If you’re no longer in your 40s and are anxious to improve or keep up your physique, listen up. We spoke with Mike Bohl, MD, MPH, ALM, the Director of Medical Content & Education at Ro and a member of the Eat This, Not That! Medical Expert Board, and are here to let you in on what a daily strength training habit does to your body after 50.
If you haven’t already heard, strength training is king when it comes to staying in the best, healthiest shape possible, and this form of exercise is chock-full of benefits. Keep reading to learn more, and next, check out The Best Leg-Strengthening Exercises for Seniors.
Strength training is “one of the most important types of exercise” you can do as you age.
Wanting to make improvements to your body is the first step in the process. Learning the importance of strength training as you age is step number two.
Dr. Bohl tells us, “Strength training is one of the most important types of exercise you can do as you get older, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends adults do muscle-strengthening exercises, like weight lifting, at least two days per week.”
Strength training boosts blood flow, strengthens your bones, and helps you sculpt and maintain lean muscle.
Strength training plays a major role in improving the flow of blood throughout your body, strengthening your bones, building and maintaining lean muscle mass, and torching calories. Needless to say, it’s a golden egg to include in your regular fitness routine. All of this goodness will lower your chance of developing chronic diseases such as heart disease, and help you avoid obesity.
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It’s a stellar way to establish a daily routine as you grow older.
Dr. Bohl points out, “In addition to the physical health benefits, daily strength training is a great way to have a daily routine as you get older. It can be a good excuse for getting out of the house, and it can be a social activity. Exercise and being social are both linked with improved mood and decreased rates of depression.”
The older you get, the more natural changes your body will experience. Some of them include a decrease in hormone levels and muscle mass, and your bones can start to weaken.
Dr. Bohl advises, “Staying physically active through an exercise routine is a great way to mitigate these effects and keep the body feeling younger for longer. This can allow you to do the activities you enjoy (such as biking, tennis, or anything else) into older age.”
A regularly active lifestyle can be very beneficial for balance. It can also lower the risk of falling and getting injured as you age.
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Alexa Mellardo
Alexa is the Mind + Body Deputy Editor of Eat This, Not That!, overseeing the M+B channel and delivering compelling fitness, wellness, and self-care topics to readers. Read more about Alexa
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