If you've
thought about starting a strength training program (the modern term for weight
lifting) but you've been putting it off, you just ran out of another excuse.
Studies are finding that not only are you never too old to lift
weights, but strength training is more important for people over 40.
Why? Because adults lose muscle tissue as they age. The average
male loses about seven pounds of muscle, and women lose about five pounds,
every year. And your metabolism slows down about 2% to 5% every decade
as well.
When elderly nursing-home residents were put on a strength-training regimen
during a study at Tufts University, all of the residents more than doubled
their strength -- and four of them traded in their walkers for canes after 10
weeks. So strength training can Benefit anyone. And it also provides
some Benefits most people don't think of: strength training is good for your
waist and good for your bones.
Lifting Weights Can Help You Lose Weight
Some people who are trying
to lose weight avoid strength training because they fear that it will make
them look bulkier. This is untrue for a few reasons. First,
muscle tissue is much leaner than fat tissue, so a pound of muscle gain won't
add much bulk compared to a pound of fat gain. And that muscle gain will be
going to the right places -- your biceps and your calves -- not your waist and
hips.
Lifting weights not only won't make you look larger, but it will help you
lose weight by increasing your metabolism. Think of it this way: The
more muscle you have, the more calories your body will burn off in order to
maintain it. So more energy from the lunch you just ate will go toward
building and maintaining your muscles instead of being stored as fat. Overall,
muscle tissue burns 50 to 70 times more calories than fat tissue.
Weight Lifting Can Help You Avoid Osteoporosis
More than 25 million
Americans suffer from osteoporosis, a bone-weakening disease responsible for
1.5 million fractures a year. Eighty percent of those with osteoporosis
are women, as the decrease of estrogen in the body after menopause results in
bone loss. Another study at Tufts University found that strength
training can help build bone mass.
The study examined 39 sedentary women between age 50 and 70. Among the 20
who started a strength-training program, they gained 1% in bone density after
a year; the sedentary group lost 2.5%. And balance improved among the
weight lifters by 14%, while the others lost 9% of their balance.
Of course, you should consult your doctor before starting any exercise
program. Then see a good physical trainer or other exercise
professional to help get you started on a program that will suit your needs.
