The average woman loses 5 pounds of muscle and gains 10 pounds of fat every decade.
Growing up, I never quite understood why my parents always seemed to be complaining about getting older. They would groan about back pain, weight gain or how they were starting to see more grey hairs creeping in. My mom even claimed at one point that she was “officially done” with celebrating her birthdays after age 35. At the time, I would just roll my eyes and tease them, thinking that they were just being dramatic. However now, as I find myself in my early 30s, I can’t help but feel a newfound empathy for their struggles. And while I may still tease my parents from time to time about their complaints, deep down, I know that it won’t be long before grey hairs sprout from my head too.
While many of us may have once joked about the signs of aging, such as cracked knees and grey hairs, aging gracefully is a goal that many women aspire to. As we age, it’s not uncommon for our bodies to undergo changes that negatively impact our strength and muscle mass. But did you know that women are particularly at risk for a condition called sarcopenia? In this blog post, I wanted to delve deeper into why this happens and how strength training can help prevent it by preserving muscle mass.
Summarizing Sarcopenia
As we age, the natural process of muscle loss, known as sarcopenia, can significantly impact our overall health and quality of life. As early as age 25, women start to lose some muscle mass and gain more body fat even if they maintain their weight. Thanks in part to the hormones estrogen, epinephrine and glucagon, women have more fat storage in the hips, thighs and buttocks. When we lose muscle mass, our basal metabolic rate (BMR) is reduced, and we burn less calories throughout the day as muscle is an energy-burning tissue. If we do not adjust our exercise or eating habits, this can lead to creeping weight gain as we age along with increasing the risk of obesity-related disorders such as hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis.
Starting in our early 30s, there are major changes in hormone levels that peak at age 35 and plateau closer to age 40. When estrogen levels drop, it leads to increasing levels of body fat, decreases in muscle mass and strength, and weakens bones. Bone loss beginning in our 30s can lead to osteoporosis later on in life. Women in their 30s are also more prone to insulin resistance due to metabolic changes in adrenal and thyroid hormones. During menopause, changes in estrogen levels cause body fat to be stored in surrounding organs, which is more dangerous, increasing the risk of heart disease. By age 60, total muscle mass is reduced by a third leading to slower reaction speeds, strength, stamina & power. The decline in strength also increases the risk of falls, frailty, disability and loss of function.
Age is Just a Number… with Strength Training
In contrast to the picture I have painted of sarcopenia, imagine a future where you not only maintain your strength and mobility well into your senior years, but actually thrive in your physical capabilities? The good news is that many of the changes people associate with aging- the loss of stamina, bone density, balance and flexibility- are a result of muscle loss from being physically inactive. Muscle tissue, strength, bone density, cardiovascular fitness, energy levels, stamina and functional performance appear to be preserved through exercise. In particular, strength training is the only type of exercise known to build and maintain good muscle mass for lasting health. Strong people are more active and self-sufficient, giving them more independence. That is in addition to the many positive health benefits that we have previously discussed like the reduced risk of injury, better posture, improved ability to perform daily activities and better body composition.
Meet the 80-Year-Old Bodybuilder: She may be a Guiness World Record holder for the oldest female bodybuilder now, but she only started training at age 71!
A well-designed program that includes strength training will impact your weight, health, fitness and well-being for decades to come. By adding 1 pound of muscle to the body, you can burn an additional 30 to 40 calories per day and increase your metabolic rate by 7%. After 8 weeks of strength training, you can gain 3-6 pounds of lean muscle, which is an extra 90-160 calories burned per day. After 3 months of strength training, you can lose 4 pounds of fat while eating 15% more calories.
Conclusion
The aging process is an unavoidable journey all women must face, but rather than dread the inevitable march of time, we can take control of our health and preserve our strength and stamina through regular strength training. So let’s not let sarcopenia hold us back – let’s empower ourselves and prioritize strength training to keep our bodies strong and healthy for years to come. Remember, it’s never too late to start building strength and defying the effects of aging. In the next blog post, I will talk about guidelines for women based on their age for strength training.