I’m not sure why, but women seem to want to be smaller.
“I want to lose weight!”
“I want to be a size 2”
Skinny, slender, thin. . .those are attributes that some women like. Call a man skinny, slender or thin and they’d give you a wallop in the keester. I like looking lean and fit, and I like having muscle and being strong. One thing I have noticed is that the stronger I get, the better my body composition I looks. What has happened as I’ve been building more muscle is my mind shift and goals have changed. I am no longer trying to fit into those skinny jeans in the back of the closet. Now I’m looking at how long I can play with my grandson without needing a break, how many things I can do without asking for help. .. or when I can step in to help others like at the store the other day. A young woman was trying to lift a box to put into her cart. She couldn’t lift it. I said “you need help?” She said “yes” and I, the much smaller older woman, was able to lift the box into her cart. There are a number of reasons why she couldn’t lift the box, and I have no idea why. She was tired (happens to all of us), she has a health reason that was zapping her strength (happens to all of us), or she never works out and has never trained for becoming independent (is a choice many make every single day), but it feels AWESOME to be able to do those things, to be that person who CAN DO IT!
Here are my top 5 reasons why you may want to get stronger:
- I like feeling like a Bad A$$ because I can do things on my own like put my suitcase in the overhead bin, get the bag of garden soil out of the trunk of my car, or haul bags of groceries up flights of stairs. It feels AWESOME to be able to do those things. My one professor called it Emotional Well-being which is mental health. There is a mental health shift, one of confidence, or feeling capable. Getting stronger by doing regular strength training (lifting heavy stuff) can positively impact mental and emotional well-being. HOW? Exercise stimulates the release of endorphins, which are natural mood enhancers, and they feel awesome. The Cleveland Clinic has this description “Endorphin comes from the words “endogenous,” which means within the body, and “morphine,” an opiate pain reliever. Put together, that means endorphins are natural pain relievers. They are “feel-good” chemicals because they can make you feel better and put you in a positive state of mind.” Endorphins can change everything about how your day is going. Seriously. Exercise also helps memory, logic processing centers of the brain, reduces anxiety and depression. I’ve heard it said that exercise is that magic pill everyone wants.
- Independence: As I mentioned before, it is SO nice to not need help when traveling or out and about. I can manage my own bags because I train to carry heavy things, and build my endurance so I can manage it all without getting winded or needed breaks. Building strength can give me the ability to perform all of those normal activities of daily living at home, too. I can move the patio furniture without help. I can lift a 60 pound dog into the truck. I can do pretty much any chore that needs to be done because I work on my strength, endurance and fitness. I like being independent.
- Let’s talk Bone Health: With age, people have a tendency to become more susceptible to conditions like osteoporosis, which weakens the bones and increases the risk of fractures. A writing up at Harvard says people tend to lose bone mass at about 1% every year after the age of 40. Lifting heavy stuff, AKA resistance training, focuses on strengthening the skeletal system and can help maintain or improve bone density. Also from the Harvard article “[osteoporosis] is now responsible for more than two million fractures each year …. Hip fractures are usually the most serious. Six out of 10 people who break a hip never fully regain their former level of independence. Even walking across a room without help may become impossible (emphasis mine)” This is real stuff. Want to be able to walk to the bathroom and be able to stand up from the toilet without help? LIFT WEIGHTS NOW! Not only can lifting weights help you reduce the likelihood of fractures and promote overall bone health, but being strong, having ample muscle helps with recovery when we are injured from a fall or illness, and keep you from needing help getting off the toilet. Can you imagine? Yeah, let’s not.
- Better Metabolism and Weight Management: Aging is often associated with a gradual decrease in metabolism, making weight management more challenging. My friend calls muscles “calorie absorbers” meaning that the more muscle you have, the more calories you need. Nice visual. According to ISSA our bodies cannot create and maintain muscle out of nothing. We need to fuel our bodies with the right nutrition and the building blocks of amino acids. We need not only enough calories, but we need adequate protein ~1 gram per pound of healthy body weight. Here is a calculator to help you figure out how many grams of protein needed per day and it takes into account age, sex, and activity level. When I plugged in my numbers, the amount of protein required jumped from just less than 1 gram per pound of my current weight to just over which is the amount I normally eat per day – slightly over the 1 gram per pound of healthy body weight, but then I’m serious about putting on and maintaining my muscle. I eat to get STRONGER. Strength training can help me do that, too. It also counteracts a common decline in metabolism by increasing muscle mass, which in turn boosts metabolism. WIN! This helps me stay leaner without having to eat like a bird! Bye Bye menopausal weight gain. (NOTE: please notice I did not say a NORMAL decline. Just because something in common does not make it normal. Our bodies can be better adapted than that)
- Better Overall Health: Regular strength training offers all sorts of health benefits. We already mentioned mental health, but getting stronger can help lower blood pressure, improve lipid profiles, better insulin sensitivity, better sleep and plus can reduce the risk of chronic conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. By getting stronger, we can optimize our overall health and well-being. Read more about it here.
So, then, how does one strength train? There are a number of ways to strength train from body weight exercises like pushups and pull ups, or using band or cables, the various machines in the gym, or using dumbbells, kettlebells or barbells. It depends are where you are, what’s available, and what your doctor says. My advice is to hire a professional trainer because they know how to spot imbalances, how to get you over those beginner issues, and how to design a program that is just for you. You won’t need a professional forever. Once you get going and know what to do, you can try going it alone, or doing 1/2 of the sessions on your own. That’s what I did and it was fantastic! I also like following programs like the ones offered by Mind Pump. They have programs for beginners, corrective exercise, and program specific so something for most everyone. They also answer questions that are specific to you, so be sure to check them out, too. I am not an affiliate. I just love their work.
As always, be sure to check with your doctor before embarking on any diet or fitness program. This page is only for information, some entertainment and a place to share thoughts.
DISCLAIMER
Linda’s Living Well Blog is not a medical company or program. The information herein is intended for entertainment and informational purposes only. Nothing contained in this blog or on these pages is medical advice nor should be construed as medical advice. Linda’s Living Well Blog encourages you to consult with your doctor before starting any diet, lifestyle or fitness program. Any information herein Linda’s Living Well Blog should not and cannot be held as a substitute for consultation, evaluation, or treatment by your doctor. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health providers with any questions you may have regarding your physical, mental, and emotional health.
