In Good Health | written by: LINDA STEPHENS
Lifting Matters: Part 1
With all the things we have to do on a daily basis, life can be hectic. Trying to cram in one more thing can feel almost impossible. But, what if your long term-health depended on it? You’d probably find time for it. Now, even though many of you reading this article know that you should be exercising for said long-term health, how many of you are really making the time to do it? This isn’t meant to throw shade but rather have you take a look at your lifestyle, to inspire you to figure out how you can squeeze
a little more juice out of that orange called your daily grind.
If you can realistically identify three, maybe four, times a week for exercise, how do you then know what type of exercise to choose for the greatest return? Cardiovascular, weight training, yoga, something else? I’ve listed my top three reasons below why strength training must be done a minimum of three times a week. While I do believe that other forms of exercise are just as important for wellness, strength training is key for retaining and building muscle mass. Muscle is more metabolically active even when you’re resting, meaning that you’re burning calories even when you sit on the sofa or get a good night’s sleep. Plus, a strong physique will keep you upright and mobile well into your golden years.
LINDA’S TOP 3 REASONS WHY YOU MUST STRENGTH TRAIN
1 • Increases Muscle Mass As we age, we lose muscle mass which can be problematic if we want to continue to move with ease. Resistance training not only can slow down but also reverse the aging process at the genetic level.
2 • Increases Bone Density When we perform weight bearing movements, our muscles and tendons put tension on our bones. This stimulates the bone to lay down more tissue to become stronger to bear the load. Stronger bones reduce the risk of fractures as we age along with reducing the risk of osteopenia/osteoporosis (brittle bones). This is of utmost importance to women, given the drop in estrogen levels during menopause which help keep bones strong when women are younger.
3 • Builds Joint Integrity and Mobility Strength training keeps our joints moveable, increases blood flow to our tissues and helps reduce the risk of injuries. If we don’t move our body and then expect it to perform for us at random times, we may put our joints under tension they aren’t conditioned for. Then a knee, hip or shoulder joint becomes painful or worse.
All types of movement are important to keep the body well-lubricated and ready to move at a moment’s notice. Imagine not being able to run away from a threat or defend yourself from harm. If you’re having a hard time getting exercise into your schedule, identify the times in your weekly schedule when you can do 45 minutes of exercise. Once you’ve identified those times, put it on your calendar, like any other appointment. Mark it to repeat every week and never miss that appointment. Schedule other things around your exercise time. Being proactive is always better than reactive when it comes to your health.
Please contact me if you need help getting started with your strength training or want more information about a specific routine to follow.
In good health, Linda
