Are You A Woman Over 40 And Not Strength Training For Your Muscles and Bones? You Are In Danger

In this country, 10 million people have osteoporosis and another 80 million have low bone mass. 80 percent are women. Osteoporosis is linked to more than 1.5 million fractures. These can lead to lifetime disability and early death. After age 35 we lose 1-3% of our bone calcium stores per year, about 10% per decade, and, after menopause, 2-5% bone loss annually.

Women lose a third of their strength and 40% of their muscle mass between ages 20 and 70. Fat increases. The increase in fat, decrease in lean muscle and the weight gain that usually goes with them, lead to slower metabolism, poor glucose metabolism and raise the risk for diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure and low self-esteem. Think about it.

How many women do you know who gradually put on a few pounds a year and by the time they reach 40-50 grow discouraged, don’t like their bodies, their clothes don’t fit and they feel weak and maybe hopeless?

We have become a society of sedentary, inactive people with all the conveniences that enable us to move less and less. Sixty percent of American adults are overweight and a third are obese. Type 2 diabetes in children as well as adults is increasing and so are many other illnesses and chronic conditions that are mostly preventable.

How can strength training help? Count the ways.
1. Avoid or reverse the loss of muscle over time. A standard strength-training program can increase muscle mass by about 3 pounds in 8 weeks!!
2. Avoid or reverse the rate of metabolic slowdown. These 3 pounds can increase the metabolic rate by 7% and our daily calorie needs by 15%.
3. Increase bone mineral density in as little as 4 months.
4. Glucose metabolism improves which is associated with adult onset diabetes so it’s very important in addressing the current trend of a significant rise in type 2 diabetes.
5. Resting blood pressure goes down and even more so if we combine strength training with aerobic exercise.
6. 80% of Americans have low back problems at some point. A good strength program for the lumbar spine has been shown to reduce back pain significantly.
7. Reduce the pain of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
8. On a more whole person level, strength training helps us feel better, look better and function better in our daily lives which leads to greater self-confidence, reduced risk of injury, and better balance.

How can one pursue strength training? You can go to a gym and get instruction from the fitness staff or a personal trainer or in a group class. There will be many types of equipment from weight machines and free weights to barbells and stability balls along with resistance tubing and other props to challenge you and help you vary your program.

You can also do it at home using guidance from books, videos or a personal trainer. At home, there are various pieces of equipment that run from a multigym apparatus on which you can do many exercises to free weights to resistance tubing and barbells and weight benches and stability balls. There are many tools now available. You start with whatever fits into your budget and your lifestyle. The initial investment can be as little as $20 for some tubing and a video. The main investment you need to make is your time and even that can be modest.

To make gains in lean muscle and bone mass you should aim for 2-3 times a week for 20- 45 minutes. It is important to skip a day between sessions if you are doing a whole body program in one day or you can do upper body one day, lower body the next day then back to upper body then lower body. This pattern takes less time per session and often fits into your schedule better.

You need a balanced workout so that if you work one side of your body you also work the other side. For instance, if you work your abdominals you also work your lower back muscles. Your program should include all the major muscle groups and you should pay close attention to your form. Correct form is very important to avoid injury and to work the muscles properly.

How much weight should you lift or how many repetitions? You want the resistance to be such that you can do somewhere between 8-15 repetitions with good form and reach fatigue in that range. Fatigue means that you can’t do one more repetition with good form. You want to do slow controlled repetitions in both directions of the movement.  The number of sets can vary from 1-3. Remember your body likes variety, so if you do a routine consistently for about 12 weeks then it is advisable to change it for a new challenge for your body and to keep you interested.

If your strength training is inconsistent you won’t see any changes or make appreciable gains. If you expect instant results you may give up too soon. If you are overzealous or use poor form you can injure yourself. If your resistance is too light you don’t gain any benefit. If you think that lifting heavy weights will bulk you up so you do more repetitions with lighter weights, you won’t see significant changes.

In working with women from ages 23-80, I have seen some wonderful changes in daily living, in how they feel about themselves and their bodies, and in how they look and fit into their clothes. Two women in their later 70s both report better balance, easier movement in activities like bending down to feed the cat, walking up stairs carrying bags, getting in and out of a chair. They feel excited and proud. One is looking forward to a trip to London where she will be able to walk wherever she wants with strength and confidence. Women in their 40s and 50s feel more coordinated, feel empowered, their clothes are fitting differently, and their balance is better. They love feeling stronger. One woman who just turned 60 finds it much easier to load her kayak on the car and carry it to the water as well as paddling it. She feels 20 years younger. These gains in strength in both muscle and bone make it more possible to enjoy their lives and create a greater sense of fulfillment and vitality.

Remember: if you are over 40 and not engaged in strength training you are at risk for bone loss and osteoporosis. You are losing muscle at a rate of about 1/3 of a pound every year and gaining at least that much fat mass. You are increasing your risk for many of the chronic conditions associated with aging, osteoporosis and bone fractures, high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Physical inactivity is one of the greatest “killers” of adults in our country.

 The good news is that it is never too late to start strength training. Research shows that women in their 80s and 90s have made strength gains of 175%. Research on women between 50 and 70 who lift weights show they feel more energized and increase their overall activity by 25% while those who don’t lift weights decrease their activity level by 25%.  Strength training helps control weight and tightens their bodies. They may or may not lose pounds but they lose inches. As the research continues the list of benefits grows longer and longer. It’s not too late for you. What are you waiting for?