you through the water, and lifting will help. In fact, I really can’t think of a single sport, that lifting would not help you improve, seriously. When it is done properly, lifting weights will most definitely improve your athletic performance.

Okay, so third, I would have hoped that this myth had gone away by now but I still get asked this all the time. So, no; strength training is not going to make you bulky. All right, you are most definitely not going to walk away from the weight room looking like a bodybuilder, I promise you that.

So again, speaking from experience, the type of weight lifting that I did as a bodybuilder, resulted in me pushing myself harder than I’ve ever pushed before, and lifting the heaviest weights I’ve ever lifted in my life, with some pretty fancy lifting regimens that we are not talking about here.

Okay, so you are not going to walk away looking like a bodybuilder. Plus, to look like a bodybuilder, you need a very specialized diet plan that is pretty stinking strict. And, that is not at all what we’re going for here. So please, please, please hear me now; you are most definitely not going to look like a bodybuilder by lifting weights, I promise.

Okay, and then next, if you are concerned that building muscle will take you hours at the gym, rest assured that is not the case. So, here’s the thing, it is all about quality work over quantity. If you’re short on time, which I know many of you are, hear this; when you’re prioritizing your lifting, prioritize large compound moves that will give you the biggest return on investment.

So often, people tell me that they’re strength training and not seeing any results, and it’s because they’re haphazardly doing a 10-minute arm session, with 2- or 3-pound dumbbells, after they ride their Peloton. So, let me make it very clear, now. I love my peloton; I really do.

But 10 minutes of biceps curls and triceps kickbacks, with 2-to-3-pound dumbbells is not going to get you the results you want. So instead, if you want to maximize your workouts, focus on big compound multi-joint moves. Specifically, these are the big 5, here they are right here; squats, deadlifts, bench press or chest press, rows or pull ups, and overhead shoulder press. Those 5, that’s it.

And, if you’re thinking where are my biceps curls? Hear me out, if you do no other exercises, these 5 will give you the biggest bang for your buck, I promise. These moves recruit multiple large muscle groups which equals more muscles torn up, which equals more muscle repair, which equals more calories needed; win-win. Okay.

So, remember about 65% of your muscles are below your belt. Focus on the big muscle groups, and it is totally okay to not do biceps curls. Yes, they are fun, but they do not pack the same power as squats or deadlifts. And you do not need an hour in the gym to get these done, you can do these at home with dumbbells. The pandemic was proof, to me and so many other people. You can get a lot done at home, a bench and some dumbbells. That’s it, don’t make it complicated.

Okay, next. If you are thinking about this from a physique perspective, both cardio and weights have their place, but let me make this distinction. You can most definitely cardio your way to fitness, and you can cardio your way to thinness, by killing yourself on the Stairmaster or the treadmill. And, you may lose weight. I do not recommend this at all, more on this in a minute.

But many of you aren’t just looking to lose weight, you want to get stronger and have some muscle definition. Maybe you want to look a certain way. And, there’s absolutely nothing at all wrong with that. But the way to look like you have definition and look toned is this, lift weights.

Okay, cardio can help you get to thin, for sure. But if you want to be more than thin, if you want to look strong and lean and toned, you have to lift some weights. Again, more on this in a few minutes. But I wanted to bring this up, because I often have women tell me they don’t want to be skinny-fat, and strength training, that’s your answer.

Okay, so I hope after going through this, I have given you loads of reasons to pick up your dumbbells, or your tubes and your loops. And, that I’ve put to rest any fears or concerns that you might have about strength training. All right, so now what? How much? How often? So, if you were to go to the CDC (The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), you will find Physical Activity Guidelines for adults.

And their recommendation is 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity, plus two days of muscle strengthening activity per week. Okay, so we’re gonna break this down just a little bit more.

Let’s talk about the aerobic physical activity, just because I want to be clear on that. So, aerobic physical activity means that it is enough to raise your heart rate and causes you to break a sweat. So, per the CDC, this moderate physical activity is things like; fast walking, water aerobics, riding a bike on mostly flat surface, or pushing a lawnmower.

On the flip side, vigorous activities are things like, jogging or running, lap swimming, fast biking, or biking on hills, or things like playing basketball. Okay, so the rule of thumb here, is that moderate aerobic activity means that you’re able to talk, but you can’t sing the words to your favorite song, like Bootylicious; just kidding.

Alright, vigorous means that you can’t say more than a few words without needing a breath. So, there’s your difference. There’s your talk test. Okay.

Now, as for the strength training, the CDC is a little bit more vague, but it goes so far to say this; aim for two days of muscle strengthening activity per week, working all of the major muscle groups. So, legs, hips, back, chest, shoulders, arms, and abs. And, this is in addition to your aerobic activity.

So, it doesn’t give a suggestive time. And again, I reiterate really, it’s more about quality, not quantity. So, when I say quality, I mean, you go hard. Meaning, you do the movements until it is challenging for you to do more.

Okay, so here is the key to making strength training work for you, two words: progressive overload. All right. So, progressive overload is the key principle to strength training. It’s actually pretty simple. So, progressive overload means that you are progressively applying an increased stress to your muscles, in order to produce an increased response.

So, there are a number of ways to do this. The most simple, the most common, and truthfully, the most fun way to achieve progressive overload is by increasing your load, meaning you bump up your weight. Or, you can increase the number of sets, or the number of reps, of each exercise that you do. You can decrease your rest time; you can increase your range of motion.

So, remember, those squats that I was talking about, that two-inch squat is not going to get you anywhere, all right. Or, you can increase the frequency of your training session. So, there’s loads of ways to achieve progressive overload. And what any of these amounts to, is an increased stress on your muscle.

And let me be clear, this is a good kind of stress. And progressive overload is best done gradually, so that you don’t overdo it and injure yourself. Alright, so this is why this concept is important. Doing three sets of 10 biceps curls, with the same 10-pound weights that you have been doing for the last two years, is not going to get you progressive overload.

So, if you’re wondering why, if you’re lifting weights, and you’re not seeing progress, ask yourself if you have manipulated any of the variables that I just mentioned, in order to get to progressive overload, because that’s what it takes. So yes, it means that if you want to build muscle, you go hard. You challenge yourself.

If you can chat with your friend while you’re lifting, that tells me you can lift more weight. And yes, it may not feel awesome in the moment, but it does feel really awesome after, and there’s straight-up pride that you walk away with afterward.

Okay, so here’s the thing I’ll say about all this; if you are not currently lifting weights, and you have no idea where to start, try one set of 10 reps, of the five exercises I just told you about. That’s it; 10 squats, 10 deadlifts, 10, chest presses, 10 rows, 10 overhead shoulder presses, that’s it. And if you don’t know how to do these exercises, go to Google®, or you can check me out on YouTube®, I have a channel. Be forewarned it is me in my gym hair, in my basement, doing these exercises, but you will learn what they look like.

The key here is to start simple and start small. Do not overcomplicate your strength training. And I know it may be tempting and overwhelming, because you may see people at the gym or on social media with all kinds of equipment, and tubes, and loops, doing one-footed whatever’s, but don’t be fooled; squats, they are a classic exercise for a reason. A bench press or chest press or a push up; it is a classic exercise for a reason.

They work, so stop comparing yourself to the person at the gym, or the influencer who’s doing backwards one-footed box jump with a loop around her ears. Okay, seriously. Ten squats; start there, don’t overcomplicate it. All right.

So last, I would be totally remiss if I didn’t say this. I will say it about cardio, I will say it about strength training, and I will wear it on T-shirt okay. Please do not use exercise to lose weight, okay, please. So, I have taken heat for this before, I am sure that I will take heat for it again. And, I will stand by it.

Exercise because it feels good. It is good for your body. And most importantly, it is good for your mind and your mood. When you use exercise as a means to an end for weight loss, you are creating a setup for resentment. And, I have seen it plenty of times. If you sweat your brains out for the sole purpose of moving the scale, but you’re not losing weight, it can create a huge problem.

So first, you might start to think to yourself; if I add five more minutes on the treadmill, or maybe if I go a little harder, or maybe if I switch to the stair-stepper, I can lose that weight for my booty. No, no.

Second, you might feel that exercise is doing you wrong. You may start to think to yourself; I’m doing all this work, show me the money. But that’s not it. It is not a means to an end for weight loss. That is not the kind of relationship that we’re trying to build with exercise here. Okay.

So, instead of exercising to chase a number on the scale, exercise to chase the feeling of awesomeness that comes with it. Okay, that will leave you so much more satisfied with your workouts, and it will keep you coming back for more. So, let me shout it out loud and clear: Do not use exercise to lose weight, exercise because it feels good. That’s what this is about. That’s what I’m about; feeling good.

Okay, so I hope that I have shed some light on the myths and truths around strength training. Especially for any cardio queens, any 40-somethings and above, any of you who are uncertain about what strength training will do for you.

In all honesty, as I was researching and reading to get ready for this episode, it only reinforced to me that the time to start strength training is now, no matter who you are. All right. So, if you have any questions about this, find me on social media @CarrieHollandMD, on both Instagram® and Facebook®. You can check out my YouTube channel for demonstrations of these exercises.

And, thanks again for hanging out. I’ll catch you again next week.

If you like what you’ve been hearing, please review the show. I would love to get your feedback and ideas. Your suggestions have inspired episodes and will help me make the show better for you. And, share this podcast with a friend, text a show link, share a screenshot, or post a link to the show on your social media. And, be sure to tag me @CarrieHollandMD on either Instagram or Facebook, so I can follow along and engage with you.

This is how we get the word out to other working moms who want to feel strong, inside and out. If you know someone who wants to feel better, or eat and move differently, but she is too tired or too busy, it is time to change things up. And you know, making that change starts with how you think. And that, is what we do here on the Strong as a Working Mom podcast. I’ll see you next week.

Thanks for listening to Strong as a Working Mom. If you want more information on how to eat, move, and think, so you can live in the body you want, with the mind to match, visit me at CarrieHollandMD.com.