Should women weight train? YES, is the simple answer regardless of goals. No matter if it is to lose weight/fat, gain muscle or to “tone up” weight training is and should be, an essential part of a females exercise regime. Now, there is the initial fear of females and the association with weights, the main issue being that females (in general) think they will get too bulky, less feminine and more masculine. The following points will give a great insight into the host of benefits of why I consider it essential for females to use a structured resistance program to shape up there body. Before I get started, it was only 1 day prior to writing this article that I witnessed a female in the gym who spent about 30-40 minutes doing exactly what frustrates me about the medias perception  of “toning” Just about every exercise that activated the glutes was being used, and about 30 reps each side and about 3 sets each exercise for a continuos 30 minutes. Now, she would have “felt” her glutes getactivated no doubt, just like the side stepper cardio machine, you will definitely feel your glutes being used but it will be activating the wrong type of muscle fibres and this will give you a flat bum rather than a perfectly round one. I apologise for the rant but it was that 30-40 mins of uneducated exercise that pushed me to write this article. I blame OK or Now magazine (insert whatever fashion/celebrity magazine here) for the misguided information, not the female herself. These magazines present exercise in such a way that you HAVE to believe it if the latest celebrity is doing the workout. Anyway, onto the evidence;   You will burn more fat. Ok, lets take one pound of fat and one pound of muscle, what burns more calories? The muscle of course. Body fat is the body’s stored energy source whenever it gets too much of it (food). It doesn’t require any energy to have one pound of fat but you will burn 35-50 more calories each day for every pound of muscle gained, basically resultingin a high metabolism. More calories burned = more fat lost. You will get stronger and more toned, not bulkier. Without going into the science here, females typically do not have the same testosterone levels that males have to build bulky muscle, it would take years of 100% desire and commitment with relentless discipline and drive for a woman to resemble a males physique. Don’t be scared. A stronger muscle is a more toned muscle so if you want that shape, don’t lift for any more than 12 reps, aim for between 8-10 reps, about 3-4 sets of big exercises (squats, deadliest, lunges and presses) with about 60 seconds rest. The reason for this is that it uses a different type of muscle fibre that is rounder. Look at marathon runners and sprinters, totally different shape, so stop doing hours of cardio and hit the weights hard for 45 minutes 2-5 times per week. It makes you feel good. When exercising with weights, the body releases certain hormones, amongst these hormones, endorphins arereleased (feel good hormone) so if anything, it can be fun but it will elevate your mood and you will feel better about yourself. Another point is that when you challenge yourself to lift heavier weights, there is no better feeling than realising you have lifted the heaviest weight you have ever lifted. When these events happen, cherish them, look back and congratulate yourself and have a healthy meal to reward yourself. Research done at Harvard has shown that a 10 week resistance plan reduced depression, increased confident levels and helped with motivation in day to day life. Once you push yourself to the limit inside the gym, you will want to do it in other areas of life outside the gym. Increased bone density (reduced risk of osteoporosis) Weight training has been proven to increase bone density with sufficient dietary calcium intake. This means that you will have stronger bones and chances of hurting yourself will be reduced. Along with this increased bone density, the extrastrength you will have will help support the body’s natural structure meaning that (if you exercise with good technique) you will support your body and protect it from injury through bad posture. Weight training can increase Cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Weight training alone has been proven to reduce LDL (low density lipids) “bad cholesterol” and increase HDL (high density lipids) “good cholesterol along with lowering blood pressure. Along with positive hormonal responses, if weight training is combined with a structured cardio program, it will effect how the body uses certain types of foods. Due to the demands resistance training has on the body, it creates a demand and the body can more effectively regulate blood sugar levels which could lead to a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. Because weight training primarily uses carbs for energy, it will ensure the carbs you take in are used for energy and not stored as fat. DON’T BE SCARED OF CARBS Istress this as too many times people chase fat loss goals by cutting carbs straight away, eventually, metabolism shuts down and the body cannot physically burn more fat, I am tempted to go on but the carb debate is for another article. The time is never “just right”. We all put things off to “tomorrow” as something always gets in the way, life has a habit of doing this. It doesn’t have to be a major commitment, just step inside the gym, you can be in and out in less than an hour and feeling great. Other reasons could be age or health, no matter what, if you go in and exercise relative to YOUR capabilities, you will make progress. You are doing it for you and no one else, the sooner you start, the sooner you will feel better.   So that’s an insight into resistance training. I hope i have managed to paint a good picture into the endless benefits of weight training no matter what your goals are. The media paints a horrible and confusing picture about fitness and exercise, however, itdoesn’t have to be so scary, it is enjoyable and everyone should have it in their lives. Fabio Bonanno 100% Natural Athlete