Is the way that you look more important than the way that you feel? When it comes to lifting: You love it. And look what your body can do! But what happens when that voice in our head we've heard most of our lives about "getting too big" rears its head? In this episode, we discuss the appearance of "bulk" when it comes to lifting and fitness, especially on a woman's body, "because how dare it be there?!"

Kelsea and Rachael think it is important to call out the idea behind "being strong but not looking strong" and emphasize the genuine motivations that drive women to become their best selves, even with all the counterintuitive messaging going on out there. They also address the illusion of control over body composition that has taken a hold of us in the hopes that recognizing it can free us to be limitless in our bodies. Listen to hear advice for those just starting out lifting or picking the weights back up!

(0:00:00) Introduction 

(0:08:35) Lift or Drop

(0:14:13) The question of staying lean while lifting

(0:15:00) The issue of feeling bulky, or avoiding something you love because of how you think it will make you look

(0:18:05) Kelsea’s experience with her doctor and the idea that if you do what someone else does, you’ll look the way they look

(0:17:15) Gym culture and messaging about appearance

(0:22:36) The complexity of your body shape and composition and why trying to change your body shape into someone else’s won’t work

(0:32:20) The benefit of having control of your body, what it can do, and meeting your goals for it

(0:34:59) The different body types that have been popular over time and why bulking in terms of what that means for your own body can happen

(0:39:10) The reality of muscles getting larger

(0:40:15) Water retention in muscles and building muscle faster than fat burns

(0:42:59) Why you have to consider what a person’s been doing for years to look the way they do, not just what they’re doing right now

(0:45:27) Having patience with an activity and waiting for the payoff

(0:47:17) The pitfalls of placing aesthetics over your body feeling and functioning better

(0:48:11) Why men, as well as women, are conditioned to prioritize aesthetics

(0:54:10) Taking a new perspective on your body type and range, instead of envying others.

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The Genetic Basis of Body Shape: Lessons from Mirror Twins and High-Definition Digital Photography | Journal of Ethics

Genetics of human body size and shape: body proportions and indices