Women are often told not to focus on weight loss if they go to the gym. There is a preconceived notion that lifting weights can turn them into a bodybuilder. They will become too muscular and lose out on the "femininity" of their body. But is that the case? To break this myth, we spoke to a Fitness trainer, health coach and nutritionist Apar Jain.

Women Do Not Become Bodybuilders If They Weight Train

"Weight training offers numerous health benefits for women, from improved strength and muscle tone to better bone density and metabolism," says Jain. He also points out that women do not "bulk up" like male bodybuilders and one of the reasons for that is their hormones.

Men generally have higher levels of testosterone, a hormone that also promotes muscle growth, whereas the levels are much less in women. "So even with regular weight training, they are more likely to build lean, toned muscle, rather than large, bulky ones," he explains.

Myth of Bulking: Jain explains that many women worry that lifting weights will make them bulky, but in reality, it helps them achieve a toned, athletic look. It also helps them create a leaner, more defined body by reducing body fat and increasing lean muscle mass.

"So, is it bad for women to weight train? Absolutely not! Weight training is one of the best

things women can do for their bodies, supporting overall health, longevity, and confidence. The key is to train with a balanced routine that includes both strength and cardiovascular exercise, along with a nutritious diet that supports personal fitness goals," he explains.

Why Is There A Belief That Women "Bulk Up"?

Addressing this preconceived notion, Jain says that media portrayals of bodybuilding have often shown men and women with extreme muscular physiques. Many people thus associate any kind of weightlifting with this look. "They are unaware of the specialised training and dietary practices that bodybuilders follow. This visibility makes women worry that lifting weight will quickly lead to a similar physique."

Other factors that lead to this misleading notion, as Jain points out are:

Historical Fitness Stereotypes: For decades, fitness marketing for women emphasised “slimness” and “toning” without muscle growth. Women were encouraged to stick to cardio or light weights with high reps, reinforcing the idea that lifting heavier weights would somehow “masculinise” their bodies. These stereotypes have taken time to fade as fitness knowledge has evolved.

Biology Misunderstandings: Many people don’t fully understand how muscle growth works or the role hormones like testosterone play. Women naturally have lower levels of testosterone than men, so they’re not biologically predisposed to gain large amounts of muscle mass. But without a solid understanding of this, many assume that lifting heavy weights alone will lead to “bulking up.”

Misleading Fitness Advice: Some fitness advice still focuses on the idea of “toning” muscles by lifting very light weights. However, muscle definition actually comes from a balance of strength training, cardiovascular exercise, and diet, rather than avoiding heavy weights. This misconception has led many women to avoid weight training altogether or stick to very low weights, reinforcing the fear of bulking.

Social Pressure and Body Image: Cultural pressures around femininity have often emphasised a lean, slim look, leading some women to avoid weight training for fear of appearing too muscular or “unfeminine.” Even as body positivity and strength are increasingly celebrated, the old biases about how women “should” look still linger.

Lack of Education and Exposure: Many women may not have access to accurate information or the support of knowledgeable trainers who can explain the benefits of weight training without bulk. As more women gain exposure to strength training and see results for themselves, this myth is starting to break down.

In today’s generation of social media and influencers, fitness has become unnecessarily complicated. Some will say to eat something, and others will start listing why that food, supplement, or routine is bad.

All that does is keep you chasing the perfect formula for health, and in return, it does more harm than good because it becomes very easy to believe more effort will give you better results. But is staying fit this complicated? The answer is No.

The ICMR-NIN dietary guidelines emphasize a much simpler approach, such as balance, moderation, and sustainability. Instead of following trends and complicated routines, just focus on the habits that can be maintained for life. As we look towards the future, especially about India @2047, the goal is not just having a fit population but to have a sustainably healthy one.

Healthy Habits Doing More Harm Than Good

One of the common mistakes that people make when they decide to work on their fitness is adopting extreme measures like skipping meals and eliminating entire food groups like carbohydrates or fats, because that will help in losing weight quickly, but all it does is slow down the metabolism, which causes fatigue, loss of focus, and overeating at the end of the day.

The body needs a balanced intake of all nutrients in a day to function properly. The NIN guidelines clearly recommend eating a variety of foods like cereals, pulses, vegetables, fruits, milk, and protein in daily meals. Completely cutting a nutrient out of your diet in the name of weight loss will later cause deficiencies.

Another trend that people follow that does more harm than good is shifting from solid meals to detoxes and juices. While in theory detoxes and juices do help your body, only when you are taking a balanced diet, it is not a substitute. Juicing fruits almost always strips the essential fibers and almost always causes insulin spikes.

Also read: High BP? This Ancient Chinese Practice May Be As Good As Brisk Walking

Why Consistency Matters

While training, people often focus on training hard and resting less. While in the hustle of being consistent, people forget that muscles also need recovery, and the body needs rest to repair. While the first rule to stay fit is consistency, working out without recovery often leads to long-term joint issues rather than strength.

How To Get Fit

As the saying goes, “The secret of a happy life lies in the simplest of things”; the secret of a healthy life lies in simple things and not over-complicated routines.

Fitness doesn’t require an expensive gym membership or a 12-step pre-workout ritual. The most effective routine is the one that you actually can do, which is as simple as movements like lunges, squats, or push-ups, or even a 20-minute brisk walk. Even though the diet is not complicated, eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re 80 percent full, just like what you do while charging your phone.

Fitness With A Desk Job

Even at a desk job, you don’t need a treadmill desk to stay active. A simple 50/50 rule, where after every 50 minutes of sitting, you stand and walk for the next 5 minutes. This will help you with your posture, and your back will bless you.

Make small changes like taking stairs instead of the lift, or if you don’t need to look at the screen, take meetings while walking.

Also read: Checking BMI For Body Weight? It Can Wrongly Mark You As Overweight or Obese, Says Study

Simple fitness habits

The foundation of fitness and India @ 2047 vision is built on 3 simple

pillars:

• Daily movements: Aiming for 8k-10k steps daily
• Hydration: Drinking enough water to maintain cognitive functions and energy
• Mindful eating: Choosing whole grains and seasonal produce over processed health bars
• Staying fit will only be complicated if you make it so. Even small changes will give you great results.

For people spending too much time on social media, fitness often takes a back seat—and not for the best. If you are someone who is new to the gym, one of the most difficult parts of the regimen is performing and holding a plank for long enough. Planks are among the most effective workouts for a stronger core and for better management of belly fat. Yet, holding one for even a minute can become a herculean task, even for younger individuals. But for people in their 20s, what is the ideal duration for holding a plank? Let’s find out.

Read more: High BP? This Ancient Chinese Practice May Be As Good As Brisk Walking

What are the benefits of planks?

Experts say planks are very effective for strengthening the core, as they engage multiple muscles at once, such as the following:

1. Obliques (sides)
2. Rectus abdominis (the front of your abdomen)
3. Transverse abdominis (the deep, stabilising muscles that wrap around your midsection)

Unlike ab exercises like crunches, planks target multiple muscle groups at once. This workout also helps stabilise the core while moving. It is effective for maintaining proper alignment during movement and for protecting the lower back. Experts say that, alternatively, lifting boxes at home is more or less the same as loading and unloading boxes from your car to your home. This emphasis on stability becomes more important with age.

In a 2012 study, older adults who successfully completed a nine-week core stability programme reported better spinal mobility, improved trunk strength, and enhanced dynamic balance. These factors collectively reduce the risk of falls. However, experts warrant caution, stating that focusing too much on plank duration could make the workout less effective. Instead, there is a good reason to strive for steady form and, over time, better endurance.

Read more: No Time for the Gym? Short Bursts of Intense Activity Daily May Cut Risk of 8 Diseases and Death

How long should you be able to hold a plank?

Timing a plank is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Several factors can influence how long one can hold a plank position, including overall fitness; body weight and proportions; as well as experience with planks and other breath control and muscular endurance exercises. Fitness experts say that age plays a significant role when it comes to plank duration. As one gets older, natural changes such as weaker joints and a decrease in muscle mass and strength can affect how long a plank can be maintained. Consistent training can help increase this duration.

While there is no specific number that everyone must aim for, people should try to improve their plank duration based on their age. Take a look at the ideal duration of holding a plank across age groups:

1. 18–39 years: 45–99+ seconds for the general population; 1–2 minutes for fitter individuals
2. 40–59 years: 30–75 seconds for the general population; 45–90 seconds for fit individuals
3. 60+ years: 20 seconds to one minute for the general population; 30–75 seconds for fitter individuals

High blood pressure (BP) has become a public health problem that is driving cardiovascular diseases like heart attacks and strokes globally. While medications are important to keep hypertension under control, lifestyle changes and healthy practices are also crucial.

Several global health guidelines recommend regular physical activity, but adhering to exercise programs daily becomes a challenge for many people. But in the overtly busy schedules, sparing 10 minutes for an exercise regimen can be easier than travelling to the gym.

A large randomized clinical trial, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC), has proved that a traditional Chinese mind-body practice — baduanjin — may help lower blood pressure, that too, without any equipment.

Baduanjin is a slow, structured movement, focused on deep breathing and meditation.

Importantly, the clinical trial proved that the ancient Chinese technique could lower BP as effectively as brisk walking.

In people practicing baduanjin, BP reductions were seen after three months and were sustained for one year.

"Given its simplicity, safety, and ease with which one can maintain long-term adherence, baduanjin can be implemented as an effective, accessible, and scalable lifestyle intervention for individuals trying to reduce their blood pressure," said Jing Li, Director, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases in Beijing, China.

Baduanjin: The 10 Minute Routine

Baduanjin is a standardized eight-movement sequence that integrates aerobic, isometric, flexibility, and mind-body components.

It has been in practice for centuries and commonly performed in community settings across China. The routine typically takes 10–15 minutes and requires no equipment and only minimal initial instruction.

Because it is low- to moderate-intensity, it is considered safe and accessible for many adults.

Also read: Cardiovascular Diseases Lead As India’s Top Killer: US Cardiologist Points Out Risk Factors

The Clinical Trial

A team of Chinese researchers led the first large, multicenter randomized trial to look at the impact of baduanjin on blood pressure.

They followed 216 participants, aged 40 years or older, across seven communities to determine changes in 24-hour systolic BP from baseline to 12 and 52 weeks.

Compared to people indulging in self-directed exercise, practicing baduanjin five days a week reduced

• systolic blood pressure by approximately 3 mg Hg
• systolic blood pressure by 5 mg Hg.

Notably, the benefits were sustained even without ongoing monitoring, a key challenge for many lifestyle interventions that struggle to maintain long-term adherence outside structured programs.

"Baduanjin has been practiced in China for over 800 years, and this study demonstrates how ancient, accessible, low-cost

approaches can be validated through high-quality randomized research," said Harlan M. Krumholz, Editor-in-Chief of JACC and the Harold H. Hines, Jr Professor at the Yale School of Medicine.

"The blood pressure effect size is similar to that seen in landmark drug trials, but achieved without medication, cost, or side effects. This makes it highly scalable for community-based prevention, including in resource-limited settings," they added.

Also read: AHA Cholesterol Guidelines 2026: How Indians Can Improve Heart Health

How To Practice Baduanjin

• Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart and keep your movements slow and controlled.
• Coordinate each motion with steady, deep breathing, inhaling and exhaling smoothly as you move.
• Move through the traditional eight postures in sequence, focusing on posture, balance, and relaxation rather than speed or force.
• Practice for about 10 to 15 minutes a day in a quiet space, maintaining calm attention throughout.