As a woman, have you ever thought about your muscles? Aside from how they look that is.
I’ve written about this before, but muscle matters…..a lot!
When we have good muscle tone, not only do we look better in our clothes (although muscle is heavier than fat, it takes up less space), we have more energy, we burn fuel (the food we eat) more efficiently, and we are healthier overall.
young or old we all need good muscle tone
Let me explain….
The research and studies previously done on muscle were always done on men, young healthy men. Now they are starting to study women, as we are different (we are not “little men”). Our hormone structure and how we metabolize fuel is vastly different, and research is now finding that women’s health is very dependent on whether we have good muscle tone.
From Tufts University
If, as you get along in years, you’re finding it increasingly harder to unscrew the lids of jars or to pick up your children or grandchildren, there’s a reason for that: sarcopenia. Sarcopenia, or age-related loss of muscle mass and strength, can lead to serious consequences, explains Roger Fielding, team lead for the Nutrition, Exercise Physiology, and Sarcopenia Laboratory at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts, and professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy.
“After the age of 35, both men and women start to lose muscle mass at a rate of about half a percent per year and muscle strength at a rate of about one percent per year,” Fielding says. “For women, sarcopenia is particularly significant because the peak muscle mass and muscle strength they achieve in their mid-thirties tends to be lower than it is for men. So, when they start to decline, they generally reach a critical level earlier in their lives.”
Along with being able to move about and do daily activities, muscle is now being researched as part of the endocrine system, releasing hormones and chemistry when active, that supports our total health (bone and brain health included) and wellbeing.
This is vitally important as we age. We are not destined to be weak, sick, and “elderly”….we have choices!
This is what good muscle tone can help you do! That’s me at 63 - hiking along the Oregon Coast
In doing my own research about current science with women and muscle it is clear that we need muscle to be healthy and vital as we age, not to mention fit and active. Women will not build big muscles, as many women fear, but we will activate muscle tone for this desired affect.
I’ve been strength training off and on since my early 30’s and I would not say I am bulky and over muscular. But I am fit and healthy, have good energy, and look and feel younger than my age.
Don’t we all want that?
Some of the major benefits of muscle tone for women
Stable energy throughout the day
Healthy strong bones
Increased strength for daily activities
Lowers risk of injuries
Decreases risk of falls
Enhanced mood and decreased stress
Improves brain health: significant improvements in cognitive function
Stronger and more mobile joints
Improved cardiovascular health: decreased blood pressure, lower total and LDL cholesterol, and improve blood circulation
Improved metabolic health: helps manage blood sugar levels and reduce your risk of developing diabetes
Promotes a better quality of life
Not sure about you, but all that sounds really great as we age!
As a woman do you strength train? For years all we ever thought was to do cardio and burn calories. Little did we know that was an incomplete story. To this day, if I go in the gym, I see women primarily spending and hour or more on cardio equipment and never hitting the weights! I’m here to share the “rest of the story” so women can be strong and vital as they age.
How to start building muscle? There are many ways…..
Join a gym and hire a qualified trainer to get you started. And please make sure they are qualified for your needs, not all trainers are created equal.
Look for workouts you like on youtube. This can be tricky, but if you have previous experience and know what to look for, there are a lot of free options out there.
Purchase a program or membership from experienced professionals online. Again this can be tricky, but if you read reviews or get recommendations from others you can find a good match.
Here are some guidelines to consider when you get started.
Whatever you do, make sure you start slow and build up as you’re ready. The biggest mistake I used to see with anyone really, but especially women, is they would do too much and get hurt, then quit. Like when you season food, you can always add more, but you can’t take it away. You can always make your next workout a bit harder if it’s too easy, but you can’t recover well if it’s too hard.
Build in recovery days. Did you know it’s during your recovery period that your muscles repair and grow, not during the workout! #Truth. So make sure you build in recovery days. The older and more unconditioned you are the longer recovery you need. You can do easy movements like walking or yoga, but strength training needs to wait until you no longer feel sore, you have good energy, and there is a desire to workout again.
Start with 2x a week, then see how you feel. If you feel great and want to add a third day, do it, but research shows you definitely will improved with twice a week.
Speaking of research, here’s a great one! You don’t need an hour or more to produce benefits. My workouts now are about 20-30 minutes. I break up my workouts with variety (because I know how and so I don’t get bored) and I get stronger!
Lastly, remember our muscles are really really good at adapting to the demands. So if you do the same workout over and over again, your muscles will adapt pretty quickly and then you’ll coast, you won’t stimulate the muscles for continued growth. So change it up periodically.
The final take away is that ALL women need to be strength training no matter what age they are to be healthy and vibrant. Find like minded women to support your efforts. Connect with people who will motivate you and cheer you on when you have an off day. Although I don’t work as a personal trainer anymore, my experience and background definitely helps with my work. Reach out if you are interested in learning more.