Myth #3: Lifting weights will make women bulky.

💪🏽🚫 This one needs to be retired for good.

If you’ve ever been told that strength training will make you look “manly” or “too muscular,” here’s your permission to completely ignore that advice.

Here’s the truth:

Women don’t “bulk up” from lifting weights. Why?
👉🏽 Because we produce way less testosterone than men—a hormone that plays a huge role in muscle growth. Without it, we just don’t build size in the same way.

What we do build with strength training?
✔️ Lean muscle
✔️ Strong bones
✔️ Faster metabolism
✔️ That sculpted, “toned” look so many women are actually chasing

Let’s get into why lifting is your secret weapon:

🦴 Bone Density Support
Women naturally lose muscle (and bone) faster than men as we age. Weight training helps prevent that decline—keeping you strong, mobile, and injury-resistant for decades to come. This is especially critical during perimenopause and postmenopause when bone loss speeds up.

🔥 Muscle = Metabolic Gold
More muscle means you burn more calories at rest. (Yes, even while watching Netflix.)
Muscle is metabolically “expensive,” meaning it takes more energy (calories) for your body to build and maintain muscle than fat. This increases your resting metabolic rate, which supports fat loss and long-term weight management.
From my blog:

🎯 Toning Isn’t the Opposite of Building Muscle
That “toned” look? It’s not about doing endless cardio or shrinking your body—it’s about building lean muscle and shedding fat on top of it. Strength training is what creates that definition.

So no—lifting weights won’t make you bulky.
But it will make you strong, lean, and confident to wear that cute new workout set!

Here's a great place to start: