Do you feel fit, healthy and strong? If you were asked to take a hike or ride a bike today, are you able and fit enough to do it? Do you want to stay sexy and strong no matter what your age? Personally, I am counting on being fit for life. That’s why smart women like us have added strength training to our workouts.
A recent study showed that by age 74, two-thirds of American women can’t lift an object heavier than 10 pounds. That’s a bag of groceries! That sucks, and it doesn’t have to happen to us! We can be unique. Only 21 percent of women partake in strength training at least twice a week. By age 65 it’s only 12 percent.
Fitness is important to me. I am a lifelong exerciser and I do strength training both at home and in the gym. Look at all these options:
- Body weight. You can do many exercises with little or no equipment. Try push-ups, pull-ups, abdominal crunches and leg squats.
- Resistance tubing. Resistance tubing is inexpensive, lightweight tubing that provides resistance when stretched. Choose from many types of resistance tubes found in sporting goods stores.
- Free weights. Barbells and dumbbells are classic strength training tools.
- Weight machines. Most fitness centers offer various resistance machines.
Fight Fat and Flab
Twice-weekly strength training can help a busy midlife woman improve body composition and prevent age-associated fat gains. Studies show loss of muscle mass may be the real culprit responsible for midlife weight gain because a decline in muscle mass leads to a slow but steady decrease in metabolic rate. Muscle mass begins to decrease in early midlife and continues into old age.
Guess what! Most of that is not because of aging, it’s due to inadequate physical activity! It’s a fact of life: If you don’t do anything to replace the lean muscle you lose, the percentage of fat in your body goes up.
Strength training helps women in so many ways. Wouldn’t you like to have these lucky 13 benefits?
- Increase independence. Strong people do things for themselves.
- Lose body fat. Adding one pound of muscle burns up to18,000 extra calories a year. That’s 6-pounds off your bum!
- Control appetite. Strength training makes you less hungry.
- Reduce osteoporosis risk. Bones strengthen when muscles pull on them.
- Enjoy sports. Golf, cycling, skiing – everything improves when you are stronger.
- Reduce injuries, pain and arthritis. Stronger connective tissues hold joints where they belong for fewer injuries.
- Reduce disease risk. Weight lifting reduces risk of stroke, heart disease, diabetes, even cancer.
- Feel younger. Women of 70, 80 and beyond can improve strength.
- Feel better. Strength training improves confidence and fights depression.
- Improve balance. Strong leg and core muscles help stabilize us.
- Accelerate recovery from injuries. It’s best to build strength gradually around the injured area.
- Improve your sleep. Fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly.
- Boost your brain function. Studies point to exercise reducing the risk of memory loss and improving brain function.
Getting Started
As with any new form of exercise, start slowly. Warm up for five to 10 minutes. Choose a weight or resistance level heavy enough to tire your muscles after about 12 repetitions.
Life is risky, and weight training is no exception. Stop if you feel pain. Although mild muscle soreness is normal, sharp pain and sore or swollen joints are signs that you’ve overdone it. Consult with a trainer to adapt your workout and keep training.
The most common injuries in women are to feet and legs, most often because we drop weights on ourselves, crush a body part between weights or hit ourselves with the equipment. Ouch! So wear shoes to protect your feet and pay attention. My personal trainer always reminds me of these safety tips:
- Consult your doctor and a professional trainer before starting.
- Never sacrifice good form to heavier weight.
- Work muscle groups on alternate days.
- Stretch after each workout.
- Do 15-20 repetitions with moderate weights for long, lean-muscles.
Make Your Clothes Fit Better
What woman doesn’t want her clothes to fit like a comfortable glove? One pound of fat takes up 18 percent more space on your body than one pound of muscle. You may weigh the same as when you had a flabby derriere, but your pants will fit differently. Have you been avoiding sleeveless tops because of hangy-downy chicken wings? Strength training will bring out muscle tone and definition so you can love your arms again. Losing the midriff rolls also eliminates the need for sweaty squeezy control underwear.
Prevention works better than treatment for midlife weight gain. It’s easier for healthy, fit people to stay slim than for overweight people to lose weight. Wherever you are now, don’t delay — start strength training today. You can enjoy noticeable improvements in your strength and stamina in just a few weeks.
With regular strength training, you’ll steadily get stronger even if you’re not in great shape when you begin. It’s going to do wonders for your physical and emotional well being. We really do need to use it or lose it!
~ Dr. Nancy D. O’Reilly