Aging with strength
Hands up if you were counting down the days to turning 21, thinking 30 was the new 20, and then suddenly, 40 blindsided you like a stealthy ninja! Now, you might be tiptoeing towards 50, realizing that, physically and mentally, you've undergone more changes than a chameleon.
Zoom in on the fast-track to 60 – the age when you consider a mirror might be optional. "I don't need to look like a model; I'm embracing the art of aging!" you proclaim, maybe with a bit of a sigh.
Then, 70 hits you like a surprise party you kind of expected. You're still active, but you're starting to ponder how to stay that way. I mean, the last thing you need is to be the star of a senior slip 'n slide.
Let's talk 80 & 90– seriously, how did we end up here? But hey, with life expectancies on the rise, it's like we've all got a backstage pass to the longest show ever. Need a remedy? There's a pill for that. Bones acting up? We can fix or replace those! Walkers, canes, and wheelchairs? It's like the golden age of mobility accessories.
All joking aside, aging is no laughing matter.
As women age (hormonal changes can begin for women as young as 35) , changes are abundant and some days you aren’t sure if you are coming or going. As women, we experience incredible changes related to our hormones: decreased muscle mass, weight gain which often develops around our mid section which can lead to increased risk of heart disease.. We begin to notice that we are unable to consume the same calories that we once did because our metabolism has slowed. Other changes include mood swings, trouble concentrating and headaches. A solid night's sleep goes out the window and one never knows when that flash of heat will set us off and we are stripping off layers faster than a night club stripper.
From my research, men experience changes as well. The National Institute of Health states this: “In men there is an increased occurrence of symptoms such as lack of concentration, nervousness, impaired memory, depressive mood, insomnia, lack of energy and general sense of well-being, decreased libido and erectile dysfunction, periodic sweating, bone and joint complaints, reduction of strength and increased adiposity.”
I hear you, reading this sounds a bit depressing.
But hold on, we can age with grace. We can minimize the aging process by fighting back!
In her book, “Next Level: Your Guide to Kicking Ass, Feeling Great, and Crushing Goals Through Menopause and Beyond” Stacy Sims says that as women we must lift heavy shit. This means lifting heavy weights to tax the muscles.
Why?
~To increase our metabolic rate: restoring muscle mass can help you burn more fat while you exercise.
~Improve posture and stability. Joint pain is real and you may find yourself unstable for the first time in your life.
~For stronger bones
~Better blood pressure control which makes for a healthy heart.
~Maintenance of healthy body composition and fewer sick days because studies show that strength training improves your immunity.
“Lifting Heavy shit” applies to men as well. Gentlemen, you may experience different symptoms but many of the same recommendations for women apply to men as well.
Strength training is not the only recommendation that I have for aging gracefully. Recently, I was listening to the Plantstrong podcast with Rip Esselstyn who interviewed Kelly and Juliet Starrett on their latest book: “Built to Move.” Their take on movement is that we need to stay agile by incorporating mobility and balancing exercises. One suggestion was to incorporate the “old man balance test” into our daily lives. Another, being able to get up off of the floor without using our hands or hip flexibility, better known as the sit and rise test.
The lesson for this week, lift heavy weights and practice mobility exercises. We can take an active role in our health. As we leave January behind and enter into February, I challenge each of you to try the sit and rise test as well as the old man balance test.
Remember, you have to begin somewhere and practice means progress.
Happy moving!