Why is it that as we age our bodies
begin to change shape in an undesirable fashion? We start to lose
muscle tone,
put on weight in the form
of fat and start to slump like a used candle.
Most people will gain about ten pounds of bodyweight
for every decade of their midlife years. What’s
worse is that they will also lose around five pounds of muscle
in that
same
time.
Because our muscles are the fat burning engine of our bodies,
muscle loss has the effect of slowing down our metabolism. This slow
down makes it more likely that any calories we consume are going
to be stored in our bodies as fat.
Therefore, the increase in our weight as we get older is usualy
because of fewer calories been burned by less muscle rather than
an increase in the amount of food we eat. This is why dieting does not work.
In fact, dieting makes the problem worse by further reducing muscle
tissue and
therefore slowing your metabolic rate.
Because muscle loss during middle age is one of the main reasons
we put on extra fat, the solution is simply to replace (build)
the lost muscle tissue. It has been shown that it is possible to
build muscle at any age through strength (weight) training.
So if you want a strong, firm and lean body as you age consider
weight training 2 to 3 times a week. Add to that some aerobic exercise,
eat sensibly and you can turn back the clock.
Strength training can also reduce the risk of diabetes,
heart disease and even some forms of cancer.
You may be reluctant to start exercising because you think you have
to join a gym or buy expensive equipment. This is just not true.
All the equipment you require to enable you to exercise safely from
home
can be purchased for less than £50-00.
For the best possible results I would recommend you find
a Personal Trainer to design a programme for you, which should include
both aerobic and resistance exercises along with nutritional advice.
Note: Although moderate strength training is very safe, if you are
older than 35 or have heart disease or any other medical
condition, you should check with your doctor before starting any
exercise program.
For more information on how to achieve your fitness goals please
click on the following links:
Personal Training (One to
One)
Group Personal Training (Groups
of up to 8 people)
Pilates Training (Groups of
up to 12 people)
Carol Bartram (Dip.PT, IIHHT)
Personal Trainer
Pilates Instructor
Hull, East Yorkshire, UK
carol@zestforliving.co.uk
http://www.zestforliving.co.uk
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