Health Habits Guide: The How-To’s For Body Transformation

In the last article about health habits, I made a point to help you see that not all health advice is the best advice, even when it’s backed by good intention. And that’s because it must come with some type of context for your personal needs.

We covered a bit about what habits are, how hard they are to change, and I even referenced some ideas from my book Stay Leaner, Longer.

In this article, I’m going to give you a framework to build health habits that stick.

At the end of the last article, I promised to tell you about the following:

  • Why everything you know about creating new habits and goal-setting is probably wrong.
  • The most powerful concept I know to help change your behavior (it all has to do with how you actually perceive yourself).
  • A simple, but powerful, 5-step habit creation framework you can implement immediately.

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Attention Ladies: Here’s PROOF that Lifting Heavy Weights will NOT make you Big and Bulky

Well over a month ago, I revealed the deception and some of the misleading information within the fitness magazines and media, specifically the publications directed toward women in my article I Don’t Want to Get Big and Bulky – Fitness Marketing and its Effect on Women.

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In fact, as a result of publishing the article, I’ve discovered many women didn’t know anything more than what they’ve been told by the media.  It’s no surprise, either.  When the majority of our expert information is coming from trainers to the stars, it’s hard to imagine the information could be lacking or misleading.

However, as I mentioned in the previous article, these publications exist for one reason – to make a profit.  I suppose their research suggests Americans (and the entire human race) are inherently lazy and that a quick-fix headline is sure to keep the revenue up.

Just looking at any other product being sold, especially those within the health/fitness/exercise niches, it all rings true – no one wants to work for the results if a shortcut is available.

If you can attain the body of a Greek goddess in 3 weeks without having to lift weights and while eating anything you want, why would you do anything different?  The problem is the promises don’t deliver.

Month after month, women (and men) continue reading with hopes of the next best piece of information that will lead them to similar results of the cover model of their favorite publication.

Shortly after publishing the article, it was spread all over Facebook, as well as Reddit and questions continued to pour in.

The most common questions were

  • “What if we’re just beginners?  Are the 5 pound dumbbells okay to get started with?”
  • “How would you suggest a lady get started in the weight room using free weights and machines?”

The answer to the first question, of course, is yes.  It’s okay if you’re beginning weight training to start with the lightest weight available. You just don’t want to continue with these weights forever.  If you do, you’ll never make the adaptations responsible for producing a lean, sculpted physique.

So while the light dumbbells are fine for a short period, the goal is progressive overload (lifting more weight) over time.  If you aren’t getting stronger over the long-term, you are spinning your wheels, my lady friends.

Before I get to the second question, I want to make a quick point and then elaborate with some guest contributions from some ladies who’ve been strength training for some time with respectable physiques to show for it.

The number one concern I’ve come across online, and in casual conversation with women who are interested in fitness, is this fear of getting big and bulky.  In case you’re unfamiliar with how the male and female bodies differ hormonally, the primary difference is the levels of testosterone between the sexes.

I know I stated this in the last article, but it bears repeating.  Men are naturally leaner, stronger and can carry more muscle mass than their counterparts.  The reason why is due to the levels of testosterone within their system.

So for all the females reading today, have no fear – I can assure you with all certainty that you’ll never, ever look like a male as a result of training for strength with heavy weights.

Don’t just take my word for it, though.  Today I’ve pulled from some ladies I highly respect in this fitness game to contribute their thoughts, ideas and to PROVE that proper strength training can be a great way to build a lean, attractive physique and never become bulky.

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JC Deen is a nationally published fitness coach and writer from Nashville, TN. Currently living in the blistering Northeast. Follow me on X/Twitter