I lift because... my husband has a seizure disorder and I wanted to make it my mission to be able to lift his bodyweight, in case I should ever need to! He's a big dude (6 foot and 215 pounds) and I'm quite little.... (5'2 - 125 lbs). We had an incident before I decided to lift, where he had a seizure while we were at a restaurant and getting him to floor from a seated position, safely, was incredibly difficult for me. I vowed to never not be able to take care for him/create a safe space for him, again. I've been lifting heavy for just over a year now, and have PR'd with a 150 pound back squat, and 205 deadlift (getting close to that goal!!) - it makes me feel incredibly empowered and secure! Even outside of that very personal goal, I've really come to LOVE lifting and recommend it to ALL of my female friends!

Possible trigger warning I lift heavy because after I was raped lifting made me feel empowered & gave me a healthy outlet for my anger. It allowed me to use all the negative emotions & energy in a positive way.

I lift because it's helping me beat my eating disorder. Can't build them sweet muscles if I don't eat! :)

I lift for my mental health. Lifting heavy makes me feel beautiful and powerful. Nothing better than that!

I lift because I'm in a wheelchair and I have to get myself in and out of my chair daily. Love your channel

I lift because as stefi cohen said; "be more concerned with what your body can do for you rather that what it can do for others" and lifting helps me appreciate my body more.

I lift because no matter how big my dog gets, i want to lift him to hug him.

I lift so I can carry our groceries upstairs on ONE TRIP! (goal achieved)

I'm a woman and I lift (heavy) because not only does it feel good but everyday life gets easier. Things like going up stairs, walking up hills, carrying groceries. Things being heavy and difficult is no longer a problem. I can do it myself and it feels great!

I lift because I like feeling strong and it keeps my anxiety manageable

I lift because it’s badass, I’m healthier, fitter, leaner and stronger than 90% of the men in my gym, not bad for a 49yr old. 🏋🏼‍♀️

I lift because I hate cardio!

I started lifting after my unexpected divorce. I lived overseas, and had to come back to the states. I had nothing and my heart was in pieces. Lifting was my therapy. Lifting made me get out of bed on the hardest of days. I felt like it was a means of translating the internal healing I was doing into a physical progression. It gave me hope. It gave me community. I've made some great connections and friends at my gym--intense conversations regarding everything from love, to programming, to family struggles. I don't think I would've survived such a trying time in my life post-divorce without the safe space of my gym. Lifting healed my heart, and reminds me every session that I am stronger than any circumstance.

I lift because it is giving me the confidence to be a better version of myself. Since last October, I've lost 72 lb, left a mentally abusive relationship, and I'm in the process of working towards my Master's degree. I used to not really care that much about my health, and it wasn't until I started getting stress induced panic attacks that I started to take it more seriously. I like lifting because it gives me a physical goals to work towards. It's helped me with the anxiety and depression after I left that relationship, realize how far I've come in the past year, and helps propel me to live my life to the fullest.

I lift because I want to be able to bend over without falling down when I'm older; I want to be able to play with my kids and my grandkids (I'm 38, so I'm getting a head start ;); I want to be able to lift my parents when/if they get to an age where they need more physical help; I want to feel strong doing my daily activities. Also, lifting is literally the only exercise that relaxes me. P.S. You have helped one more woman get a barbell in her hands....I'm getting my first barbell today!!!

I used to be a runner. I’d run all.the.time.- sometimes ten miles a day. I didn’t gain weight, but I didn’t lose either. I felt good, honestly. BUT, when I went overseas for work, I started weight lifting. Not only did I lose an entire pant size, dropping from a six to a four (not that I was worried about that, but I just accepted I couldn’t get smaller when I was running) but I became toned all over. And, the most important thing, I’ve become INSANELY strong. And, from my experience, my muscles only look the bulky people fear about, when I’m flexing. Otherwise I just look toned.

I lift because.... but first, a little about me: I’ve lifted for 20+ years - I’m 61 and started in my late 30’s when i weighed 213... I had to do something and found a great little book that said fuel your body and make it strong. That started the journey. (Meg - your channel is sooooo motivating - the journey continues!! 👍) Sometimes life got in the way and I’d miss a few weeks/months, but lifting has been my anchor throughout. I was hooked on how it worked - even did a variety of studying (NSCA & ACE), got my ACE CPT and started a wellness program at work 15 years ago. All that really motivated my lifting - it’s proven effective w/so many benefits over so many years!! My favorite NSCA study was a comparison between 20 year olds and 80 year olds - the body’s ability to respond to resistance training was EQUAL!!! Both groups muscle strength grew by the same percentage - WOW!!! Ok - back to why i lift... I lift because: > It got/keeps me fit and stay focused on ever-better nutrition until I‘d lost 65#. It really sucks to go into a workout on junk food and feel like crap!! 😂 > It rehabbed my back - i had a super bad back injury one year (horses and running), got cleared by my sports doc and found a book: Core Performance. It went from gentle rehab exercises to heavy lifting. I did it all and got into GREAT shape!! > It was my medicine - seriously, sometimes life is so hard and for a while I struggled with clinical depression. (Studies had proved that exercise was as effective as meds - and i stayed off meds for years by exercising) The alarm would go off and I‘d say to myself “time to take my medicine” and go lift. > It let me lift heavy things. My husband was quite ill for a very long time and had to use a scooter for the last 10 years. I would deadlift it into the back of my Subaru so that we could go places. > It helped me recover from a couple of surgeries. I’d donated a kidney to my husband and a year later had hip surgery. I lifted heavy going into the surgeries and then followed dr’s advice to resume lifting afterwards. Much easier healing a fit body. > It helped me help my hubby. He was so limited in his physical capability - the last couple years he ended up in a mechanized wheelchair just to move around our townhouse. As part of my ACE CEU I focused on fitness for the elderly and came back with a couple fitness activities that let him have FUN again!! There’s joy in moving!! 😃 > I’m a computer professional (since the 80s) and sit waaaay too much. Lifting saves my posture!!!! > I’m getting older - dang! Lifting keeps me from hurting. I suspect I’m getting arthritis and if I don’t keep moving, I hurt. Another benefit of strength training is FLEXIBILITY. Moving our joints through proper form and range of motion keeps them working well. > I love to garden - which means wheelbarrows, shovels and dirt. Lifting lets me keep doing the things I love. > and for those of us from northern climes, an NSCA study found that strength training was the ONLY exercise that reduces sudden heart attacks from shoveling heavy snow. It makes sense - sudden heavy, repetitve exertion. > oh - and the ENDORPHINS!!! There’s JOY in moving! There’s JOY in beating the challenge. There’s JOY in walking out of the gym, legs shaking, soaked in sweat and the mind clear of all the daily stresses. 😃😃😃

I lift because I have Multiple Sclerosis and I want to get as strong as I can while I still have the ability to ❤️❤️❤️

I lift because I’m tired of being weak (in every aspect)

"Lifting is cute" I LOVED THIS! Thank you for making these videos trying to empower women to lift heavy and drop the cardio addiction. I know because I was one of them. I've been weight training for 9 months now and I seriously cannot recommend it enough. Its so complete, sculpts your body, makes you stronger, leaves a "I'm a bad-ass" sensation that I cannot even begin to explain. 'I don't lift because I don't want to look masculine' is so overrated.

I lift because it helps with my depression and anxiety. It also makes me feel confident and gives me more energy.

I lift to burn fat, build muscle and feel like a general badass.

Lifting has transformed how I handle stress, it boosts my mood & gives me an outlet! It is also my number 1 way to get over a breakup:)

I lift for my sanity, lol! It’s my time that I don’t have to think about anything else going on; no stress allowed. I focus on feeling strong and centered....my daily, albeit momentary, mental freedom! :)

I started lifting this summer because I got my heart broken and I was angry. It evolved into so much more than an outlet for the anger. It empowers me and makes me feel good, both mentally and physically. It also makes me look better.

Oh yeah and I eat 2400 calories a day which is 1000 calories more than when I didn't lift and just did cardio. BOOM! I love food

I lift because it’s the first form of exercise I ever truly enjoyed and actually look forward to. I was always a big girl so I figured might as well be a strong big girl. LOVE U MEG OMG OMG 😆

I lift because it helped me overcome my binge eating disorder. I started to concentrate on the weight on the bar and not the weight on the scale. This inadvertently caused me to change my nutrition. Not due to deciding to lose weight...but because I wanted to be a better lifter and wanted to perform better in the gym. It was definately a domino effect. Lifting came first which affected my nutrition in a very positive way. For 10 years I was binging every month. Now Binge free for 7 months.

I lift because it makes me feel healthy, strong and confident. I lift for my mental health and for longevity, especially to maintain bone density as I get older. My regular routine of lifting weights weekday mornings keeps me sane, comfortable in my own skin, and investing in my future!

I lift because almost 3 yrs ago I was over 200 lbs and a heroin addict. I was not happy. I had a friend get me into working out and I found the happiness that you did in seeing how I can control how my body looks. I’ve never felt this strong and confident in my body.

I've only just started lifting, but I love it already! I thought I was having back pain because I had something wrong with my back so became scared of lifting (especially deadlifts). I started slow and it turns out I just had a weak back and now my back pains have gone! Would recommend to anyone, makes you feel really good!

I lift because it helps me focus on what my body can do instead of how it looks!💪

I kinda started lifting for my general health, then "accidentally" got into much better shape. Now I lift to become even stronger and more confident. It really helped with my anxiety issues (now gotta lift it away 100%!!)

Lifting makes me feel like a badass. It also improved my relationship with food. I used to feel guilty when I eat carbs and I was so obsessed with the number on the scale. Now, I happily eat my carbs and look at weight gain positively (gainsss).

I lift because I want to show my daughter that she can be strong in more ways than one!

I love how informative and humorous you are! Keeps me entertained and more educated haha 💜

I lift to fix my knees and I like to be stronger💪 than the boys in my class (by the way, I'm 13 years old). Love you Meg❤️

I lift for confidence. Like you said, there is nothing like walking away from a gym session knowing that you just lifted a whole bunch of heavy stuff. All on your own. I also wanted to say thank you for pointing out that "heavy" is relative. ❤🦵🏋️‍♀️😁💪

I started lifting to get rid of back pain. I continued lifting because i loved the feeling of pushing myself

Struggled with eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder) for years and lifting has helped me and my mental health hugely!

I lift because I like to not just look and feel strong but also BE STRONG!!

I lift because after 40 years on the planet, I discovered it’s something active that I’m actually good at (I HATE cardio...), and the visible and physical results motivate me to keep going. AND because I WILL NOT be one of these frail, hunched older women I see around me all the time, one fall away from a hospital stay. That is not the life I want ahead of me. Gettin’ that BONE DENSITY, hunny 🎉💪🏼🏋🏻‍♀️🎉

I lift because it's badass. Moving heavy weights, developing strength, power, and explosiveness is fantastic

You are one of the reasons I started lifting so thank you! I started lifting last year... currently deadlift 110kg and squat 90kg.. I lift for health but I really really enjoy it. Going to the gym is the best part of my day

I lift to feel strong, to feel confident and to see what my body can do when pushed to the limit!!!👏🏻

Lifting is seriously my favorite way to deal with menstrual rage. While I'm feeling like the irritable sulk, nothing helps me like channeling the incredible Hulk. Hehe. I lift heavy for my health and also because it makes me feel badass. No shame there :P

I started lifting with kettlebells when I was 31, almost four years ago, and now I have a set of dumbbells that range from 5 lbs. to 50 lbs. I lift for all the health benefits and also to have visible muscle definition. I'm a clerk at a grocery store and when guys offer to lift heavy things for me I tell them, "No, I've got it." Then I show off my biceps. :D

I lift because it makes me feel so badass! I can't believe how much I can lift today compared to some years ago. Plus I get in some sort of meditate state in my season, which helps my anxiety LOVE YOU MEG OMG OMG

I was a stick but bulking and lifting heavy gave me pretty feminine strong curves. 💪 didnt wanted to mention it first but even my multiple sclerosis cant stop me, it lets me feel normal and that i can still do things. Lifting also improved my stability since i barely had it from an ms attack. But i never gave up on it and im back on the racks 😄

I lift so I can look at myself in the mirror and say "oh yeah" 😏

I lift because it makes me feel confident and strong in everything I do! And it hurts so good!! 💪🏼🥵🤯🥰

I love cardio and lifting but lifting is always my first choice. I love being able to do so much more than I ever could and I love the feeling of the pump! I like how my body has changed too. In my gym I'm one of few people of colour who works out so I want to show all the POC and non-POC that we can do anything and we can be anything.

It’s hard to put into words just how amazing lifting has made me feel! It gives me such confidence, resilience and mental perseverance! And I got my first pull-up last week, which is not something I ever thought I would be strong enough to do ❤️

Yes!! Love this video, it took me a long time to learn this on my own. I lift because it makes me happier and more confident than ever before. I love getting stronger! Every woman should watch this!! You are amazing!

Girl I love you and I love you and your man! Hilarious!! I started lifting July 2019 and have been going strong since! This video has definitely encouraged me to lift heavier as well as watching your warm up video to make sure I'm on it!!

I started lifting around a year ago and I fell in love with it! It has given me so much confidence and it has transformed my body. I also do it to manage my stress since I am a mommy of 4. Feeling strong, empowered, and beautiful! Thanks for your great advice you are goals!

I love lifting heavy!! I started in 2015 weight training and it has made me feel way more confident!!

This is probably my favorite video of yours! Such a great message. Every woman should lift! I started lifting with my boyfriend (he’s been lifting forever) and it is one of our favorite things todo together. The feeling of getting stronger is soo addicting. Strong body, strong mind!

Thankyou so much for this info meg :) I’ve been lifting weights for the past 3 years and can honestly say it’s made me mentally stronger and feel so much more badass about myself. Weights is truly an amazing tool and I love lifting heavy and pushing to the limit 💪💪 stay strong and lift yeww

Started lifting 2 years ago together with HIIT classes when was told I had osteoporosis. I’m 59 years old and my body has changed in that time ( it takes way longer than I thought, so needs commitment). Daily living, stairs, cleaning the house, gardening are all less exhausting these days so it’s totally worth it. Love watching you .....so inspirational x

I love progression and I lift to accomplish my goals, I love watching how my body changes and lifting makes me happy. Its one of my passions in life.

I lift to feel awesome - you are so right my self confidence has really increased. I'm only a couple months in but I love it and am learning and getting better/stronger every day! Love you videos 💜

Love this video! Lifting has helped me deal with depression in the past. Lifting gives you confidence and makes you look great which is a bonus!

I lift because I'm nearing 50 and want to keep my srength. Also it impresses my young adult children.

Thanks Meg, i have been a lifter for just under 10 years! What a game changer for me , and its been life changing too! i love weight training, and will continue to spread the word and hopefully people will listen, especially women .

I got back into weight lifting as a way to navigate out of grief after my mum passed away a couple of years ago. I also have endometriosis, & exercise is so important with pain management. So, for reasons of both physical & emotional pain, I started lifting again (I had done it previously a few years earlier, but stopped). It makes me mentally & physically stronger. I'm learning to accept & love my body, through the changes I can see happening & the positive benefits I get out from showing up all the time. Plus I love muscles on a female body, & I want that too! :) Great video Meg!

Ever since I started lifting I noticed that I had become more self-assured with myself. I don't second guess my decisions now (when before I would be stuck forever deciding on something). And when I do make wrong decisions, I don't berate and punish myself like I once did. I just take a step back, re-focus, and try to see what I can do to fix it (and accept if there's nothing I can do). Some people may say that it's just maturity, but I honestly think my experience in lifting (3 years now!) is the most significant source of this change. It seems ridiculous to chalk all this up to weightlifting, but when you think about it, whenever you approach the bar with a weight that feels insurmountable, the amount of focus you need to have in order to actually even attempt to lift it can easily translate to how you approach things in life. And when you actually lift that weight off the ground? BEST FEELING EVER. You've proven to yourself that you CAN do it, that you ARE capable. Aesthetics are nice, but quite honestly, the mental and emotional benefits strength training gives me are remarkable. 🙌🏋🏻‍♀️🙌

I lift to prove to myself I can get better. My job is challenging and abstract, and it's not always clear what I need to be doing or whether I'm getting better. With lifting, I have a program, I know exactly what to do, and there's no doubt I'm stronger than when I started. Side bonuses: I stave off osteoporosis, which is in my family, and it turns out I love feeling strong and capable! I'm excited to pick up my big suitcase from baggage claim because I know it will be easy, and if my friend asks me to help them move? Hell yeah! I love not having to ask for help, and instead being asked for help. Sounds small, but I love it!

I LOVE this new style of videos!!!

I love the way you explain things. Thank you. My son recommended that I watch your videos.

Lifting makes me feel amazing! It helps with my work (moving heavy patients around) and every day life. Plus, it makes my butt look amazing! Huge confidence booster and therapy.

I lift because it helps me with my anxiety and puts me in a great mood! Also...laughed so hard at the flexing noises at 1:45!

I really appreciate this channel. It’s definitely the fitness channel I’ve learned the most from. Thank you!

Thank you Meg for being on youtube and posting your videos/sharing your message. A few years a go I was lucky enough to come across your channel and have been a subscriber ever since. You helped me through a point in my life where I felt lost and didn't know what to do with my body. I found that after years of being recovered my eating disorder had come back. Strength training and the mindset of "let's focus on what your body can actually do" rather than losing weight was a huge shift for me. The weightless came naturally. I lift heavy because I like to see results. I feel them! I like being strong and feeling strong. I like setting goals for myself for strength and crushing them! I feel better all around. THANK YOU!

I lift because I love it, it makes me feel strong and confident, and it helps my mental health! I also like how it's made my body look and that I get to eat so much more

I lift because it’s a major stress relief, but I also really enjoy feeling powerful. It’s helped increase my confidence a lot 💪🏼

I've been into fitness for a number of years now, and did on and off bodyweight training up until I began focusing on powerlifting movements and accessories this past June. It has quickly become my preferred training style because progress can be EXTREMELY incremental, where bodyweight training has larger hurdles to overcome, and it feels like you can make progress each week in some way. Plus being strong and healthy makes me feel awesome and super comfortable in my own body. Love the new style of content, keep it up!

Meg I am just checking your free week. I will start it on Monday. Thanks! Wonderful idea!

I lift heavy because it makes me feel strong and badass! I also love lifting because it keeps me engaged while in a workout routine, as opposed to the mundane cardio I used to do. I HATED fitness for most of my life. Absolutely despised it. And lifting heavy has change that for me! Its like a new fun game that keeps me wanting to do more to accomplish more.

I did it to get out of my depression. I've been lifting weights for about 2-3 years and I gained 10kg of muscle and my body fat went from 26% to 18%. I was always skinny so I don't know where that fat was hiding honestly. And yeah it's been a big confidence booster and even though it doesn't totally fix having bad days, you're able to cope better

I started the beginner routine you posted two weeks ago and I love it so much! I feel so much more confident and happy and energetic after lifting. The confidence it's given me is truly mindblowing to me. I was always too nervous to go over to the weights side of the gym (and honestly just really nervous in general) but I don't even care about that now. I'm so excited to see what lifting will do for me and my body!

I lift because training makes me feel ALIVE and CONFIDENT! It gives me an outlet to express myself and get my mind right while building great aesthetics at the same time. It also gives me the opportunity to inspire other women to embrace their strength. Thank you for being so inspiring Meg, love your videos and your message that you spread 🙌🏼❤️

I love lifting heavy! It has definitely increased my confidence and I like how it has changed my body :D Meg I love how animated you are! You crack me up!

I lift for all those reasons you meantioned, tbh. But I especially enjoy those psychological ones. Whenever I help people to carry stuff, I feel great, because I can actually carry those things with ease now, while a few years ago, I couldn't even lift them. So it happened, that I actually enjoy picking up and carrying stuff (groceries, moving boxes, furniture, my mom's border collie etc.). I'm still a beginner though, like... 40kg deadlift 5x5 but I actually started with 10kg and felt really uncomfortable doing this. But I am excited to see that number grow over time. It's a fun journey to me.

Hi Meg...I just love your videos! Thanks for inspiring women to lift heavy or heavier. I’ve been lifting weights for close to 40 years with a focus on powerlifting for the past 25 years. I am not the strongest woman in the world but at almost 62, I hold my own and can lift more than my 57 yo male workout partner. I have never looked “bulky” even at my most muscular (in my late 30’s to my early 50’s) Menopause and some unfortunate life events brought some extra weight and kept me out of the gym for a few years but I’ve been working my way back to weights I regularly lifted 20 years ago. It’s never too late! I love lifting. It has kept me healthy and happier than I am when not lifting. I highly encourage any woman to give it a go. Work with a knowledgeable trainer if you’re not sure how to start. Thanks again and keep up the good work, Meg!

You are a BADASS!!. I just started lifting and I LOVE IT. Watching your videos inspires me so much

I lift because I’m a nursing student who doesn’t want to hurt my back in the field. It also makes me feel confident and stronger than I thought.

Huge pet peeve of mine when my clients tell me they won’t lift over 8lb because they don’t want to get bulky 🤢 hate that word

I lift because I love feeling strong. It has helped me form really good friendships, with others and myself. I love the motivation of moving up in weight! Stick with it and you will learn to love it. Thanks for all the great content Meg! I love stronger by the day!

Your best video by far. *Round of applause. Standing ovation* keep up the amazing work! I am a man and I still find what you say both motivating and valuable and this video basically says everything I wish I could say to most of my make friends too!

For anyone else returning to this video for a refresher, here is the list with timestamps! What does heavy lifting mean? (2:07) 1. More muscle = more calories burned (6:56) 2. Lifting helps burn calories and fat (7:52) 3. Lifting changes your body composition (8:59) 4. Lifting will give you confidence (12:20) 5. Lifting = fountain of youth! (13:32) 6. Resistance training is good for your bones! (14:29) 7. Growth hormone (16:04)

I lift because it makes me feel strong, capable, unstoppable, limitless, and grateful ♥️☺️💪🏻 lifting makes me feel like my true self!

Oh my gosh, your new style of videos is AWESOME, and the back and forth banter is my favorite!!! 👍🏻😉 I lift to feel like a badass and to show love for my body!

Loved this video! Insightful and helpful!

I lift because there is a form of progression for everyone. From being diagnosed with cervical spondylisis at 17 and not being able to lift anything above my shoulders to lifting almost my body weight, lifting truly changed my life.

I lift to keep my mind and body strong. It is the ultimate stress reliever.

YOU are a huge part of why I started to lift heavy. You inspired me to push myself and now I have begun to train to one day compete in a power lifting competition. THANK YOU! 🖖💜💪💜

I love lifting because it allows me to almost step away from the world for a minute and no stress so much! It makes me feel so great and strong in all areas of my life! It also helps me to feel accomplished! I love your new set up and the videos you’ve been making! Of course I love all of you videos, but I really like the message you’re getting across when it comes to body image!

Not a woman but I started lifting to lose weight. I was 350 so I really needed to. Got down to 200 and kept it down for 4 years now. Also since your joke about Ryan all I can think is Ryan Bravo

I lift because I want to be more of me, not less of me 💪😘 Lifting heavy makes me feel so powerful and has totally changed my relationship with my body!