For thirty minutes I stared into space wondering what I may have done wrong. I had a goal to gain tight abs in eight months.
I kept a strict diet. I ate two boiled eggs every day. I took my favorite green tea in the morning just like I have done for the past three years.
I lost significant weight. About 12 pounds to be precise. My body was in perfect shape. However, my dream to build a tight lower belly didn’t happen.
My fitness routine was low-intensive training, aerobic exercises, and meditation. My cognitive function improved. I was more alert all through the day and I slept better at night, a struggle I had before the eight months I began my weight loss goal.
As I sat on the treadmill, panting and observing other trainers, my mind drifted back to my failed muscle growth challenge.
Why did I lose 12 pounds, and gained a flat tummy but the abdominal muscles weren’t visible?
Most bodybuilders pump their hormones with pills to gain those broader and stronger muscles. But for someone like me looking to grow my muscles naturally, I created a custom workout plan to achieve those results.
Why you are losing weight without gaining muscles
Most women shy away from weightlifting exercises because they are afraid of losing their feminine figure. They don’t want those bulky arms and legs like the famous heavy-weight champions.
If this is you, stop being afraid!
The good news is weightlifting doesn’t make you bulky. Weightlifting has been proven to improve bone density, which is a key factor in your ability to stay active as you age.
In older people, lifting weights helps reduce falls and broken bones. For younger people, weightlifting can be used to prevent osteoporosis. Because women are more prone to osteoporosis than men due to the impact of menopause on bone density.
If you’re over 35, you should be doing extremely intense exercise two to four times a week for periods of four to eight weeks at a time.
When adult men reach their 30s, they naturally produce less testosterone unless there is a stimulus that prompts the body to produce it. Testosterone is a steroid hormone and is responsible for repairing damaged muscle fibers, which can increase muscle size and strength.
Intense resistance training is one stimulus that can make men produce testosterone and increase bone density, two important factors that slow aging.
Heavy resistance training can also help women over 35 increase levels of growth hormones, which are important for building lean muscle and burning fat.
If you are new to weightlifting, you may not know where to start when determining weight.
You may be confused as to whether you should go light or heavy lifting. The difference between the two depends is on the speed.
Heavier weights are generally intended for strength or power training. They require fewer reps and they are great for building strength and muscle mass.
On the other hand, light weights generally require you to do more reps and sets. Indeed, with a less challenging weight, it takes longer to tire the muscles under tension.
If your goal is to increase your muscular endurance, start with light weights.
A heavy set is eight reps, a light set is 12 reps, and that’s it. So for muscle endurance, that means doing 12 reps or more.
However, to build muscle mass, perform 8–10 reps.
Starting your weightlifting journey with lighter weights allows you to focus on form, ensuring you perfected the current challenge before moving on to a heavier one, more difficult weights that require an excellent form to avoid injury.
6 heavy lifting exercises to shape your muscles and get stronger
The weight you choose should be heavy enough to challenge you to the point you almost give up, which means you won’t be able to complete another rep at the end of your set.
Once you can perform the exercise with the same weight for the maximum number of repetitions, you should move on to a heavier weight.
This technique is called progression and you must do it continuously to see the results.
Front Raise To Lateral Raise
How to:
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, arms relaxed, and dumbbells resting on quads.
Bracing core and keeping arms straight, lift weights straight up to shoulder height.
Lower back down, then raise weights out to the sides and up to shoulder height.
Return to start. Perform three to four sets of 12 reps, resting for 30 seconds between sets.
Dumbbell Pass With Push Up
How to:
Get into a pushup position with arms straight, and your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width.
Do a complete pushup and hold in the up position.
Now lift your right elbow toward the ceiling until your elbow passes your torso
Lower, then lift the left dumbbell. That’s one rep.
Dumbbell push press
How to:
Stand with your feet wide apart.
Hold the dumbbells on top of your shoulders.
Sit lower in a squat. Make sure your thighs pass parallel to the ground before standing straight.
Keeping your core tight throughout is crucial.
Incline bench press
How to:
Lie back on a bench set to a 30-degree angle
Lift the weights up to shoulder height, palms facing away from you.
Breathe out as you press up with both arms.
Lock out your arms and squeeze your chest before returning slowly to the start position.
Alternating dumbbell devil’s press
How to:
Stand with your feet apart and keep the dumbbell a foot in front between your feet.
Squat into a deadlift position with the chest and head up and shoulders slightly higher than the hips.
With your right hand, swing the dumbbells between your legs above your head as you would with a kettlebell swing and swing it back down to in between your legs.
Jump your feet out and back into the push-up position. Do one push-up, making sure you lower your chest down between your hands. This is one rep
Jump your feet back up, and grab the dumbbell with your left hand. Swing it over your head and back down. Do another push-up. This is one rep.
Close-grip bench press
How to:
Lie back on a flat bench holding a barbell with a narrow, overhand grip.
From the starting position, breathe in and lower the bar slowly until it skims the middle of your chest.
Push the bar back to the starting position explosively as you breathe out.
Focus on pushing the bar using your chest muscles.
Women can benefit enormously from lifting weights.
Whether you’re hoping to work on your strength, improve your well-being, or simply feel more confident and toned.
Regardless of your objectives. Switching your weights and how you structure your exercises with reps and sets helps keep your body younger and stronger.
While lifting weights consistently will increase your strength and power, it’s essential to ensure that you allow your muscles to recuperate appropriately, so it’s ideal not to train the same muscle consistently.
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Want to drop fat and build lean muscle—without overcomplicating things?
Start by giving your body the support it actually needs. I keep it simple with a few key vitamins that do the heavy lifting behind the scenes:Vitamin D – Helps with fat loss and muscle function (especially if you train indoors)
B12 – Boosts energy, metabolism, and recovery
Magnesium – Supports muscle recovery and reduces bloating
Iron – Keeps your energy up, especially if you're low on red meat
Omega-3s – Reduces inflammation and helps burn fat more efficientlyIf you’re serious about results, don’t skip the basics. Fuel your body right—start with these essentials and watch what happens. Grab my go-to vitamin stack here and level up your routine.
Ugh it's been such a struggle, Jessey! I'm someone who's really good at showing up, doing the work and achieving a goal. But abs? Those are so freaking hard to come by these days haha. 3 c-sections, a 42 year-old body and my metabolic type are difficult hurdles to overcome to achieving defined abs. I've accepted that. My body isn't the same as it was in my twenties, before kids. But I keep showing up, lifting the weights and hoping for the best. These days, I work out to stay strong and it's less about how I look. I'll try some of these exercises-- thank you!