As I watch Friends I often wonder how do Jen, Courtney and Lisa manage to remain so thin all through the series. If you are as lazy as I am, youd probably wave this question away with a simple Genes!!! It may (or may not) be true that white people have are blessed with better genes than we are. But the fact remains that these women are working very very hard in their gyms, pumping off a lot of iron.

If you observe closely, these women are not only thin, but also have a muscled and toned look. That comes from the resistance training, gal. Aerobics and dieting may help you lose some weight. But nothing can match the benefits of weight training for fitness. In this series of article, we will bust some common myths about weight training for women. Heres the first one...

Myth #1: Women And Men Have Different Bodies, Weights Are Not Good For Us

BUSTED: How different are our bodies from mens? Apart from the reproductive organs and hormones, we are more or less similar. Training for ladies shouldnt differ that much from mens training. Women have the same number of muscles and they contract in the same fashion. The only difference between men and women is that of hormones.

Men naturally have higher levels of testosterone, a muscle-building hormone, while women are constantly fighting the estrogen issue, a fat storing hormone. Now Im not saying that just because you are female and have higher levels of estrogen you are doomed to gain weight. What Im saying is that we can use what you have to your advantage. With the right weights and the right workout, you can have your cake and eat it too (literally)!!!

Regular weight training will build lean body mass. The more body lean body mass you acquire, the higher you raise your metabolism. An increased metabolism results in more calories burned per minute. Sounds interesting? Be sure to catch the next in the series....