Short on time? Do shorter workouts! Sound appealing? Short, more frequent workouts can be as effective as longer workouts for strong bones! I’m often asked, “Can I do shorter workouts if I don’t have time for a full strength training workout?” The answer is, yes! You don’t have to do the whole workout at once to get the… Continue Reading
“HELP! I’m backsliding, big time, and not getting my exercise in!” say my class participants. Does this sound familiar right about this time of year? Here are my 5 tips on how to get your exercise done between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. Schedule it the night before. Don’t just wait for a break in your day… Continue Reading
“Why are people with osteoporosis advised not to lift heavy objects when it’s helpful to lift weights?” Good question! There are many exercises you can do to strengthen your spine, hips, and wrist…the whole skeleton, actually, that don’t involve heavy weight lifting and work as well, without the risk of fracture. Body weight exercises in the right… Continue Reading
Here’s a fall recipe for a delicious and nutritious post-workout recovery smoothie! It tastes like pumpkin, but is actually made with butternut squash and has an excellent protein-carbohydrate ratio to rebuild your muscles after strength training. Current research is showing that enough protein can also be VERY important for rebuilding bone. I’ll be blogging more about it soon, so… Continue Reading
Weight lifting with bone loss? Whether you’re in the osteoporosis or low bone density range, commonly called osteopenia, a weight limit for free weights will sometimes be suggested when beginning a strength training program designed to strengthen bones. In the past, the National Osteoporosis Foundation has recommended a conservative 10 pound limit with any bone loss because, for some people,… Continue Reading
Question: Do your 10 Tips for Osteoporosis Prevention Exercise apply to someone who has already fractured or would you modify any of them? I received this question last week on the National Osteoporosis Foundation’s online Support Community where, as one of the four moderators, I comment on exercise questions. The query came from a woman… Continue Reading
Women sometimes contact me on their way home from a doctor’s appointment. Their bone density scan has shown bone loss and their doctor wants to put them on medication. They’ve also been told to strength train, do weight-bearing exercise, and change their eating habits. It can be overwhelming, dealing with a bone loss diagnosis and… Continue Reading
Higher levels of vitamin D usually have a positive effect on bone health, but it looks like that effect can be variable according to race. African Americans are reported to have the best bone health in the United States, so their low levels of Vitamin D don’t make sense with the current testing. It’s controversial, like so many… Continue Reading
When Sybil Holveck contacted me, concerned that her husband had to work too hard carrying her suitcase full of dumbbells so that she could do weight lifting on their travels, I knew that I’d met a kindred spirit. She wanted to know when my Resistance Band Training DVD would be released so that she would… Continue Reading
Here are 12 tips for adapting exercise programs if you’re over fifty or have osteoporosis or osteopenia, using the 12 exercises in the 7-minute workout as examples. Number one, always check with your healthcare provider for guidance on any new exercise program. What works for your neighbor might not work for you. You might need individual adaptations, so… Continue Reading