From Dog Food Bags to Birthday Cake: Real Reasons to Lift Weights

I can’t tell you how many times I hear the question: “Why should I lift weights?” Honestly, where do I even start?

The Research Stuff (a.k.a. My Favorite)

If you want studies, I’ve got them. Strength training has been shown to:

• Improve bone density

• Balance blood sugar

• Boost brain health

• Keep you independent as you age

• Release endorphins (hello, happy brain)

• Help prevent cancer and Alzheimer’s

Yes, you read that right. You can do something that costs basically nothing, helps prevent two of the scariest diseases we know (cancer and Alzheimer's), and makes you feel better. What else do you want, a parade?

Muscle Makes You Look and Feel Different

Let’s be real: two people can weigh the exact same—say 180 pounds. One has more muscle, the other doesn’t. The one with more muscle looks smaller, stronger, and more confident in their clothes. Same weight, different body.

Oh, and bonus: more muscle means more food. If you’ve trained your body to “survive” on 1,200 calories and endless cardio, one slice of birthday cake feels like sabotage. A body with more muscle? It uses that cake efficiently and moves on. That’s freedom.

It’s Not Just Fitness. It’s Real Life.

Strength training is about being able to live your life. I don’t want to be the lady in the store who can’t carry her own bag of dog food. I want to be the one who tosses it in the cart and walks off like it’s no big deal. And seriously, it never fails, when you are in a hurry, there is never anyone around to help you.

This translates to independence—showering, cooking, carrying groceries—basically staying in charge of your own life instead of relying on someone else.

But What If Life Still Throws Crap at You?

Sometimes you can do everything “right” and still get dealt a bad hand. I’ve worked in healthcare for over 25 years—I’ve seen it. But here’s the truth: your ability to recover is unbelievably better when you have muscle. It’s like having an insurance policy for your body. And no matter how much time we are blessed to have, I think we are called to take care of our bodies.

You Don’t Need to Live at the Gym

I’m not asking you to dedicate every day to the gym. Unless, of course, you are interested in that new life. Thirty minutes, twice a week—that’s it. You already spend more time than that doom-scrolling on your phone (unless you’re reading my blog, which is obviously the best possible use of your screen time).

The Payoff Is Control

For me, lifting weights scratches the same itch running used to—but without wrecking my joints. I grew up in the “eat carrots, run forever” era, and let me tell you: now in my 40s, I eat more, feel stronger, and enjoy life way more than I did back then.

And maybe this is personal, but lifting gives me a sense of control. God’s still working on me with that one (slow learner here), but it’s part of the journey.

The Bottom Line

Let’s stop pushing the tired idea that women have to be smaller. Stop obsessing over scale weight. Start focusing on the weight you can lift. That’s where the real transformation happens—physically, mentally, spiritually.

If you’re ready to start, I’d love to guide you. Because strong women don’t shrink. We rise.