5 Amazing Things That Happen to Your Body When You Start Lifting Weights

By Jacqueline Andriakos | health.com

You probably already know that hitting the weights at the gym or doing bodyweight exercises makes you stronger and fitter. But what many people don't realize is that strength training does far more than that for both your body and your mind.

"I'm actually so surprised when women still admit to me that they don't do any weight training," says Los Angeles-based celebrity trainer and exercise physiologist Michelle Lovitt. "The benefits go so far beyond getting big muscles. I encourage everyone to stray away from only heading for the cardio machines."

Read on for five incredible effects of weight lifting that will help you finally ditch the excuses for avoiding the weight room. And if you're already a lifter, these perks just might make you even more excited to hit the gym.

Your metabolism gets a boost

Having more muscle turns your body into a fat-burning machine. "Building muscle mass helps your body burn fat more efficiently at rest," says Lovitt. "And you just don't develop muscle through cardio the way you do when you are doing strength training."

In other words, the more muscle mass you develop through bodyweight exercises or by using weights and other resistance equipment, the more calories and fat you are blasting even when you're just sitting around watching Netflix or glued to your desk chair. (The amount of calories you burn at rest is referred to as your basal metabolic rate, or BMR.)

You protect your bones

Want to stay active and injury-free all throughout your life? Weight training is an essential Rx. A growing body of research shows doing weight-bearing exercise can help prevent bone loss (or potentially even build bone), and in turn, reduce your risk of osteoporosis and possible fractures down the line. "In a way, you're really offsetting aging," Lovitt notes.

Lovitt has a 70-year-old client who thought she would be too fragile to participate in weight lifting. Two years later, "she is the epitome of what strength training can do for an older person," Lovitt says. "She has lost weight and body fat, but she is also much more muscular and her balance and stability are miles from where they were, so she is better able to live her life as safely as possible."

Your sleep may improve

Resistance training is a natural remedy for sleep issues. One small study in the Journal of Exercise Physiology Online found that elderly people who practiced moderate-intensity resistance training for 12 weeks had better sleep quality compared to older folks who stayed sedentary over a six-month period.

What's more, you may notice you have better energy throughout your day when you take up weight training.

The caveat: Doing serious power lifting (think: bodybuilders) or intense weight lifting close to bedtime could have the opposite effect and disrupt your sleep or leave you worn down, Lovitt points out.

You stay sharp

Building up muscle strength may lead to better brain function. In fact, research has shown that starting resistance training may help older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) improve cognitive function over time. A 2016 Australian study divided 100 older men and women with MCI into two groups. One group was assigned to do resistance exercises twice a week for six weeks, while the other was instructed to perform seated stretching and calisthenics instead. The folks who built muscle by strength training also built their brains: They performed better on cognitive tests than the stretching group, and scans showed growth in specific areas of their brains linked to mental benefits.

“The stronger people became, the greater the benefit for their brain,” lead author Yorgi Mavros, PhD, an exercise physiologist at the University of Sydney, said in a press release at the time.

You zap stress

While most available research on the effects of exercise on mood focus on aerobic activity, there are studies that zero in on resistance training that have found it can be a worthwhile intervention for people with anxiety.

"I started hitting the weight room at a time in my life when I was incredibly stressed out in grad school and needed an outlet," says Anna Laura Sommer, 27, a personal trainer and health coach in Philadelphia. "It really helped me not only get rid of so much of my worry, but it also helped me become a part of a community."

Lovitt echos this sentiment: "I work with busy moms, CEOs, and celebrities with insane schedules who tell me the time we spend weight lifting is the best stress reliever for them," she shares. "They channel their stress into the weights, and the powerful movements and exertion really allow you to release something both physically and emotionally."

reprinted from health.com

Top Reasons to Lift Weights and Strength Train

By Paige Waehner | verywellfit.com


Most of us know that strength training is important, but that doesn't make it any easier to do it. It may help to know why strength training is so important and all the ways it can help you look better and feel better. Check out my favorite reasons to lift weights and get motivated to start strength training today.

It Helps you Lose Fat

When you lift weights, you build lean muscle tissue which is more metabolically active than fat. When you increase your muscle, you also increase metabolism which means you're burning more calories throughout the day. Regular strength training is just as important as cardio exercise for losing fat and getting fit.

It Makes You Strong

It may seem obvious that lifting weights can make you stronger...but what some people forget is that it doesn't just make you strong for your workouts, it makes you stronger in other areas of your life as well.

When you lift weights on a regular basis, everything else becomes a little easier too - carrying groceries, housework, gardening, carrying the kids, etc. And, don't forget, it doesn't just make your muscles stronger, it makes your bones stronger too which can help reduce or even manage osteoporosis.

It Reduces Your Risk of Injury

The nice thing about strength training is that it strengthens everything, not just your muscles and bones. When you lift weights, you also strengthen connective tissue—the ligaments and tendons that keep your body moving well on a regular basis. Strengthening your connective tissue will help you continue to operate in peak condition and protect your body from injuries.

It Can Reduce Arthritis Pain

Recent studies have shown that arthritis sufferers who lifted weights actually reduced their joint pain. By strengthening the muscles, they were able to cushion and protect the joints during impact activities like walking.

And don't forget...most physical therapy programs incorporate strength training to help rehab a multitude of injuries, which just proves that lifting weights can make a difference in getting better and having a better quality of life.

It Increases Balance, Stability and Flexibility

When we don't preserve muscle mass with strength training, what happens when we grow older? We lose muscle mass and that's often what leads to weight gain and loss of balance and flexibility. Lifting weights can help you work your joints through a full range of motion, keeping them strong and flexible and keeping you steady on your feet.

It Can Make You Better at Sports

Most athletes these days follow some type of strength training program to keep them strong and avoid injuries. Training specific to your sport can also help you improve your power, strength, and speed to make you a better athlete. Even kids and teens often benefit from some type of strength training when it comes to playing sports.

It Makes You Feel Better About Yourself

According to some studies, both men and women feel better about themselves when they lift weights. By getting stronger and noticing changes over time like being able to lift more weight and do more exercises, both men and women build confidence and, especially for women, improve body image. Lifting weights, along with other types of exercise, also helps build confidence and can even help manage symptoms of depression and anxiety...a great way to deal with stress in a healthy way.

It Can Help Lower Blood Pressure

Some studies have shown that regular strength training can help reduce high blood pressure over time, so this may become another way (aside from cardio exercise) to help treat high blood pressure in some people.

If you do have high blood pressure, I don't have to remind you that you should always talk to the doc before doing any new activities (but I am anyway). But, if you get the okay, consider starting a basic program along with other recommendations from your doc for helping reduce your blood pressure.

It Adds Challenge and Interest to Your Routine

If you've been doing the same cardio workouts for a long time, that can get a little boring. Strength training is a great way to spice things up and add a completely different challenge to your body. The nice thing about strength training is that it offers so many ways to set up your workouts...there's always something new to try and you never run out of new exercises, different types of resistance, new routines and a variety of ways to work your body.

It Makes Your Life Better

One thing that often surprises people after they start lifting weights is how it trickles into other areas of their lives. I often get phone calls and emails from clients telling me how they were able to work in the garden without back pain or walk up the stairs without aching knees. It's those little improvements that offer the greatest rewards and it doesn't take much time with weights to see and feel those kinds of improvements.

reprinted from verywellfit.com

Water Aerobics Benefits

by ANDREA CESPEDES | Livestrong.com

Too often, people consider water aerobics a low-intensity workout program appropriate only for pregnant women or the elderly. However, water aerobics actually offers multiple benefits for any fitness level and all types of people. Water aerobics classes come in a variety of formats, including step, Zumba, kickboxing, tai chi and yoga. Choose your favorite type of glass, don your suit and hop on in!

A Low-Impact Workout

Exercising in water makes you feel about 90 percent lighter, reports the American Council on Exercise. When you jump or run in the water, your body does not experience the same impact that these moves cause on land.

This makes water aerobics an ideal activity for those with arthritis, back problems, foot or leg injuries, and knee conditions. Pregnant women and the obese also benefit from the reduced impact. You don't have to worry about falling and hurting yourself; however, you should still talk to a doctor before you start a water fitness routine.

Good for Beginners

If you find other group exercise classes intimidating because of complex choreography or windowed studios, the pool offers some discretion. Most moves are performed underwater, so only you know if you missed a step.

At the same time, going to a water aerobics class can be very motivating. You often work harder in a class setting to keep up with other participants, and there's a social aspect that working out alone doesn't offer.

Calorie Burn

Expect to burn nearly 300 calories during an hour-long water aerobic class, though the actual amount you burn will depend on your size, the intensity of your movements, as well as water temperature and depth. In general, faster movements incorporating the upper and lower body in deep water elicit the greatest calorie burn.

To lose a pound, you need to create a 3,500-calorie deficit through exercise and diet. Regular water aerobics classes can go a long way in helping to create that deficit.

Strength-Building

When exercising in water, you work against 12 times the resistance of air. Simply kicking and cupping the water helps contribute to muscle development, which translates into a higher metabolism and healthier body.

Many water aerobics classes incorporate equipment like water paddles, noodles, single or double buoys, and kick boards to further induce strength gains. Push-ups or triceps dips performed on the pool deck also help build strength.

reprinted from Livestrong.com

10 Reasons To Eat What's In Season

By Katrine van Wyk | mindbodygreen

There is something quite comforting about knowing that everything in the universe has its place – that things are what they are for a reason. Here are 10 very good reasons for why you should eat seasonally.

1. Flavor

Produce that have been allowed to fully ripen in the sun taste amazing! Freshly picked produce has the optimal flavor – crispy, fragrant, juicy and colorful. Those summer heirloom tomatoes make all other tomatoes seem inferior. You can eat it like an apple; raw, warm from the sun and straight from the vine.

2. Nutrition

Plants get their nourishment from the sun and soil. Seasonally fresh produce is picked when they’re ripe and fully developed. The plant has had more sun exposure, which means it will have higher levels of antioxidants! Studies have also found that the level of iodine and beta-carotene in milk is higher in the summer than in the winter months – ice cream anyone?

3. Economy

Simply supply and demand. When there’s abundance of a product, such as watermelons in the summer, the prices go down. Seasonal food is much cheaper to produce for the farmers who would rather sell their products for a lower price, than not at all. Cash in on the seasonal bounty.

4. Environment

Seasonal produce can grow without too much added human assistance i.e. pesticides and genetically modification. We know how these toxic compounds can contaminate the water and soil and also our health. Seasonal food is more likely to be locally produced as well, which reduces the load on our environment due to transport, or “food mileage”.

5. Community

Getting to know where your food is coming from, who is growing your food and how they do it also makes you feel more connected to that whole process. CSA’s and farmer's markets create communities around food that encourage us to share our knowledge, ask questions and engage in our own local environment. Together we are more powerful and big change can happen.

6. Home Cooking

Eating seasonally also forces you to cook more -- and there really is nothing better you could do for your health. When you start to take back control of what you put in to your body, which oil you choose to cook with, how much sugar you add to your food etc, you are consciously making better choices for your health. Cooking is also a great activity to do with your kids, family and friends. And, what better way to show your love?

7. Creativity and Variety

Whether you shop at the market or you’re part of a CSA, eating seasonally keeps challenging your creativity to come up with new, fun and delicious dishes based on what you find. Maybe you choose to google a recipe, look through some cookbooks or go on Pinterest to find new inspiration and ideas about what to do with all that kale. Variety is also healthy for our bodies; by changing our menu according to what’s available you are also less likely to develop food intolerances.

8. Support of Your Seasonal Needs

The natural cycle of produce is perfectly designed to support our health.

Apples grow in the fall and they are the perfect transition food helping the body get rid of excess heat and cool down before winter. In the spring the abundance of leafy greens help us alkalize, detox and loose some extra pounds after a long winter of heavier foods. In the summer we need to cool down and stay hydrated by eating more fruits, berries, cucumber, watermelon etc. Building a lifestyle around seasonal food facilitates the body’s natural healing process.

9. Organic/Free of Pesticides

Food grown outside of their season or natural environment need a lot more human assistance in forms of pesticides, waxes, chemicals and preservatives to grow and look appealing to us consumers. By choosing local and seasonal food, you are also more likely to get a cleaner product! Many small family farms cannot afford to go through organic certification but still follow very natural and healthy growing practices. So when shopping at the farmers market you don’t have to be as carful about finding the “organic” produce as you are when shopping at the super market.

10. Harmony

Living in tune with nature’s rhythm makes us more aware and appreciative of the beauty around us. We can live in balance with our surroundings instead of constantly butt up against and living in conflict with nature. Embracing the natural rhythm of things also helps simplify our lives. The options are limited and we can trust that our food is nourishing and good for us!

reprinted from mindbodygreen.com

7 Reasons to Switch Up Your Workout

By Sally Wadyka

When it comes to exercise, many of us are creatures of habit. We head for the same class at the gym, log the same workout on the elliptical trainer, and run the same route every single time we lace up our sneakers. Sure, regular exercise is good for you, but it’s also important to vary your fitness routine. Your body — and brain — will reap benefits when you try new activities. “There are numerous benefits to mixing up your workout routine,” says Arnold Lee, MD. “It’s the key to stimulating different muscle groups and preventing boredom.”

There’s no shortage of different types of exercise to try. If you tend to gravitate toward more traditional activities — like running, biking, or swimming — look for ways to change up your workout. For instance, instead of running on the treadmill or the road, head for a wooded trail or local park. Not only will you experience an enjoyable change of scenery, but you’ll work your body in a different way that can enhance your overall fitness level. Here are seven benefits to tweaking your exercise routine.

1. Break Through a Weight-Loss Plateau

“When you do the same activity all the time, your body gets used it and becomes very efficient,” explains Lee. “Eventually, that adaptation will mean that you burn fewer calories even when you’re doing the same amount of exercise.” The solution: Challenge you body in a way that it’s not used to. Your body will have to work harder as it adjusts to the new activity, which means that you’ll burn more calories when you work out. And don’t forget to eat sensibly; regular exercise and a healthy diet are both important for weight loss.

2. Prevent Overuse Injuries

There’s a reason why you get hurt when you put your body through the same motions over and over again. “It’s called a repetitive strain injury,” says Lee. This type of injury often occurs from doing lots of repetitive motions, such as running, hitting a tennis ball, kicking (in kickboxing or martial arts classes), or performing the same swimming stroke. By mixing up your activities, you give those overused muscles, joints, and ligaments a chance to rest and recover before putting them into action again. And if you do get injured, performing a different activity that doesn’t strain the same part of the body will allow you to stay in shape and heal at the same time.

3. Build New Muscles

Ever notice how you can quickly identify a professional swimmer by his powerful arms and shoulders and a long-distance runner by her chiseled legs? That’s because professional athletes focus almost exclusively on one sport — and that sport builds very specific muscles. But for recreational exercisers, the best approach is to do a little of everything. That way you’ll build a strong heart (for endurance), muscular legs and a powerful upper body. You’ll look great and be physically ready to take on a variety of sports and activities.

4. Beat Workout Boredom

If you find yourself literally counting down the seconds left in your elliptical workout or can hardly stand the sight of the same streets as you run down them, it’s time to switch up your routine. Keep your workouts from getting stale by constantly trying new things. Venture into a Zumba class for a total change of pace, or just try tweaking your usual activity. For instance, instead of running the same distance at your customary pace, add some speed intervals. After you’ve warmed up, do a series of 30-second sprints followed by two minutes of slower jogging to recover. Keep repeating that, and you’ll reach the end of your run feeling invigorated.

5. Help Keep Your Brain Healthy

Exercise is essential for keeping your brain sharp and helping to prevent memory loss. And learning new skills also helps keep your neurons firing better. So learning a new exercise activity is a double-whammy when it comes to brain health. Ballroom dancing and other activities that require some skill and memorization are a good option. The key is to choose activities that keep you engaged; don’t pick things that you can do on autopilot. You don’t need to overly exert yourself to reap the benefits of exercise for your brain and memory, but you should exercise regularly. Research shows that active individuals have a lower risk for diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension (high blood pressure), and stroke, which can affect memory.

6. Meet New Workout Partners

One of the best ways to stay engaged with exercise — and committed to a regular schedule of activity — is to find people you want to work out with. And what better way to find someone than to try a new activity? Join a running group to find a partner to meet for jogs, try a spin class and find someone you can go for bike ride with, or strike up a conversation while doing partner stretches in a yoga class. Or ask a friend to join you in trying a new activity.

7. Get Excited About Exercise Again

When too many days in a row go by that you’d rather hit the snooze button than hit the gym, it’s definitely time to make a change. It may take a little trial and error before you find a new workout you enjoy, but stick with it until you do. Then, change up your routine so that you include several types of activity every week. You’ll see better results and have a lot more fun doing it.

reprinted from One Medical Group

How Exercise Benefits Seniors and Makes Life Easier With Age

by Elizabeth Blasi | aaptiv.com

As we all know, exercise is crucial in our daily routines to keep ourselves in tip-top shape. But why? Staying healthy isn’t only about eating a well-balanced diet. Exercise benefits seniors in ways that can be much more than a slim waistline and strong muscles. The development of our bodies, our mental well-being, and even our organ and bone strength can all be positively impacted when we regularly work out. Below, we’ve spoken to physical therapists to break down the many ways exercise can enhance our daily lives and create more ease with age.

Increases Cardiovascular Strength

Whether you’re participating in cardio exercises (such as running and swimming) or strength training (such as lifting and resistance), exercise benefits seniors by improving their endurance level. This means simple movements such as climbing stairs, doing household chores, or performing your favorite hobbies will be easy to keep up with as you age. “[The] addition of exercise into your routine will greatly improve your cardiovascular performance by strengthening your heart and reducing overall blood pressure, leading to inclines of endurance and energy levels,” says physical therapist Kristen Wilson.

Reduces Risk of Dementia

Regular exercise delivers oxygen to and removes unnecessary waste from our muscles and organs. One area in particular, the brain, benefits immensely from this process. According to Wilson, by maintaining adequate blood flow to the brain, your body removes harmful waste products. These can hinder memory, processing, and standard problem solving over time, ultimately leading to dementia.

Improves Bone Health

By focusing on weight training and muscle-strengthening exercises (which require our bones to do more work), we can reduce the risk of osteoporosis and osteopenia. When faced with greater demand, our bones respond, Wilson says. “[They] create and build more bone, according to a process referred to as Wolff’s law.”

Makes You Happier

To quote Legally Blonde, “Endorphins make you happy!” Believe it or not, Elle Woods is right. Health benefits seniors by releasing endorphins into the brain and reducing depression. These ultimately increase your mood. As we age, it can be common to experience a form of depression due to changing schedules or feeling a loss of purpose after retiring and not working. By exercising, the body releases natural chemicals (endorphins) to lighten your mood and create a sense of happiness. This is a healthier solution than over-the-counter medicine. Wilson also recommends surrounding yourself with other motivated individuals. “Utilize more of a group atmosphere when it comes to fitness (group classes, fitness buddy, personal training). It improves mood by enhancing opportunities for socialization.” she says.

Prevents Unwanted Falls

Experiencing a fall can be one of the most detrimental accidents as we grow older. “Fractures, head trauma, and loss of function or mobility are all potential complications that can be caused by a fall,” says Jimmy McKay, a physical therapist at FOX Rehabilitation. Engage in more balance-centric and flexibility exercises with increasing age, such as yoga or Pilates. In doing so, the body learns how to react to prevent a fall and how to fall the right way. McKay says he believes there’s a big focus on balance training in children. Unfortunately, these skills and learning practices can be neglected as we age. But they’re just as important.

Helps Flexibility and Range of Motion

If we don’t use it, we’ll most certainly lose it. This 100 percent applies to our flexibility and range of motion. According to McKay, “There are four phases of degeneration that progress naturally as we age. Exercise is a major intervention to slow this process down. If a joint cannot move through its normal range, it will limit the amount of activity that can be done.” This includes, but is not limited to, putting dishes in the cupboard or washing your hair. Additionally, the body will negatively compensate for a loss of range of motion. It will rely on another body part to pick up the slack. A secondary body part that may experience the additional weight or force is the neck. This, if left overworked, could lead to additional complications and further accelerate degenerative changes.

Supports Better Sleep

Regular exercise can help us fall asleep faster because of the fluctuations of body temperature during and post-workout. It also helps initiate a deeper sleep, resulting in waking up feeling refreshed and with more energy. This aspect of exercise benefits seniors because, as we age, body systems tend to slow down. Sleeping well can help keep cognitive and physical functioning (such as concentration, standard movements, and memory) at optimal levels throughout the day, resulting in a reduced risk of injury.

reprinted from aaptiv.com

Recommit To The Resolutions You Already Ditched

If you’ve already abandoned those lofty goals, it’s time to dust yourself off and have another go at them.

Sometime in late January or early February, you start to see the signs. The gym begins to clear out. Your colleagues are back to cheeseburgers instead of salads for lunch. And that time you and your office pals carved out for personal development or acquiring a new skill keeps getting pushed back on the calendar.

It’s that time of year when many people abandon their new year’s resolutions. It’s probably no surprise, since only 8% of us accomplish them anyway.

But what if those big goals weren’t dead in the water after all? What if we could recommit to them, but do so in a way that makes us more likely to succeed?

It’s possible, says Steve Farber, president of Extreme Leadership, Inc. and author of The Radical Leap: A Personal Lesson in Extreme Leadership, and other books. With a little self-reflection and some attention to setting yourself up for success, you can get back on track to make those resolutions a reality. Follow this six-step plan.

1. FIND YOUR WHY

Look at why you set the resolution in the first place, Farber says. Ask yourself, “Is this intrinsically motivating or am I doing it because I feel I have to?” It’s important to be honest here. When you set a goal and are driven by an authentic reason that you want to accomplish it, that combination can keep you doing the things you need to do for success, he says.

In addition, evaluate the idea or goal. By asking yourself a few key questions, you can better identify which are worth pursuing—and which might best be left in the dust.

2. MAKE THE STEPS SMALLER

Sometimes, we give up our goals because they’re too overwhelming. In those cases, you may just need to make the steps smaller, says leadership coach Tyler Parris, author of Chief of Staff: The Strategic Partner Who Will Revolutionize Your Organization. If you’ve stumbled, ask yourself if you’re trying to do too much too fast, and calibrate your expectations to be more in line with what you can manage.

But don’t get too comfortable. Growth happens when you’re just outside your comfort zone, Parris says. Make the steps manageable, but not so easy that you’re wasting time not doing more.

3. GET HELP

Farber says that one of the best things you can do to get back on track is to get help doing so. Whether you need a coach or mentor to keep you accountable, or you simply need a friend who can give you a pep talk and a bit of motivation, think about what assistance will help you move toward your goals.

“Resolutions, goals, vision, anything that’s future-oriented, we tend to think of as a lonely venture, that it’s up to me to do this by myself. It’s a good time to stop and ask who it is that I can reach out to for help, for support, for guidance, for resources, for coaching, for encouragement, and realize that not only do I not have to tackle this alone, but I shouldn’t,” he says. Be sure to tap your own network as well as look for external help. Farber says we often overlook people we know who can give help and inspiration.

4. MAKE THE TIME

All of the introspection and help in the world isn’t going to work if you don’t make the time to accomplish your goals, says executive coach Alexandra I. Levin, cofounder of The Back Forty, a coaching organization that helps people make changes in their lives. However, this can’t just be the leftover time that you have after everything else gets done. You’ve got to prioritize the time you need and treat it as non-negotiable, she says.

5. DEAL WITH YOUR FEELINGS

If you’ve stumbled after telling people about your goals, you may also be dealing with feelings of embarrassment and shame. Those aren’t helpful, but it’s important to not just ignore them, either, Farber says. Find a friend, coach, or counselor with whom you’re comfortable being honest. And don’t let other peoples’ opinions stand in the way of moving toward your goals.

6. CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESSES

Once you’re making progress again, set smaller interim goals or observe milestones, and celebrate them when you reach them. Keeping motivated along the way will help you keep up momentum, she says.

reprinted from fastcompany.com