The Benefits of Weight Training for Moms: Strength, Hormones, Anti Aging, Time and Gut Health
- Monica Bencomo
- 7 days ago
- 2 min read
Since becoming a mom, I've become obsessed with weight training. Pregnancy changed my body more than I anticipated (to say the least), and I was so amazed at how weight training (or strength training) had positively changed my body composition postpartum that I decided to study and became a certified trainer.
Most women think weight training will make them look bulky or "manly". This couldn't be further from the truth. Weight training does help us aesthetically, sure, but did you know there tons of other benefits you can expect when you add resistance into your workouts? I've shared 4 of them below:
4 Benefits of Weight Training for Moms
Weight training supports hormone regulation
I've been either pregnant, breastfeeding, or both the last 14 years of my life...this combined with less sleep than I'd care to admit (hello motherhood!) has played with my hormones a bit. Hormone regulation has numerous benefits, but a couple of my favorites are clear skin, and balanced moods. Weight training, not over training, lowers cortisol (reducing belly fat linked to stress), calms our nervous system by lowering stress, increases progesterone (our calming, grounding hormone) aiding in PMS relief, and positively affects the vagus nerve and heart health--all helping us moms out hormonally.
Weight training is a smarter way busy moms can train
Now that I'm a mom of four, I have to train smarter, not harder to get the most out of every workout. When you add in resistance (dumbbells, barbells, bands, etc.) in your workout, you are requiring your body to do more work per rep (as opposed to say, cardio in the form of walking/running). I love weight training as a busy mom because I can get stronger and change my body composition with one of my 25 minute workouts 4 times a week and still get great results.
Weight training is anti aging
I've said it before and I'll say it again--anti aging is one of my new favorite reasons to strength train as a mom. Not only does strength training reduce inflammation, but it improves skin appearance, helps strengthen bones, and since it adds muscle (and muscle is a youth tissue, a natural side effect of strength training is reducing the effects of aging.
Weight training improves gut health
Weight training has been shown to increase our healthy or "good" gut bacteria which improves digestion, improves our overall body immunity, and again, lowers inflammation.
These are four ways weight training is positively benefiting you. You're not just getting gains, you're also helping support your hormones, anti-aging, saving time, and improving your gut health.
Cheers to that!
Need tools to become your strongest, most healthy self as a mom? Check these out:
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