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 Along with including adequate calcium in your diet, weight
training is the single most important thing you can do to keep
your bones and muscles healthy and in good shape as you age.
Women in general tend to shy away from lifting weights. They
are more inclined to doing cardiovascular exercises and
generally forgo the weights altogether.
There is a general perception that weight lifting makes
them bulky and big, like the bodybuilders that they see on
television. This is far from the truth. Women (unless they
are taking steroids or drugs) will not bulk up in such a
way for the simple reason that they do not have the hormones
required to develop such muscles. However, with proper
fitness coaching and a nutritious diet, women can develop a
toned, strong, healthy and more attractive physique.
Weight training builds muscle which is a very efficient
calorie burning tissue. While fat just sits in your body,
muscle tissue is active and burns calories all day long,
even when you are inactive. This is very important for those
trying to lose weight as it expedites the overall calorie
burning process along with increasing the body's
metabolic rate. Therefore, by adding strength training to a
cardiovascular workout, more calories are burned overall.
 Weight training will also make you stronger. If muscles
are not exercised consistently, muscular strength is lost
over a period of years as we age (gracefully). Weight
training will give you the overall strength to complete
your daily tasks (picking up a grocery bag, carrying or
lifting something, squatting to pick up keys, walking up a
flight of stairs, etc.) with ease. Strong muscles can handle
these tasks with ease and efficiency, well into old age
which will definitely impact positively on the overall
quality of life.
Furthermore, women are at high risk of developing
heart disease (especially Asian Indian women, due to an
improper diet and lack of exercise). Recent studies show
that women who carry fat around their midriffs have a
higher risk of developing heart disease than women who
carry weight in other places. As has been mentioned above,
weight training not only accelerates the overall fat
burning process; it also lowers cholesterol and improves
blood pressure.
Weight training also reduces the risk of diabetes
because of increased glucose utilization. Weight training
can decrease the pain of arthritis and osteoarthritis and
can strengthen bones and joints while reducing your
chances of developing osteoporosis. When weight training
is done correctly and on a regular basis, bone mass
becomes denser and stronger, thereby, significantly
lowering the risk of fractures in old age.
Weight training has also been found to combat the
symptoms of menopause. Studies have also shown weight
training to alleviate depression and generally improve
moods. An added bonus is that skin also looks firmer
and more youthful as muscular definition starts taking
place.
Ladies, I think we have just re-discovered... the
fountain of youth!
WHY WAIT?
START YOUR WEIGHT TRAINING PROGRAM NOW! |
