Woman & Strength Training

Muscle mass is important for everyone, especially us woman! Unfortunately with age, starting in our late twenties comes risk of muscle deterioration. Compared to men, our muscle deterioration is greater, as we age. This could be because men generally just have more muscle than us. Not only do we lose more muscle compared to men, it is also more difficult for woman to replace lost muscle. As we age, we tend to have less effective muscle protein synthesis; the bodily process that breaks down our food into build muscle. But Mum’s, there is some good news!  There is a way we can build up our muscle strength, even when we age. We can improve our muscle health, and therefore increase our muscle strength and muscle mass. We can do this through exercise and strength training. At The Yummy Mummy Club, we are all for woman & strength training.

Upper Body Functioning
As we get older, as women, we tend to lose our muscle in our lower body first, our thighs, calves, and hamstrings and calves, but its the functional problems in our upper bodies that we notice first. We do not tend to use our body like we do our legs. Our legs carry us around all day, but the older we get, we tend lift and carry things less. However if we lose functionality in our upper bodies, our basic every day activities such as playing with our kids can become an issue. Loss of upper body functionality can lead to other issues later such as strained neck muscles.

Core
Before we continue, it is important to make note that our core muscles are not just our sick pack muscle group, which is a common misconception. Our core muscles our extend far beyond just our visual abs. The core includes everything except our arms and legs. It is incorporated in almost every movement of the human body. We need a strong core to help us protect our lower backs. If we have a weak core when we age, it is hard to strengthen. Basic, every day activities such as sitting on the couch or bending down to pat the cat will become painful.

Pelvis
Time and time again we are told to activate our pelvic floor muscles… right mums? Well I am going to tell you again. Strong pelvic floor muscles maintain our bowel functioning, our bladder and our sexual functioning. Our pelvic floor muscles also support and holds our organs in place, and play a role in the movements of our back and legs. With childbirth being a common reason for weakening these muscle groups, so too is aging and muscle loss. Any dysfunction to these muscle groups can lead to bladder leakage or inability to control your bladder and discomfort during intimacy.

Disclaimer: Results may vary. Exercise and proper diet are necessary to achieve and maintain weight loss. Consult with your health care processional before beginning any diet or exercise regime.

Tammy Kacev
Nutrition Expert