One of the oldest myths in health and fitness is that women should not engage in resistance training (weight lifting) because it will bulk them up.

As a result, fitness for women focuses on cardiovascular health. A lot of it on running.

The truth is actually that weight training creates toned and fit women. About.com has 10 Reasons Women Should Lift Weights. From Reason #2:

You Will Lose Body Fat.
Studies performed by Wayne Westcott, PhD, from the South Shore YMCA in Quincy, Massachusetts, found that the average woman who strength trains two to three times a week for two months will gain nearly two pounds of muscle and will lose 3.5 pounds of fat. As your lean muscle increases so does your resting metabolism, and you burn more calories all day long. Generally speaking, for each pound of muscle you gain, you burn 35 to 50 more calories each day. That can really add up.

Picture credit: R@punseLL