Lift the Weights 🏋🏽

Hello folks! Back again with some insight into the benefits of lifting weights.

Society tends to just label the dedicated gym goers as meatheads, gym rats, health nuts. I promise, we are much more than that. But even if we WERE, those things, lifting weights is extremely beneficial for your body AND your mental health!

Now I'm sure you've heard all the "old wives' tales" of lifting weight: it makes women look manly and they'll get all bulky, it's bad for your joints, or once you stop weightlifting your muscle turns into fat. All of which are false. Sorry folks. No more clinging to the lies.

Let's dive into it.

1) Boosted metabolism

Yes, that is right. Lifting weight can increase your metabolism (metabolic rate), naturally. Metabolic rate, or basal metabolic rate, is the energy—the number of calories—needed to perform basic body functions while the body is at rest.

No pills, no potions, and cheaper. In as little as ten weeks of resistance training, you can boost your metabolism by at least 7%. [1]

More muscle means burning more calories.... means more food, obviously to fuel your body properly 😉.

2) Improved neuromuscular connections and cognitive function

Yet again. Weights find their way into my heart. This is a well-documented and researched topic. Resistance training can help build improved neural pathways that lead to an increase in performance in your activities of daily living. This includes coordination, balance, and reaction time. [1]

Additionally, patients, clients, people with neurological/neurocognitive and neuromuscular disorders can also benefit great from resistance training i.e., Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, and Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS). [2] [3]

3) Increase bone density

With weight training, you are putting stress (good stress) on your bones. As we age, specifically creeping up to the age of 50, we become more susceptible to osteoporosis, the weakening of our bones, causing them to break easily.

Women are more susceptible to osteoporosis than men are. It affects 1 in 5 women over 50 and only 1 in 2o men over 50. Other factors work against women, to include menopause and previous surgery to remove the ovaries before menstruation periods stopped naturally. At the age of 65-70, women and men lose bone mass at the same rate. [4]

Nevertheless, by incorporating weight training sooner than later, this can hinder the onset of osteoporosis by increasing your bone density mass. [5]

To further help your skeletal system fight osteoporosis:

• Eat more foods that support bone health calcium, vitamin D, and protein each day. Low-fat dairy; leafy green vegetables; fish; and fortified juices, milk, and grains are good sources of calcium. If your vitamin D level is low, talk with your doctor about taking a supplement.

• Incorporate weight training

• Limit smoking and alcohol consumption.

Lastly

4) Boost your Self-Esteem

Other than the obvious, some might say shallow and carnal, weight training helps build an appealing figure. One that we can smile in the mirror and admire. However, it is deeper than that for a good majority of people. Sure, having a 6 pack looks great, having boulder shoulders and pythons is every teenage boy and "bros" dream, but the progress made in the gym, reflected through our bodies is what solidifies that. Mentally, physically, emotionally.

Whenever we break through a challenging workout, push past our last personal record, or even perform our daily activities stronger, THAT is a self-esteem boost. All the early and/or late workout sessions, the sweat, the calluses, the unforeseen injuries (then getting past them), ALL OF IT, makes it worth it whenever we hit a milestone on our journey.

Compliments can help boost it as well. Those little strokes of ego are not always bad. Who does not like to be complimented on how much better we look, how much stronger we are, how various features are showcasing after all those grueling sessions and sticking to our meal plans. Finally going down a size, finally feeling comfortable enough to wear even just a sleeveless shirt or shorts. Literally all of the above. Needless to say, compliments are welcomed, but outside validation shouldn't be our go-to. It is what WE possess. Those skills, dedication and discipline... HEART!

Well, there you have it folks. Weightlifting, resistance training, functional strength training, or any other name it goes by, does wonders for our body, soul, and mind. Literally.

Comments are welcomed folks, so please, if you made it this far, drop some feedback!

Have the day you deserve 🐻🤘🏽💚

[1] Westcott W. L. (2012). Resistance training is medicine: effects of strength training on health. Current sports medicine reports, 11(4), 209–216. https://doi.org/10.1249/JSR.0b013e31825dabb8

[2] Chow, Z. S., Moreland, A. T., Macpherson, H., & Teo, W. P. (2021). The Central Mechanisms of Resistance Training and Its Effects on Cognitive Function. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 51(12), 2483–2506. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-021-01535-5

[3] Pitetti, K. H., Barrett, P. J., & Abbas, D. (1993). Endurance exercise training in Guillain-Barre syndrome. Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation, 74(7), 761–765. https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-9993(93)90039-d

[4] Osteoporosis. (n.d.). National Institute on Aging. Retrieved December 27, 2022, from https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/osteoporosis#risk

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[5] Kitsuda, Y., Wada, T., Noma, H., Osaki, M., & Hagino, H. (2021). Impact of high-load resistance training on bone mineral density in osteoporosis and osteopenia: a meta-analysis. Journal of bone and mineral metabolism, 39(5), 787–803. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00774-021-01218-1