| Why
Women Should Lift Weights
January 07, 2008.
From a recent article posted in the San Jose Mercury
News by Melinda Sacks...
I took the liberty of highlighting important benefits
in each of the points. The benefits of weight training are numerous
and this article does a good job of highlighting some of the more
important ones.
Even though this article is geared toward women,
the same benefits listed apply to men. So you guys don't get off
that easy.
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Researchers say that most women who exercise still
spend the majority of their time doing cardio, often ignoring the
benefits of weight lifting. But unless a doctor advises otherwise,
weight lifting can provide enormous advantages for most women, according
to studies from such institutions as the Mayo Clinic, Harvard and
Stanford universities. As with any new physical activity, check
with your doctor if you have any health issues.
Here
are the top 10 reasons sports medicine doctors and fitness experts
agree weight lifting is good for you:
- By
becoming physically stronger, you will make routine tasks
easier and safer to perform, from carrying heavy groceries
from the car to picking up the kids.
- Weight
lifting will help you lose body fat and gain lean muscle.
As this happens, your body mass decreases, your resting metabolism
increases, and your clothes will fit looser. For every additional
pound of muscle you gain, you will burn 30 to 50 more calories
a day. Weight lifting is often touted as a proven way to keep
weight off as women age.
- Women
don't need to worry about bulking up as they get stronger. Unlike
men, women do not have enough testosterone to build bulky
muscles. Men have 10 to 30 times more of the hormone
than women.
-
The risk of osteoporosis goes down as you gain muscle
strength. Weight training can increase spinal bone density
significantly in just six months.
- Risk
of injury decreases when you are stronger. You will be
less prone to everything from back pain to arthritis to depression.
-
It's good for your heart. Lower blood pressure,
improved cardiovascular health and higher levels of "good
cholesterol" have been found to be the side benefits of regular
strength training, according to numerous studies.
-
The risk for diabetes declines because weight training
has been found to improve the way the body processes sugar.
-
You can start weight training at any age. Research
has shown that even women in their 80s can still build muscle
strength.
-
Weight lifting can improve mood and fight off anxiety
and depression. One Harvard study found that after weight
training for 10 weeks, those suffering from clinical symptoms
of depression felt better than those who received only counseling.
-
For women in middle age, strength training can help prevent the
predictable metabolic sluggishness that often occurs. Many
say it is not dieting, but weight lifting that is the true secret
to keeping off middle-age pounds.
I will comment on one thing. In the opening
paragraph, the author suggests that a majority of women spend their
time doing cardio. I believe this is true. In my humble opinion,
walking on a treadmill for 30- to 60-minutes is like Chinese water
torture. You're better off cranking up the intensity and going for
a shorter period of time. And don't get me started on the benefits
of slow-cardio and fat burning.
It simply isn't a good use of time in a world
where we're all busy.
Off the soapbox...
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On Friday I mentioned a new service debuting today.
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That's
all for today. Make it a great day. I'll see you soon.
Until
then, break a sweat today. It will do your body good.
Brian
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