OP, I say this gently... no one is paying attention to you. Seriously. People are too wrapped up in their own heads and lives to notice you. Or anyone. So live your life. I'm 50+ and weightlift at the gym. There are plenty of women, both younger and older doing the exact same thing. Take care of your body and stop being concerned about "what people think".

Anonymous wrote:I’m 52 and go to a gym. Occasionally there are women but it’s rare. The men in the gym aren’t judging you; they’re working out. No one cares. You need to take care of you. Also if you are that self conscious go when it opens so everyone is just trying to wake up.

Where do you go to the gym? I am a member of a Gold's and have been to several of their locations. There are women lifting weights in all of them. Yes the balance is skewed toward more dudes, but I am definitely not feeling like a unicorn being a woman serious about her weightlifting.

I’m 52 and go to a gym. Occasionally there are women but it’s rare. The men in the gym aren’t judging you; they’re working out. No one cares. You need to take care of you. Also if you are that self conscious go when it opens so everyone is just trying to wake up.

Check out the Caroline Girvan youtube videos, for example the Iron series. About 30 minutes weight training. Really good.

Nobody is judging. Strength training is super important for everyone, but especially women to reduce risk of injury and improve overall health as you age.

No, you're not gonna "bulk up." It takes a ton of work to put on muscle. However, you do want to watch out for increased appetite when you lift, so you don't go over your normal daily calories.

Tons of free resources available online and YouTube. I'd start with a basic routine to build foundational strength and then start working on a tailored routine based on your preferences.

Contrary to what people are saying here, you don't need a coach to start off with. Be careful, gyms will try to pull you into expensive coaching programs. Best thing to do is start slowly and self-educate, and then get a coach.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find that the male heavy lifters at my gym are looking at themselves or their phones all the time.

Start a trend

This isn’t happening at a work gym. The heavy lifters don’t have actual jobs to go to.

And who feeds them?

Nobody would judge

Why would they?? About what?Confused

Anonymous wrote:What blood test show muscle atrophy?

There are a few indicators that show up in blood work related to muscles. enzyme called creatine kinase Will be present in blood when muscles are dying and myoglobins can indicate damage.

In a healthy person it could be a sign of a problem.

But if you have MS or Parkinson’s or other neuro disorder those levels will always be high so you cannot diagnose it in those people.

Who cares? Hire a trainer so you don’t hurt yourself, and go lift. Work gyms tend to be more utilized my men on average, bc it’s a PIA for women to get sweaty and have to shower in the middle of the work day.

I've been into lifting weights since it was included as part of my soccer training in high school. Anecdotally, there are more women lifting weights than ever before. I do a number of weight lifting/muscle conditioning classes between my work and home gyms and while working out with my personal trainer. The classes are predominantly women, and the number of women who just come to the gym to lift weights is always growing!

I have always found guys at gyms to either pay me no attention or, if I initiate conversation, to be overtly supportive and encouraging of women lifting weights. In college where there were multiple gyms on campus and I'd use the one most commonly used by the athletes because the lighter weights were always available. I worked out with the football team and they were really kind to me. (And no, no one was hitting on me, they were just friendly.) Not to quote Legally Blonde here, but I think people who exercise regularly are just happier and nicer people, at least when they're exercising.

Anonymous wrote:I find that the male heavy lifters at my gym are looking at themselves or their phones all the time.

Start a trend

This isn’t happening at a work gym. The heavy lifters don’t have actual jobs to go to.

I find that the male heavy lifters at my gym are looking at themselves or their phones all the time.

Start a trend

Anonymous wrote:Zero men care. Trust me.

If you want tips or exercises to learn, just ask? They'll be happy to show you too.

No, do not interrupt other people’s workouts to ask them to show you how to do things. That’s what a trainer is for.

Zero men care. Trust me.

If you want tips or exercises to learn, just ask? They'll be happy to show you too.

Just wait till you start lifting heavy weights and have to grunt out loud!