On any given day I have many, many conversations with women who want to look and feel better. They want to change their shape, tone up, and lose fat (regardless of their size!). The best way to do all of this is through strength training, but when I suggest that, I often hear the timeless classic,  ‘I don’t want to get too bulky’. Sorry ladies but it’s taken me years of strategic training and eating to actually build the muscle I have. Growing muscle is hard work. Ask any body builder! The only way you can get big and bulky is to be eating far more than you are actually burning off, and then it’s not so much muscle gains as it is fat. 

So what’s so good about strength training?

Well I’m glad you asked, Strength training is pretty much the holy grail. It helps you to create much needed muscle, much needed because in this day and age most people suffer a lot of health issues and injuries because we are getting weaker as a species. We lack resilience because our lifestyles are becoming super sedentary. 

So how does muscle help you ask? Well, I’ll tell you, building muscle:

• helps your immune function
• Makes your body less prone to injury
• Gives you a more youthful appearance
• Improves the condition of your skin and hair (provided you eat well too)
• Creates shape, tone and better posture
• It allows you to train harder when you do other types of training or play sport
• Helps you to burn more fat even when you are at rest
• It also empowers you 
• Helps you perform better physically and cognitively
• Makes you more capable, so you can do things you haven’t done in years
• Allows you to be more independent so get more out of life
• Plus a host of other equally amazing things

Why should a Pear care?

For all you pears out there, I ask you this. What good is it, to be a little bit thicker around the booty and thighs, if you can’t use it. If this doesn’t translate to power and strength, to good movement, mobility, killer dance moves or aid you with important things like Walking? Child birth? Just living a generally kick ass life?

Oh and not to mention, how good do toned booty and thighs look? Don’t you want to fill your jeans well, to have good shape? To feel confident in your own skin, and clothes that are a second skin.

This is exactly why a pear should care, you’ve been blessed with the potential to build a solid foundation. You might as well make the most of your ‘god-given’ gift. Enhance it, own it, rock it!

When can I start?

No time like the present. From roughly the age of 30 you lose muscle at a consistent rate, so if you are not actively doing anything to build muscle you are losing it. When you hear of older people falling and being injured this is often the result of this muscle atrophy.

I want to help you to get stronger, and create more shape to enhance the body that is your home. You have every right to love your body, feel strong, capable and confident. And that is what I am here to help with, but with anything worth doing it takes time, patience and consistency. Start with small steps and enlist help where needed. And make sure you check back here for regular tips, recipes and workouts designed to help you be your very best.

Guest Blog written by: Katie Masters from KM Health.

If you’d like a bit more information about me and what I do, head on over to kmhealth.com.au or follow me on ‘the gram’ at instagram.com/km.health.