The Life-Changing Magic of Weightlifting
How lifting heavy things improved my mental and physical health
Three years ago, when I was battling depression, I decided to change my daily routine in the hopes of resetting my brain. I had no idea, when I walked into a gym in my neighborhood — run by an actual firefighter whose goal is to make you strong enough to fight actual fires — that I was about to reset my body too.
One of the first classes I took was with this guy Dan, who lifts 70-pound dumbbells. I felt silly trying to lift heavy weights when I had no experience, and imagined other people in the class wondering “who is this middle-aged mom and why is she here?”
At one point during that first class, I really thought I might die. But Dan was great. Stern, but great. He pushed me, so I returned, and got stronger. Pretty soon I was carrying two 35-pound kettlebells around the gym and doing 20-pound hammer curls. I never imagined being able to do anything like that.
As I gained physical strength, my mental health also improved. Turns out, lifting weights is clinically proven to help depression. Who knew? If I was having a hard day, I looked forward to grunting it out physically. I loved leaving the gym feeling like I had taxed each muscle; the soreness indicated progress. And the sweat! As a menopausal woman my body temperature already runs hot. In the fireman gym I unabashedly sweat buckets with everyone else.
Then I met another instructor, Bernadette. She’s maybe five years younger than me and she’s jacked. A gorgeous, strong woman who goes hardcore on those weights and circuits. She became my inspiration. I never had female role models with big muscly shoulders and quads. You know how they take the pockets out of women’s pants to make them more slimming? I’m sure Bernadette doesn’t condone that nonsense!
I can’t tell you how grateful I am to have discovered weightlifting in mid-life. It’s not just the mental health benefits. I no longer need help to lift 30-pound bags of gardening soil. I can get those IKEA boxes out of the car all by myself. I have scoliosis in my spine and a family history of osteoporosis — and I haven’t thrown my back out once in the three years I’ve been weightlifting. I imagine it’s due to strengthening the muscles around my spine.
Sometimes my nice neighbors ask if I need help. I think to myself, “You have no idea how strong I am.” Now I lift heavy weights for fun and probably will for the rest of my life.
GIRL!!! YAS!!! When I moved from NYC to Denver last year I invested in a personal trainer twice a week. (It is so much less expensive here.) I'm thrilled to be working my a$$ off. I back-squatted 105lbs last week for my first time on the rack! #strongisthenewsexy It is so satisfying to be able to get things done on my own. WOOOHOOO!!!