Health Benefits
Although many people strength train to lose weight and look good the health benefits are even better. Building muscle increases bone mineral density and helps fight osteoporosis, reduces the risk of diabetes by increasing glucose utilization in the body, reduces the risk of heart disease by lowering your blood pressure and improving your cholesterol profile, strengthens joints and alleviates arthritis pain, has been proven to reduce clinical depression more successfully than counseling, and it improves your strength by 30-50% making daily tasks so much easier.

Aesthetic Benefits
Strength training is not only the best but the fastest way to improve your body composition, your shape, and lose weight. Building muscle burns off excess fat stores at a much more rapid pace than cardio alone because muscle burns 30-50 calories per pound and does it even while you're at rest. If you’re a woman who has avoided it because of fear of bulking up consider that men have 20-30 times more of the hormones needed to bulk up and even they have to work really hard to get ripped. Don’t pass up on all the benefits for fear of getting big.

Getting Started
Strength training can be done at home, in the gym or outdoors, with or without weights, and as little or as often as you like as long as you don’t overtrain. If you choose to train at home you can start with strength training videos that require a couple of light weights, workout using your body as resistance, or set up an inexpensive home gym. Working out at a gym is probably the easiest option because all the equipment is in one place, you get a free orientation from a fitness trainer, and there is always someone there to answer questions. Just make sure you find a gym that offers machines, free weights, and classes. The more options the better.

Get started with The Body Sculpting Bible for Women, Revised Edition: The Way to Physical Perfection (Body Sculpting Bible)

Basic Safety Precautions
Always use proper form when lifting weights by standing/sitting up straight, maintaining the natural curve of the back, and never using momentum to lift a weight. You’ll prevent injuries and get a lot more accomplished this way. Learn from a book, online video demonstration, or hire a personal trainer. Stretch between sets. It has been proven to increase your strength gains, it keeps your muscles from tightening up and getting overly sore and prevents imbalances that can lead to injuries. Try to breath out during the concentric phase (when lifting the weight) and in during the eccentric phase (when lowering the weight). Exercise only in your full range of motion. Trust your instincts on this one and never strain past something that feels wrong. Start out with light weights until you get accustomed to the movements and increase the resistance progressively.