Slowing the Aging Process

From our early twenties, women are all too aware of the visible signs of the natural aging process. Through television and female-focused magazines, we are constantly bombarded with adverts selling the latest rejuvenating moisturisers, vitamin pills, dental veneers, botox, cosmetic surgery, uplifting bras. You name it! It seems we all want to turn-back-the hands of time. And whilst many modern women embrace much of this quick-fix culture, fewer women, it seems, take advantage of the most natural rejuvenation of all - regular exercise!

Having spent the last 14 years as a certified personal fitness trainer, I have devoted much of my time educating women on the many benefits of regular exercise. I am pleased to say that more and more women over the age of thirty-five are now taking exercise seriously and taking action towards a healthier and more active future. But whilst gyms are seeing an increase in membership amongst this particular demographic, I find that many of these women are still largely unsure what exercise they should be doing for maximum benefits.

It’s interesting to note that if you go into almost any gym up and down the country, you will see women doing cardio. Cardio, cardio and more cardio! But I am always amazed to see just how few women seem interested in lifting weights, especially older women. However, it is vitally important that these women in particular don’t overlook this vitally important part of their training program.

As we get older, the main emphasis of any female fitness program should be to maintain muscle and bone mass density in addition to improving cardiovascular fitness. Of course, whilst cardiovascular exercise of any type is fantastic for the heart, lungs and circulation all women should be including a program of progressive resistance training.

Scientific research has found that resistance (weight) training can increase spinal bone mineral density and help fight off osteoporosis, a particular issue for many women as they get older. However, not only does weight training strengthen density of bones, it also builds stronger connective tissue around the joints, helping to prevent injury - a particular problem as we get older. Studies have demonstrated that women who regularly weight train significantly reduce their chance of developing arthritis as well as their chances of developing back and knee pain.

Resistance training also helps women to increase their muscular strength, their range of movement and their physical stamina, all of which become increasingly more important as we get older and look to live independent and functional lives. Women who maintain a regular program of resistance training as they get older can significantly increase the strength in their hips, legs and back, improving their ability to enjoy everyday tasks far more easily, from stair climbing and walking to lifting groceries or playing with the grandchildren.

One of the issues many women think about (and fear) as they get older is the menopause. As the menopause occurs many women will find their metabolism changes and they begin to put weight on more easily. Of course, cardiovascular exercise can help with this, but one of the biggest advantages of resistance training is that lifting weights will help your body become much more efficient at burning fat, even at rest. This is because muscle is highly metabolically active. As you increase the amount of lean muscle on your body, you increase your metabolism, meaning that you’ll burn more calories throughout the day. Research shows that loss of body fat improves blood lipids and older women who successfully lose fat are more likely to see an increase in HDL (good cholesterol).

Of course, cardiovascular exercise is essential and should be incorporated into any fitness program. However, in all my years of training clients, I rarely have a problem educating women on the benefits of cardiovascular exercise. Perhaps this is because we hear so much about the benefits of aerobic exercise from the press and numerous government-backed initiatives. However, many older clients are far less well-informed it seems, on the benefits of creating a well-rounded program of functional training specifically designed for their bodies. With an increasingly aging population it is more important than ever that we do our best to look after and strengthen our bodies so that we may continue to enjoy an active lifestyle and make the most of our senior years!

Amanda Williams BSc is a nutrition and fitness consultant and a mobile personal trainer in Surrey with http://www.motivatept.co.uk