As a strength coach, I see how fitness marketing aimed at women often uses clever, misleading language to pull readers in and push products. Headlines promise quick fixes like dropping a dress size in a week, torching calories, flattening the belly, lengthening muscles, toning the backside, or banishing jiggle. These claims are designed to make women feel inadequate and to sell shortcuts, rather than to support real, long-term progress.
Women are repeatedly told that their worth hinges on how they look, and that happiness will come from chasing perfect bodies. That messaging can undermine motivation, leading to cycles of short bursts of effort followed by disappointment when results don’t match the hype.
If you search for “women dumbbell exercises,” you’ll see a lot of images featuring small weights and often focus on curls. Those scenes are common in women’s magazines and quietly tell readers that lifting heavy stuff isn’t for them.
THIS IS WHAT OUR FRIENDS, COWORKERS, AND CLIENTS SEE EVERY DAY.
There’s also been a movement called “Strong is the new skinny,” which is a real step forward. In words, it encourages women to lift heavier and pursue strength. But search that phrase and you’ll likely find images of women who are lean, long-legged, and very fit—traits that aren’t realistic or necessary for everyone. I don’t fault anyone for admiring strong physiques, especially in physique sports, but the expectation that all healthy, strong women should look like a certain body type isn’t fair or attainable for most.
I’m not arguing with the idea that being strong beats being thin. After my own battle with anorexia, I know how damaging it is to equate worth with appearance, and I fully support shifting the focus from looks to performance.
The real audience here is the non-physique competitors—the women who want to be strong and healthy but are bombarded with images of busty, ultra-tine waists and visible six-packs. Even muscular women face the lingering pressure that “healthy” means extremely low body fat, which isn’t true or necessary for everyone.
Lifting weights alone will NOT make someone look like that. Diet and genetics play huge roles, and for someone who is, say, 5’1” with certain natural proportions, chasing those magazine ideals will only bring frustration and disappointment. We must live in reality, not in the fantasy world of internet models and Photoshop.
We can help by doing three things, as fitness professionals and as people who want to lift others up:
– Reset our expectations for ourselves and for the women we work with. Set goals that are realistic and attainable, and examine our own biases so we don’t pass them on.
– Encourage other women to set goals that aren’t based on an idolized “ideal” body. Demonstrate this through our actions as well as our words.
– Educate and remind women that progress comes from consistent hard work and patience, not shortcuts. Be a steady voice of reason in a marketplace that loves quick results.
As my dad used to say, “Progress happens one bite at a time.” I’m encouraged that more women are moving away from magazines and toward thoughtful, sustainable training. We won’t change the world overnight, but we can change it one woman at a time.
For more on this topic, there are female-focused resources I trust, including Lean & Lovely by Neghar Fonooni, Lift Like a Girl Guide by Nia Shanks, and Molly Galbraith’s Modern Women’s Guide to Strength Training.
If you’d like additional context or guidance, I’m happy to share more perspectives and practical steps for supporting women on a healthy, performance-based path.
