Do you even lift?

And if not, why not?

Everyone, regardless of age, health status, or abilities, can benefit from strength training.

Strength is especially important as we age. Many researchers suggest that as we get older, we should focus on strength training, aerobic exercise and mobility/flexibility exercises – in that order. The benefits are numerous and immediate. Strength training improves our cardiovascular health, increases mobility and improves balance.

But wait, there is more!

Here are a few of the benefits of strength training.

Fewer trips to the hospital.

Women aged 65-75 who participated in a weekly strength training program for one year had fewer hospital visits. Researchers from the University of British Columbia found that women who participated in once-a-week strength training sessions incurred fewer healthcare costs and had fewer falls than women participating in twice-weekly balance training. The women also improved executive cognitive function, which is necessary for independent living.

What type of exercise is best as you get older?

Burn fat.

How many times have I heard, I haven’t lost weight because I haven’t done any cardio. Well, guess what? If fat loss is your goal, strength training works just as well as going for a run. In a review of 58 research papers that used highly accurate measures of body composition, researchers found that participants lost 1.4% of their total body fat after a 45-60 minute training program three times a week for five months. About the equivalent of half a kilo of body fat.

The research team focused on the change in total body fat percentage after strength training programs. They found that fat loss appears to be the same whether with aerobic exercise or strength training. Senior author on the study, Dr. Mandy Hagstrom, says,

The best approach for people who are aiming to lose fat is still to stick to eating nutritiously and having an exercise routine that includes both aerobic/cardio and strength training.

Strength training or cardio?

Stay healthy

We know that aerobic exercise is good for your heart, but so is strength training. A recent study from Iowa State University has shown that to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, do less aerobic exercise and more strength training.

More than 400 participants, between the ages of 40-70, who were classified as overweight or obese and had high blood pressure, were divided into four groups. They were assigned to a no exercise, aerobic only, resistance only, or aerobic plus resistance exercise group. The exercise groups worked out for one hour, three times a week, for one year. All of the participants, including those in the no-exercise group, wore a pedometer. All participants also met with a dietitian every three months.

What did they discover?

It is no surprise that all exercise groups decreased their body fat and improved their fitness; however, the aerobic plus resistance exercise groups showed the biggest improvements. They lost more body fat while improving both their aerobic fitness and strength. The aerobic exercise only saw improvements on their VO2 Max test, a measure of oxygen consumption. The strength-only exercise group saw improvements on their max strength tests, the bench press and leg press, while the aerobic group did not improve their strength.

This research highlights something that I hear often: “I run/bike/hike so I don’t need to do lower body strength training.” Yes, you do. If you want to keep doing those activities while reducing your risk of disease, both types of exercise are important.

To stay healthy for life, make sure you include lifting weights.

Change your mind, change your health,

Shayla

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