Women and men over 50 who want to avoid obesity should be lifting weights regularly.
That’s the finding of a large new study of how resistance training (weights, medicine balls, Kettlebells, resistance bands, etc.) can improve and lengthen lives. We tend to think of cardio exercise, like jogging or biking, to fight fat.
Resistance Training Prevents Obesity
Researchers followed 12,000 people for six years, noting lifestyle habits, aerobic exercise, and participation in resistance training, among other factors. They wanted to see who would get fat over time. They found that people who performed resistance training had a 20% to 30% reduced risk of obesity, regardless of whether they also did aerobic workouts.
Add this to the list of why people over 50 should be working out with resistance – even if they insist they don’t want to “bulk up” from weightlifting. (Trust me: You won’t. Adding lean muscle to your frame is actually more difficult than losing excess body fat. Younger folks work out hard every day for months and months before getting big and have different hormone profiles than those over fifty, so you’re more than safe from that worry!)
Among the other reasons you should be lifting weights:
- It improves the duration and quality of sleep.
- It improves your balance.
- It strengthens aging bones.
- It decreases the risk of type 2 diabetes.
- It helps you perform the tasks of daily living with greater confidence.
And now, if resistance training prevents obesity, then it’s also working against high blood pressure and other common ailments.
The benefits are clear. Let me get you started, or help you rekindle your interest.