Do you ever see folks in their 50's, 60's, 70's, and beyond shooting hoops, dancing, lifting the things, etc.? I can't help but think to myself “I want to be like that person when I grow up”! How about you?
When I am in my 60's, 70's, and 80's, I still want to be able to take care of myself. I want to be independent, still be mobile, ride my bike, still hike, still do pull-ups, still #LiftTheThings! So on and so forth.
One of the best things we can do as women to make this happen is to:
- Start doing the activities that you love now!
- Take care of your muscles now - build them, preserve them - maintain them, if you will!
Have you ever heard the saying, "It's easier to clean a clean house?"
It seems like a no-brainer, but the same philosophy works with your fitness and health.
It's so much easier to KEEP your fitness level (and your muscle), than it is to rebuild it. Am I right?!
As I always say, age is nothing but a number, and It's NEVER TOO late to get started, to get in shape, to gain muscle, to try to that new thing you've been putting off forever!
It just takes time, consistency, patience, and a CAN-DO ATTITUDE
Anyway … here's why it's so important!
When you hit the age of 30, you start losing 3% to 5% of your muscle mass each year.
Studies even show that over your lifetime, you can lose up to 30% of your muscle!
That's enough right there for me to keep on Lifting The Things and being active inside and outside of the gym!
Guess what happens when we aren't doing something about our muscle mass…
We'll have less muscle, which equals less strength and less balance, which means more risk of falls and fractures. No Bueno!
PLUS, not only does keeping your muscles STRONG improves your strength and quality of life, it also is an important part of keeping your metabolism revved (i.e., burning fat) as you age. Muscle = Metabolism!
This is why strength training is so, so IMPORTANT as we get older! Age is inevitable, Weakness is NOT! It will help your body retain its muscles and possibly even build more. The more, the merrier if you ask me!
So, my STRONG Friend, if you aren't prioritizing strength training - do so, so that you can get a jump start on keeping and building that precious muscle!
Lifting the Things will pay off, not only now, but for decades into the future!
If you are starting out, start with at least 2 Total Body Strength Training sessions a week!
If you are not sure what to do, I got you. You can join my STRONGER Way Training Membership here. No more guessing what to do, or spinning of your wheels. I cover all the fundamentals of strength training in my programming!
My program includes all the major lifts, plus much, much more! You will be pushing - pulling - hinging - squatting -thrusting - carrying with progressive overload!
You know that lifting keeps your bones strong too!
Not only that, I make sure that you have the proper warm-ups that increase your mobility and flexibility, because that's important too!
This gets even more important as you get older. Not only does it help cut back on aches and pains, but it helps your muscles move through a wide range of motion.
Maintaining flexibility is a surprising factor when it comes to balance. When your range of motion becomes limited, it can affect your walking gait as well as your posture. Both of those have a big effect on your balance!
So, make sure you are doing your mobility drills, as well as stretching to work on your flexibility.
Even if those "older" years seem far away, it's definitely worth a little thought now.
Your future you will be super grateful to present-day you, I promise! :)
My STRONG Friend, if you want to chat about your goals or if you're not sure how to approach your strength training programming, let me know. Don't hesitate to reach out by replying back to this email!
Have a beautiful day!
In Strength
Xo
Candace
