Muscle needs to be our priority ladies.
MUSCLE, MUSCLE, MUSCLE I cannot stress how important muscle is as we get older and although my brain still thinks I’m 21 my body is very aware I am not. Aging is a part of life but it’s up to us RIGHT NOW to make those changes to our muscle so we can live more in the future.
Muscle is the pinnacle of health and wellness, and we need to address the amount of skeletal muscle (the tissue that you have voluntary control over) as early as we can. We all have heard that once we hit the age of 30, we start losing muscle. It’s true but it doesn’t mean that we can’t stop, or at least slowdown that loss. Although you may have never thought about it in this way, muscle is so incredibly important in how quickly we age. The healthier your muscle mass, the better our quality of life should be, the greater the ease of movement and the greater chance of survivability at all disease stages.
Just because you can’t see the changes in the muscle, it doesn’t mean they’re not there. We’re not talking taking the stage in a skimpy bikini, we are talking being strong, reducing pain, being capable to getting up and down off the floor without looking for something to hold on to. Muscle is the key to all of that. So don’t stop, please don’t stop lifting weights
The recommendations for women over 30 are 3-4 x week strength training. This is getting into the gym and lifting weights that are so heavy you might struggle to do 8 reps, it’s achieving your first press up or chin up. It’s big movement patterns that give you the biggest bang for your buck. Add in 1 x HIIT and 1-2 x steady cardio (hill walk, run, swim, bike ride for more than 45 mins).
This can seem daunting and that is understandable but here is the thing…. ANYTHING is better than nothing. ANY weight you lift is better than not lifting any weight. ANY movement of your body is better than no moving. It’s about you and what your body can do.
Personal induced adaptation means that you can get adaptations to your muscle by moving from a sit to stand position if that is a challenge for you. As you get fitter you can do more, it doesn’t have to be an all-out sprint on the treadmill but it has to be a challenge. It is making the exercise a challenge for you and doing it consistently, so your body adapts and builds muscle. It’s what I preach time and time again. Consistency is the key!
The goal of exercise is inducting adaptation. We need to train hard but we need to train smart too. I know what works for my body now and what doesn’t, what motivates me and what I can take or leave. You have to find things you enjoy but you also need to be able to self-aware enough to know that even if weight training is not your jam, it will give you the best chance at a long and good quality of life.
“It’s not about going hard for a month than burning out. It’s about being consistent for a lifetime. The greatest thing you can do for your body is to build muscle.”
I’m not a fan of distance running, I don’t enjoy plodding along but I’ve discovered that sprint training on the treadmill brings me joy in a weird masochistic way. 20 mins of sprints, 60 secs on and 60 off and that’s my HIIT taken care of. It’s finding what works for you in the time you have. You don’t have to even do 20 mins, you only need to do those intervals 3-4 times with maximal effort for 30 seconds and you will still get that training stimulus, 10 mins of work (and being uncomfortable) for a huge amount of health gain.
I’m loving my tennis lessons too as it’s something different to my week. Although I nearly coughed up a lung on Wednesday (max heart rate 182bpm, ouchie!) I adore learning new skills as I exercise, and I try and create a training plan I look forward to. Here’s a wee look at my ideal week:
That is my ideal which more often than not does not eventuate due to any number of reasons (mostly kid related) but it’s what I strive for and if this doesn’t happen I have a plan B, C, and D. It’s about being adaptable, bending so we don’t break (a wee Pilates quote right there).
I haven’t been super eloquent in this post but your takeaway is that ANY exercise is better than no exercise but strength training is by far the MOST IMPORTANT thing we can do to help our bodies as we get older.
I’ll say it again. If you only have time for one thing in your week then make it STRENGTH TRAINING, you will gain more from that then any other thing you can do.
If you want to talk more about this then flick me an email or comment below.
