1. You Will Lose More Fat Than You’ll Gain in Muscle.

Studies of thousands of women have shown that strength training two or three times per week for eight weeks on average women gain 1.75 lbs of lean muscle and lose 3.5 lbs of fat. Unlike men, women do not have the hormones that cause “bulking up.”

2. Your New Muscle Will Help Fight Obesity.

As you add muscle your resting metabolism will increase, so you burn more calories all day long. For each pound of muscle you burn 35 to 50 more calories daily. For example, if you gain 3 lbs in muscle and burn 40 extra calories per pound, you will burn 120 more calories per day, or 3,600 calories per month. That equates to 10 to 12 pounds in one year!

3. You’ll Be A Stronger Woman.

Moderate weight training increases women’s strength by 30 to 50%. Extra strength will help in daily activities-picking up children or groceries.

4. Your Bones Will Benefit.

By 18 you have all the bone density you’ll ever have-unless you weight train. Weight training can increase bone density by 13% and can prevent osteoporosis.

5. You Will Reduce Your Risk of Diabetes.

Adult-onset of diabetes is growing. Research indicates that weight training can increase glucose utilization in the body by 23% in four months.

6. You Will Fight Heart Disease.

Strength training will lower your cholesterol and blood pressure. You should also include cardiovascular exercise and flexibility training.

7. You Will Be Able to Improve Back Pain and Fight Arthritis.

A recent 12 year study showed that strengthen the low-back muscles had an 80% success rate in eliminating or alleviating low-back pain. Other studies have indicated that weight training can ease arthritis pain and strengthen joints.

8. You’ll Be a Better Athlete.

Whatever your sport of choice, strength training may not only improve your proficiency but also decrease your risk of injury.

9. It Will Work No Matter How Old You Are.

Numerous studies on women in their 70’s and 80’s show that strength improvements are possible at any age.

10. You’ll Strengthen Your Mental Health.

A Harvard study found that 10 weeks of strength training reduced clinical depression symptoms more successfully than standard counseling.