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Saturday, August 25, 2012

Why Women Need Strength Training After Forty

I am currently going through the Body Beast Fitness program, and it has posed questions from some asking, why should women lift weights? Why not? Once you reach a certain fitness level, it is mundane to keep doing the same thing over and over, not really pushing yourself to the next level. I have been strength training for several years now, and have decided to challenge myself to the next level by increasing my fitness goals. The benefits have been far to great to stop now, and as I approach my 43rd birthday, I have decided to take it up a notch.


I get a lot of questions from women over forty, who are having a hard time losing weight. I admit; it can be frustrating. Aside from the hormonal changes contributing to weight gain, we also have the challenge of losing bone density, joint depletion, loss of muscle mass, and a slower metabolism. This is why strength training and proper nutrition are vital to being fit after forty. It is not impossible to get into great shape, however, if you have not had a fitness routine or healthy lifestyle before; then it probably took 20+ years to get your body into it’s current condition. There is no pill or magic wand that will work overnight. It is important begin early on with proper fitness and nutrition, making it a lifestyle at an earlier age helps to avoid the pitfalls after forty.


Women tend to shy away from strength training, thinking it will give them a masculine unattractive physique. This is far from true.


Women’s bodies are designed differently from men, so your body will not develop as quickly or masculine as a male by strength training alone. I get great results from 5-20 lb dumbbells for my biceps and triceps. A male doing the same exercise will use 40-60+ weights. It’s not about how heavy you can lift, it is all in the form. Proper form is the key to achieving great results with lighter weight. Squeezing the muscle as you lift and lowering slowly will give you great definition with lighter weights. It is also important to increase your weights over time, safely, to avoid injury if you are just starting out.


How is strength training beneficial to women?


The more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn. Your metabolism increases as your body fat decreases. I have often commented on how much easier it seems for men to lose weight than women. I recently read an article from Mayo Clinic , Metabolism and Weightloss: How to burn calories, that gave me some insight on this observation. Regarding metabolism, it stated, “Men usually have less body fat and more muscle than women of the same age and weight, burning more calories.”Age was another factor, that contributes to a slowing metabolism, “As you get older, the amount of muscle tends to decrease and fat accounts for more of your weight, slowing down calorie burning.”


Ladies, cardio fitness is beneficial for burning fat, but not increasing muscle. If you are currently only using cardio as your fitness program, and wondering why you are not achieving a defined, toned look, you may want to consider a little strength training to increase your results. If you are struggling with saggy underarms or a flabby belly, yet you have lost weight, strength training can help you as well. Strength training converts that fat or flab to muscle. It will not happen overnight, but it will happen. Combining cardio and strength training will bring far greater results than cardio alone.


Other positive benefits of strength training for women include: strengthening your bones and joints, helping to ward off osteoporosis by increasing bone mass, strengthening your muscles to reduce risk of injury, as well as improved posture, balance and co-ordination. For more information on how strength training can reverse osteoporosis and increase bone density you may visit www.healthreports.com/Osteopororsis.


I also take calcium supplements for my bones and glucosamine for my joints, however, supplements alone may not be enough as you get older. My goal is to improve my overall bone density and increase muscle mass, all the while, keeping my metabolism alive and fitness results flourishing for when I hit fifty.


If you are looking to switch your workout routine, you just may want to consider strength training. Though you may not shed the weight quickly, you are "converting fat to muscle" and losing inches, therefore decreasing your body fat percentage as well as increasing your metabolism.





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