How to Maintain Your Independence as You Age

The Aging Antidote

Most people think that aging and a lower metabolism go hand-in-hand. However, a lower metabolism is primarily a result of decreased activity and lost muscle mass—not just another birthday candle on the cake.

Unless you make an effort to maintain it, you will lose about five percent of your muscle mass per decade—as much as five to seven pounds! Unfortunately, fat replaces those five to seven pounds. Even if your diet doesn’t change, if you’re not actively building muscle, your body will store more fat as you age because the calories that used to be burned up by your muscles are now being stored as fat. This leads to a common scenario, especially for middle-aged women: “overfat” but not overweight.

Body composition is expressed as a percentage of fat mass in relation to the rest of body mass—muscles, bones, organs, etc. It’s quite possible to be at your ideal weight and still have a high percentage of body fat. While vitally important for fat-burning and heart health, aerobic exercise has little or no effect on muscle mass. In contrast, strength training increases muscle mass and will markedly delay the loss that naturally occurs with age.

Strength training can enhance self-esteem and super-charge a weight loss program. Muscle is more metabolically active than fat. In other words, the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn—even when just sitting around! Regular strength training also aids in lowering blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol, boosts the immune system and reduces risk of osteoporosis. In fact, weak muscles are often as much a contributor to osteoporosis as are dietary causes. It even reduces your risk of injury, because muscles tend to work as shock absorbers. For seniors, maintaining muscle mass means staying independent longer.

Put simply, strength training uses resistance exercise to build muscle. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends

• one to two sets
• of eight to 12 repetitions
• of eight to ten different exercises for all the major muscle groups
• two to three times per week.

Your muscles need a two- to three-minute rest between each set. Additionally, with the exception of abdominals, allow your muscles to rest for at least 48 hours between strength training workouts.

Your goal dictates the number of reps you should do: If you want bulk, lift heavier weights and perform only six to eight reps. If you simply want to tone, do ten to 12 reps of lighter weight. You know your weight is heavy enough if the last rep is difficult to perform.

Your strength training routine needs to be progressive. In other words, when the twelfth rep becomes easy to perform, add two to five pounds. You will not continue to improve unless you force your muscles to adapt to a new level. Doing the same routine over and over again year after year will ensure a lack of progress. Instead, change your program every four to six weeks.

Adding variety will also keep your body from adapting too quickly. If you use the machines at the gym one day, use free weights the next. Or stay home and do lunges, squats and pushups—exercises that don’t require any equipment.

Many people don’t strength train because they think it requires the expensive, fancy equipment you see in gyms. Not so! Simple sit-ups, pushups, lunges and squats are strength training exercises. In addition, sporting goods stores sell numerous types of equipment, such as stretchy bands and hand weights, that can easily be used at home and or even when traveling.

When strength training, never use fast or jerky movements. Always lift slowly and breathe out as you lift the weight, breathe in as you lower it. Lift to a count of two, lower to a count of three or four. If you have never strength trained before, consider consulting with a certified fitness professional to learn proper form and appropriate exercises for your level before beginning.

Be warned that when you first begin strength training, you may lose inches but actually gain weight. Muscle weighs more than fat does, so even as your body composition changes the scale may not reflect that change at first. Keep on—you will see results!

Terms you should know:

Repetitions (“reps”): one count of an exercise

Sets: a group of repetitions; ie, 8-12 reps