Archive for the ‘Weight-bearing exercise’ Category

• Make an Exercise Resolution & Make it a Lifestyle!

  Date: 2012.01.04 | Category: Fitness & Health, Healthy Weight, Osteoporosis, Strength Training for Osteoporosis Prevention, Strength Training for Women, Weight-bearing exercise | Response: 2

  

  My daughter's Christmas gift to me...hand painted!

  Everyone seems to like to be motivated, especially when they’re making New Year’s Resolutions, to exercise more. The most common reason for embarking on an exercise program is to lose weight. However, I have found it very interesting that keeping bones strong is a big motivator for many women to make strength training and cardiovascular (heart healthy) exercise a permanent part of their lifestyle.

  Besides being great for the bones, here are 10 more reasons to strength train:

  1. Increase lean body mass (muscle) quickly, in only 2 strength training sessions per week.
  2. Fat loss! With more muscle, your cardiovascular and strength workouts will be more intense, making them a better calorie burning workout.
  3. Increases glucose uptake, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.
  4. Great for your heart! Decreases resting blood pressure, reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke.
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• Twice-a-week strength training best for over-50 group

  Date: 2011.10.25 | Category: Fitness & Health, Nutrition, Osteoporosis, Strength Training for Osteoporosis Prevention, Strength Training for Women, Weight-bearing exercise | Response: 3

  

  Colleen, Sue, Gerry, & Moni enjoying biceps curls!

  I headed up to Fargo, ND this month for the Northland chapter meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine on “Resistance (Strength) Training Across the Lifespan”.  The 10 hour drive was worth it to hear the top people in the field of exercise science speak. Of course, the Strength Training for Older Adults session was my favorite, as well as the session on recovery foods led by a professor of nutrition. I was pleased to see slide after slide of research confirming the information in my Nutrient Timing blog post. Keep drinking those yummy smoothies!

  Here’s some great news about getting the right “dose” of strength training per week. Two times a week is not only enough strength training, but research has shown that twice weekly can actually be better than three days a week.

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• Q & A: What exercises should we do and when?

  Date: 2011.10.07 | Category: Osteoporosis, Strength Training for Osteoporosis Prevention, Strength Training for Women, Weight-bearing exercise | Response: 0

  

  Back Extension for strong backs, balance, & coordination

  The easy question is when to strength train! Anytime that is convenient for you is the best time to strength train. Do it  2-3 times a week to build muscle and neural-muscular connections to help you stay on your feet with better balance and coordination, on non-consecutive days. At the very least, be out of your chair & on your feet for a minimum of 4 hours a day. If you have a desk job, stand up often and maybe even put that computer at standing level. I always want to get a plug in for doing at least 150 minutes of cardiovascular exercise per week with a good portion of it being weight-bearing exercise, meaning on your feet! If swimming is your favorite cardiovascular exercise, then make doubly sure that you  strength train for the nice bone-building pull that it puts on bones.

  What exercises to do is a bit more complex, in terms of strength training.

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• DDM: Daily Dose of Movement

  Date: 2011.08.21 | Category: Daily Dose of Movement(c), Fitness & Health, Osteoporosis, Weight-bearing exercise | Response: 0

  

  My file cabinet is a great mini-stepper desk!

  No time for exercise? Get your DDM: Daily Dose of Movement in throughout the day with tiny bouts of exercise. One of my favorite ways to get my DDM is the mini-stepper that I keep under my desk and pull out anytime that I’m on the phone, reading, or even working at my computer. You’ll feel the effort in the muscles of the thighs and around the hip joints, which makes it a great workout for osteoporosis prevention, helping to maintain or even increase the bone density of your hips.  Also, you get a tiny heel thump at the bottom of each step, which  sends a little upward jolt that can stimulate bone growth in your lower spine and hips, like walking does. If you don’t like that thump or if it bothers your joints, don’t step down as far or put some padding below the foot plates. Caution: For safety, hang on to some form of support while on a stepper, especially if your balance is challenged.

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