Advice From “The Trainer of Trainers”: Why Exercise is the Best Defense Against the Aging Process

Note from Wendy – Because I receive so much feedback from women complaining about menopausal weight gain, I asked the “trainer of trainers,” Joan Pagano, to offer perspective and advice on keeping fit and healthy as we age. Joan is the author of three books that I highly recommend: “Strength Training for Women,” “8 Weeks to a Younger Body,” and “15 Minute Total Body Workout.” Her latest book and DVD, “15-Minute Abs,” will be in bookstores in early December. Visit her websiteto learn more about her and to preview her books.

Joan will be offering advice every day this week, so I hope you’ll check back daily. She will gladly answer your questions posted in the comment section.

I call the decade of the 20′s “The Body Prime” when all physiological systems are peaking. We can exert ourselves in a daily high-intensity workout or sport, feel great and have a trim body to show for it!

The decade of the 30′s is when we need to “Keep our Edge!” It’s when a very subtle decline beings to occur throughout the body, causing a decrease in bone mass/strength, muscle mass/strength and resting metabolic rate. Usually these changes don’t fully manifest until later, but they are occurring with each year of aging and can be offset with appropriate exercise.

The 40′s serve as a “Wake up Call!” for many women who notice real changes in their bodies, hormonal changes for one, but also creeping weight gain, loss of flexibility and changes in posture.

The 50′s are “Years of Change” as more pronounced hormonal changes occur. Due to the loss of the protective effect of estrogen, women become more exposed to the risk of chronic diseases, like osteoporosis and heart disease. As estrogen declines, the male hormone testosterone becomes more prominent, causing fat to migrate to the gut. Yet another risk factor for heart disease, this “toxic fat” settles in the belly and may stubbornly resist efforts to reduce.

Once we’ve reached our 60′s we must “Stay Strong!” as the age-related loss of muscle mass and strength can cause a generalized slow-down. The real issue here is how exercise can help maintain a young functional age and manage chronic diseases. This is a crucial stage of our well-being. We begin to see the repercussions of ignoring exercise or not taking care of ourselves such as osteoporosis, loss of strength, joint pain, and flabbiness.

Woman jogging At every stage of the life span, a well-rounded fitness program can improve our quality of life. We’re never too old to start exercising, and the earlier we start, the longer we benefit. There are three “pillars” of exercise:

cardiovascular/ aerobic exercise such as running, brisk walking, dancing and swimming can improve body compositionand abdominal fat distribution. Weight loss from exercise is primarily fat loss. Cardio exercise reduces fat stores from the whole body and develops leaner, toned muscles instead. Research shows that exercise reduces the size of fat cells in the belly more effectively than dieting alone.

strength/resistance training can help improve strength, stability, body composition and bone density. Different types of resistance include using body weight, as in a push up or squat, and using external resistance such as free weights, machines and stretch bands or tubing. As we build muscle mass, we create a “power hungry” body, revving up the metabolism to burn more calories even while at rest.
stretching and joint mobility help to maintain flexibility, relieve muscle tension and improve posture. Stretching prevents us from getting stiff, which is something we associate with old age, as it affects how we look, feel and move. There are many ways to increase flexibility, including holding targeted stretch positions to lengthen the muscles and following dedicated programs of Yoga or Pilates.

In my blogpost tomorrow, I’ll talk more about cardiovascular exercise and offer tips for getting the most out of your workout.