What's your mental image of a weightlifter and fitness guru? Chances are it's not a woman in her thirties who's five foot one and wears glasses. Krista Scott-Dixon, weightlifting enthusiast and founder of the women's weight training site Stumptuous.com is all of these things.

Stumptuous.com is a comprehensive website that offers no-nonsense training information, nutrition and lifestyle advice, and a healthy dose of feminist philosophy. Its welcome page states: "What you'll find here is good, basic advice and information which is grounded in research and experience, as well as a woman-positive sensibility. Everyone from athletes to couch potatoes is welcome here." The site's instructional articles and videoclips are useful for both novice and expert weightlifters, and teach people how to have fun with dumbbells, kettlebells, sandbags, sledgehammers, and other heavy objects. Many pages are devoted to women-specific training concerns, including body image, pregnancy, post-partum exercise, menopause, and how to modify exercises and equipment to suit female bodies. The information on healthy eating and living is valuable for everyone, whether they are weightlifters or not. In addition, there's a blog with links to news articles, a "Rant of the Month" section where Scott-Dixon airs her views and opinions, and an affiliated Facebook group.

Where did the site's unusual name come from? Scott-Dixon explains that she once saw a men's magazine survey asking readers which female body type they preferred, and the only options were slim or athletic. She was irked that no category described her own physique, which was stumpy and, at the time, voluptuous – thus was born the word "stumptuous." In 1995, Scott-Dixon was new to weight training and full of questions. Being a graduate student, she looked for answers in university libraries, and started the website as a way to share the information. A few years later, Scott-Dixon became a part-time personal trainer while completing her PhD in women's studies, and later while working as a professor. She applied her academic skills to the world of pumping iron, and built up an impressive knowledge base through personal training, reading, auditing lectures, and attending academic conferences and fitness symposiums. Stumptuous.com's popularity quickly grew through word-of-mouth, and the website now receives hundreds of thousands of hits per month, and Scott-Dixon has many plans for future improvements.

A women's weight training website is already a rarity, but several other factors also make Stumptuous.com stand out. It is noncommercial, so there are no ads for training equipment or supplements, and some articles even tell readers which products to avoid. Another rarity is the website's evidence-based approach to nutrition and training; rather than opinion or anecdotes, the advice on Stumptuous.com is backed up by scientific studies and journal references. However, readers need not fear scientific jargon. All the information is delivered in a breezy writing style full of humor and unbridled enthusiasm.

Weight training offers many benefits for women, including improved strength and coordination, increased bone density and a decreased risk for osteoporosis, and greater mental resilience and confidence. In short, it helps people "look good and feel great." However, women are a minority in the weight training world, and a number of myths and misconceptions keep women away. Scott-Dixon says that the number one "myth that will not die" is that women who weight train will get "too big." She explains that due to a number of physiological factors, the average woman simply cannot achieve the physique of a male bodybuilder through weight training alone. Another common misconception is that a person must be fit, young, or coordinated to lift weights. Scott-Dixon says, "If you can move any part of your body, you can move it against resistance." That's the definition of weight training! Those who are just starting out may need to start small, but weight training can be tailored for any fitness level, age, or ability.

While women can learn about weight training from Stumptuous.com and other sources, they typically need to enter a room full of men to do the workout, and that can be an intimidating experience. Scott-Dixon says that while many male trainers and trainees want to be helpful, they simply cannot relate to the problems women face. In the weight room, she says, "Men will often chat you up, warn you about getting too big, or tell you you're doing it wrong," statements which discourage women from returning. Scott-Dixon recommends that women weightlifters do whatever they can to decrease their feelings of isolation and self-consciousness. Her suggestions include weight training with female friends, finding or starting a women's program, finding a women-only gym, or training during a regular gym's women-only hours. Beginners can build up their confidence by learning the basics at home and finding a supportive trainer when they first enter the gym.

Women weightlifters have a hard time finding role models in the gym or in fitness magazines. Stumptuous.com counters this problem by profiling women of all ages, body types, and backgrounds in its "inspiration" section. As proof that weight training changes lives, Scott-Dixon has posted her before and after photos on the site. She was 40 pounds overweight in 1994, began a fitness program in 1996, and was lean and muscular by 2001. Later photos show her completing a pull-up, lifting weights in her home gym, and pushing a smart car just for the challenge. The "Real Women Lifting" section features personal stories from site readers, including a 12-year-old power lifter, a world-class weightlifter, and a mother of two who shares her pregnancy fitness program.

Stumptuous.com also hosts photos sent in by readers, such as a mother bench pressing her six-year-old son and a "mild-mannered" librarian simultaneously hefting a woman and a kettlebell. Inspirational stories from men are welcome as well, and one page is devoted to a 62-year-old man with Parkinson's disease who uses weight training as an integral part of his therapy. A "Stumptuous Fitness Model Contest" was held in early 2008, in which entrants submitted essays describing how they overcame challenges and maintain a healthy lifestyle. They were judged by their actions, not appearance. There were two winners: One, a woman in her mid-forties who had lost 85 pounds and had become an avid runner; the other, a mother of three who overcame drug addiction, smoking, obesity, and post-partum depression, and remains dedicated to healthy living despite rheumatoid arthritis and other challenges.

Like many other patients, Scott-Dixon was once told by her doctor to lose weight and exercise more, but had no idea how to apply this advice. Ironically, she was seeing the doctor for a hip injury acquired during aerobics and felt like her attempt to get healthy had backfired. Today, she wishes that more family doctors would provide patients with a list of other specialists, such as nutritionists, physical therapists, and lifestyle coaches, who can help create individualized plans for healthy living. Scott-Dixon also sees a need for more fitness experts who can work with people recovering from serious illness or living with chronic conditions.

As a personal trainer, Scott-Dixon uses a holistic approach that focuses on functional fitness and the client's practical needs. Rather than chasing after the nonexistent perfect workout or diet, she emphasizes the importance of healthy habits and a lifelong commitment to wellness. In addition to training tips, she also gives lifestyle advice such as how to find time for workouts in a busy schedule and how to shop for and prepare healthy foods. Scott-Dixon emphasizes the practical benefits of being in shape, such as having the energy to play with your kids, the physical ability and confidence to try new activities, and leading a longer and better life.

For as Scott-Dixon says, "Fitness is not just about the way you look but the way you live. Fitness is democratic, and it's within everyone's grasp."