Exercise helps you live a happier longer life

Exercise helps you live a happier longer life

I am a lifetime exercise enthusiast, it isn’t surprising that each day I will find a physical activity to move my body.I love to exercise, while planning to live a fit and healthy longer life

One of my goals in writing this blog, is to encourage people ~ who do I hope to encouraging?  You, if you are on the fence about your exercise regime, I hope to help you to get started each day  until it becomes habit for you as well.

According to the Ace Personal Trainer Manual:

“On average, previously untrained youth, adult, and older adults increase their muscle mass by 2 to 4 pounds and their muscular strength by 40 to 60% after eight to 12 weeks of standard strength training.”

and;

“Physical capacity decreases dramatically with age in non-strength training adults; an average of 5 pounds, per decade, of muscle tissue is lost due to disuse (disuse atrophy).  A woman who doesn’t strength train loses about .5 pounds of muscle each year. “

Ohhhh what does that mean and why is this important, let me explain:
Per Ace fitness:

“Susan weighs 120lbs at 30 years old and is 20% body fat, she has 24 lbs of fat and 96 pounds of lean body weight. If Susan doesn’t exercise to maintain her muscle tissue and loses 5 pounds of muscle per decade, at 50 years of age, if she maintained the same body weight, her body composition would change by 20 pounds, how does this look you ask? At 50, without strength training, Susan weighs 120 lbs,  measures at 28.3 % fat: Susan carries 34 lbs of bodyfat and 86 lbs of lean body weight. (hello batwings and cellulite)

Here is a visual example of same weight but different body compositions, below is Deb Hunter, who increased her muscle mass and has the visual composition improvements to prove it.

This is Deb Hunter, the photos span from Jan to June of 2011 after doing a challenge to improve health and fitness at her local gym. Notice her weight is the same but how her body composition has completely changed. (She also changed her hair, which I love the new do and the bright smile too)

After 20 years of inactivity, Susan weighs the same but her body isn’t going to look the same, there is more bodyfat and less muscle tissue on her body.  This is how aging makes us look and feel older if we don’t work to maintain our health.

BUT THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE, IT DOESN’T MATTER WHEN YOU START.

Per Ace Fitness:

“Numerous strength-training studies have shown that several weeks of traditional strength training result in about 3 pounds more muscle and 4 pounds less fat in adult and older adults (Westcott et al., 2009; Campbell et all., 1994; Pratley eta l., 1994) this rate of body-composition improvement appears to continue for several months (Westcott et al., 2008)“

So why is this important? For one, muscle is constantly actively maintaining its own muscle tissue. During sleep, resting skeletal muscles are responsible for 25% (or more) of the body’s calorie use.  It only stands to reason that when your body has more muscle it will burn more calories maintaining itself. Plus, muscle looks a lot better on your body, both dressed and undressed.

Per Ace: “The 5 pound per decade loss of muscle tissue accounts for a 3% per decade lowering of RMR (resting metabolic rate) in non exercising individuals. Strength training raises RMR resulting in more calories burned on a daily basis. Studies have shown that a 7 to 8% increase in RMR can be experienced after several weeks of regular resistance training.” (Hunter et al., 2000; Van Etten et al., 1997; Campbell et al., 1994; Pratley et al., 1994)

Ace also states that Hackney, Englels, and Gretebeck are reporting an average of 9% increase in resting metabolic rate for 3 days following an intense resistance workout in untrained individuals, and an average 8% increase in resting metabolism for three days after an intense resistance workout in trained individuals.”

Lets recap shall we:

Your muscle deteriorates due to disuse, which decreases your metabolism, the decreased metabolism decrease your resting metabolic rate; the rate of which calories are burned. Losing 5 pounds of muscle every ten years means you carry more bodyfat and less lean muscle. This leads to the decrease in agility and capacity and an aged appearance.

Returning to fitness and resistance training increases your metabolism, increases lean muscle mass and decreases the percent of bodyfat your body carries. Resistance training increases your metabolism from 7 to 9% 72 hours after a training session. This equates to a leaner more toned appearance, along with better agility and being more active.

 

Which reminds me of an old joke from the eighties:

Inactive person: “I’m not fat, I’m big-boned”

Overheard response: “Really, I’ve never seen bone jiggle like that!” (Don’t let this be you)

I haven’t even started to address the many other benefits of resistance training, like:

• Bone density, lowering risk of osteoporosis,
• Ease is completing activities of daily living,
• Better health,
• Exercise helps stave off diabetes, this per the Scientist’s article “Exercise Alters Epigenetics“
• Lowered injury risk
• Helping to lower blood pressure
• Helps with digestion (movement helps move food through your digestive system)
• Reduced pain of Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Decreased depression
• Improved quality of life and decreasing the effects of aging

So really, what are you waiting for..   time to stop reading and start getting your move on..

What are you doing each day to maintain your muscle strength and physical health?