Tips to Looking and Feeling Younger

We all want to age in a healthy and graceful way. Unfortunately, many of us don’t think about our strength until much later on in life.

From the ages of 25 to 65, an average person’s daily metabolism drops 300 calories and they lose 20 pounds of lean muscle mass. This leads to major changes in strength over the four decades. In fact, close to 50% of North Americans aged 80+ can’t lift a bowling bowl or walk around a 400 metre track! Don’t let yourself become one of these seniors, start strength training now, active aging is important!

The 6 functions you want to focus your strength training efforts on are:

1. Kneeling helps with: walking, reaching items under your sink, playing with your grandkids and pets, lifting heavy items, balance, outdoor work and maintaining overall knee health.
2. Holding is important for: grocery shopping, cooking, walking your dog, opening doors, driving, golfing and other recreational activities.
3. Bending is needed to: get into your car, up and down from your bed and chairs, household cleaning, outdoor work and balance.
4. Carrying is required for: grocery shopping, cooking, carrying your grandchilden and pets and outdoor work.
5. Climbing assists with: walking up stairs, getting up and down from chairs and in and out of the bathtub.
6. Pushing is needed to: open heavy doors, clean your home and for outdoor work.

A drop in metabolism is lifestyle related

It’s important to understand that metabolic decline isn’t age-associated, it’s lifestyle related. Many people get less active with time. Regular strength training exercises and consuming enough protein (at least 50 – 60 grams per day) is necessary to maintain muscle strength.

If free weights scare you, start out by using your body weight, resistance bands, exercise balls or weight machines. There are a ton of effective tools that you can use. Please Click here if you’d like to learn more about starting an exercise routine it’s never too late!