The idea that women who lift weights don’t put on bulk is a myth. That’s according to personal fitness trainer Rachael Attard who believes it all depends on body type.

Some women are just as likely to put on unwanted muscle mass if they engage in a vigorous weight lifting regime. Unfortunately, however, most PT’s will tell females the exact opposite.

“Bulky is in the eye of the beholder”, says Attard, which is something she believes most PT’s completely disregard when taking on a new clients. “Many PT’s do not listen to their clients’ fitness goals.”

“I keep seeing girls put on the exact same exercise regime and diet by their PT’s no matter what body type they are, or what fitness and body goals they have. Squats, lunges and weight lifting do not produce desired results for everyone”- explains Attard.

Attard speaks from personal experience, having gained unwanted muscle mass when she first decided to use heavy weights in her exercise regime in her 20s and struggled to reverse the effects of it for years.

After months of loving it, feeling powerful and dedicating herself fully- she started experiencing some body changes…and not in the ways she expected.

“I saw some great improvements in strength, which was awesome. But I developed muscles that gave me a bulky look. I also become thicker and wider than I had ever been in my life. My shirts no longer fitted around my shoulders and arms and my jeans were too tight”

The changes slowly started to make her feel uncomfortable in her own skin.