This is a question that we receive often - whether strength training will make women gain weight or look bulky.
Muscle is denser and therefore takes up a smaller amount of space per pound than fat.
If a woman begins strength training and eats exactly the same number of calories that she did before she began lifting weights, she may lose some weight because she is burning additional calories while exercising. Even more important is the change in her body composition. She will have gained muscle and lost fat even if she her body weight stayed the same. In our experience, most women drop a dress size or two after they have been strength training for a couple of months because their body shape has changed for the better.