5 Reasons Women Over 50 Need to Exercise More
From the moment we could stand on our own two feet, we couldn’t wait to run everywhere—forget walking! Soon we were riding bikes, playing sports and going to school dances. And though after our crazy 20’s came our calmer parenting years, we were still in constant motion–carrying our babies, chasing toddlers, hauling our teens everywhere. And we crunched all this activity around all the rest of our responsibilities. By the time we reach middle age and the kids are off to college, many of us find ourselves in a new, slower rhythm of life. Phew! Rest at last.
Rest certainly is important—as in the 7 to 9 hours of sleep you need every night—but we’re not meant to put our feet up and relax. We should become more active, not less active, as we get older. But what often happens is that exercise for women decreases with life changes, and women’s fitness levels decline. And then even simple things like going upstairs become harder, so we take the elevator, we become even less active, and fitness declines further. It can become a downward spiral.
But with the help of your Curves Coach and new, fresh fitness relationship goals, you can break free.
Whether you’re 25 or 85, regular exercise for women provides a wealth of health benefits, some of which take on greater significance in the second half of our lives.
Here are some of the ways a full body workout like Curves can help you stay healthy as you gain in years:
1. Maintain or lose weight
Overweight and obesity are associated with just about every major disease. Many of us find it more challenging to keep our weight where we want it post-menopause vs. pre. A slower pace of life is a likely factor, but also, as we age, we lose lean muscle tissue, which means resting metabolism slows, as do the number of calories we burn. Want to put some of that lean muscle back on? The muscle building whole body workout you do in the Curves circuit will help you do just that. Bonus: you also get a cardio workout in your 30 minutes at Curves ladies only gym. Hit Curves for your full body workout most days of the week, combined with a weight loss eating plan, and you’ll be well on your way to achieving your weight loss goals.
2. Help prevent diabetes
One of the major diseases associated with obesity is diabetes. The declining activity in the population as a whole is putting us at risk. But, by joining Curves women only gym and starting a regular workout routine, you have the power to change this risk in yourself. Luckily, one of the many health benefits of exercise is regulation of blood glucose and improved insulin sensitivity. Plus, the Curves Circuit is a great weight loss workout plan. All of these benefits of exercise help prevent type 2 diabetes.
3. Improve heart health
Your risk for heart disease increases after menopause1, as estrogen levels drop and blood pressure and cholesterol start to rise. A regular workout plan like the Curves workout may not restore diminishing hormones, but it will provide natural stress relief and a good cardio workout, both of which can help lower blood pressure2 and improve HDL (good) cholesterol.
4. Help outsmart osteoporosis
As with muscle, we lose bone tissue as we age, especially if we fail to engage in a regular workout routine, but low estrogen levels post-menopause also up our risk of osteoporosis. One in two women over the age of 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation3. As we age, we can help preserve bone density by participating in a workout plan that is both weight-bearing and bone-loading. The full body workout at Curves women only gym is both! Though walking and running come quickly to mind as weight-bearing activities, muscle exercises for women like those in the Curves workout also put weight on your bones, stimulating the production of new tissue and shoring up density.
5. Turn the spiral upside down
With all this talk of decline, remember this: With age comes wisdom. And even if you’ve never maintained a workout routine outside your day-to-day, it’s never too late to start. The health benefits of starting strength exercises for women are plenty, as are the benefits of a corresponding healthy eating plan. As always, consult with your doctor regarding your fitness relationship goals and the right type/intensity of physical activity for you.
The Curves women’s gym workout is convenient, combining strength training and cardio plus stretching – all in just 30 minutes – to strengthen your whole body. For more information about Curves and the full body workouts the Curves Circuit provides, visit ‘Why Curves’.
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