Strength training can help you have healthier joints and bones, fight osteoporosis, and even alleviate anxiety. Ready to lift some weights?
Strength training is one of the best allies for women in the fight against muscle density loss, osteoporosis, and even to move better and prevent falls. It also helps to improve mood and boost metabolism. Two essential benefits before and after menopause. Whether it's weights, machines, or resistance bands, any of these training tools is a powerful ally (literally!) when it comes to doing more for your health. If for you exercise means running, swimming, or even brisk walking, then it's time to add strength training to the list.
Find out more about all the best products from your strength training
When you do resistance training, applying force to the muscles, the forces you apply are converted into chemical signals. These chemical signals in turn carry out protein synthesis, creating more protein and generating larger muscles. Of course, the body builds muscle if you go for a walk, but it will be minimal. Because for the body to create muscle, you have to give it a big stimulus.
When you lift weights that challenge your body, the organism understands that it needs to maintain muscle to perform these tasks, to survive. Simply put, strength training is a training aimed at increasing the recruitment of muscle units, that is, exercises that require a greater amount of muscle fibers to overcome the imposed resistance.
According to a large-scale study, we reach our peak strength and muscle mass between 30-35 years of age. But from there, it's downhill. Bruno Militão, CrossFit coach and competition athlete, warns:
"Losing muscle mass due to the aging process of a human being is common. It is estimated to lose around 1% of muscle mass, starting from the third decade of life. Factors such as lack of exercises with external load, neurological and hormonal changes, which may or may not be related to age, in addition to nutritional aspects can cause an acceleration in the loss process. This loss is even more pronounced in women after menopause."
Many women start to experience menopause symptoms around the age of 50. As hormones begin to change, women can start to experience a range of symptoms, such as hot flashes, joint pain, or moodiness. Menopause can also be accompanied by a number of physical changes – including muscle mass loss, bone density loss, and slow metabolism.
And they lose estrogen, which is basically considered the female component of testosterone to facilitate muscle building. The worst part is that the reductions in estrogen are not gradual and are enormous. Basically, it's a tenfold reduction in estrogen production for women, which further compromises their ability to build muscle. There are already various studies that link strength training as a way to reduce several symptoms during menopause.
To increase muscle mass and strength, it's necessary to pay attention to three points:
With the help of a nutritionist, you can create a nutritional plan adapted to the needs of your body, depending on the stage you're in.
It's essential to stimulate the muscles with strength exercises. Any resistance exercise stimulates muscle mass gain.
Exercise stimulation alone is not enough for muscle growth. Providing the necessary building blocks for the body to increase muscle mass is essential. Muscles utilize amino acids from the proteins we ingest as building blocks in protein synthesis. Therefore, supplements are recommended, especially during menopause.
This is where protein supplementation is important, as it provides these essential amino acids. According to ESPEN, the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism, it is important to develop a treatment strategy for women during menopause, with an increased protein intake of about 1.2 to 1.4 g per body weight. This means a 70 kg woman should consume at least 84g of protein per day. To achieve this in the form of solid protein, one would need to eat 6 whole eggs and 200g of chicken per day. Powdered protein, as long as it is of high quality and additive-free, can be a substantial aid.
According to Bruno Militão, CrossFit coach and competitive athlete, "there's no system in our body that cannot be influenced by strength training. Strength training helps to:
Did you know that you can lose between 3 and 8% of muscle mass for each decade you don't train? Various studies have proven that strength training can help develop healthier bones, reduce back pain, and even reverse various factors that contribute to the aging of skeletal muscles. A 30-year-old person will lose about a quarter of their muscle strength by 70 and half by 90. Relying solely on aerobic exercises is no longer sufficient.
Moreover, strength training significantly increases bone density. Each time a muscle contracts, it pulls on the bones to which it is attached, stimulating bone cells to produce more structural proteins and conduct minerals into the bone. Always include weightlifting and strength movements like squats and lunges in your training. And if you're still undecided, you should know that sometimes body weight alone is sufficient.
Excessive stress can overload the immune system, create insomnia, reduce energy, and even lower self-esteem. Lifting weights can help relieve stress and anxiety. There is a strong connection between low to moderate intensity resistance training and reduced stress or anxiety.
Strength training also helps with balance, coordination, and posture. The stronger your muscles are, the better.
Functional training is an option and for that, there's nothing better than a CrossFit box, which are increasingly focused on well-being and offer more and more classes geared towards weight training or even specific classes for seniors. But if you prefer a conventional gym, talk to your instructor or personal trainer and ask for a plan tailored to your needs and physical condition. You can also choose to buy some equipment and train alone. Follow the recommendations from the Harvard Medical School to ensure your training goes smoothly:
Strength training is a powerful tool for the health and well-being of women. The benefits go beyond aesthetics, providing significant improvements in quality of life. Before and after menopause, this type of training becomes even more important. Start your training now and do not forget to supplement according to your nutritional needs.
