Listen up, Jordan Catalano generation
It is the closest thing to a magic pill you will find: strength training. And if you are approaching 40 or 40+, the magic goes up exponentially.
Research that shows the benefits from strength training to fat loss, aging and quality of life continue to pour in steadily. A study just released this month revealed that those who did strength training lost more fat and had better blood sugar maintenance than those who did cardio or a combination of both.
If you an older millennial, you probably treated cardio as queen back in the day (Reebok step aerobics anyone?) and strength training had a bad rep for making women “bulky” or “thick.” No bueno. This was the Kate Moss days after all. The tides have turned for body ideals as well as queen cardio. Thank the lord.
You can’t find a workout/gym/bootcamp these days that doesn’t incorporate strength (yay) but many of them are random and non-progressive formats where women don’t lift heavy enough (boo). Despite this, women are starting to see and understand the incredible benefits. Let’s start with three big ones.
1. IT HELPS US BUILD HEALTHY MUSCLE AS WE AGE 💪
Research shows that we start to lose muscle as early as age 30. 30!!! This is not a drill. Maintaining what you’ve got, or trying to build more, is crucial because if we’re not using it then we are losing it. This matters for many reasons, but most importantly, research shows that the top two biomarkers of age that we CAN control are muscle mass and strength. Ladies, if you want to live long and live well – you gotta lift! And on a different level – if you lose muscle as you age and don’t try to maintain it – then yes, that is where “flab” comes in.
2. IT HELPS US MAINTAIN A HEALTHY METABOLISM 🥗
As we start to lose muscle mass, the decrease can also impact our metabolic rate, which will also decline. Basically, this means that your body will start burning less calories. This is one of the main reasons women will gain weight as they age and it doesn’t have to be.
3. IT CHANGES YOUR INTERNAL DIALOGUE 💙
Feeling like a bad ass 2-3 days a week is good for the ego and ultimately good for the soul. When I work with moms 1:1, I always notice a significant boost in confidence in women who are regular with their strength training workouts and this often prompts a new hierarchy of goals. While fat loss may remain a top goal, strength and how they feel often moves right up there with it or surpasses.
Strength training tends to make us focus less on numbers. And it is amazing how life and stress can feel more manageable when you are building strength. I’ve seen firsthand how strength training can let you work with your body – and not against it. That shift is a game changer for progress, results and unproductive internal noise.
So, if you know the scene where Jordan Catalano holds Angela’s hand in the hall, then you best be doing strength training on the regular.
But what about the cardio??
Forget it - she already has.
(I couldn’t help myself)
Or do it along with your regular strength training routine.
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So, you know you gotta lift, but don’t know where to start? We do all the work for you in MB Beyond with progressive monthly programming — the kind that gets you real results and not injured. Check it out.